1930 Imperial Conference


The 1930 Imperial Conference was the seventh Imperial Conference bringing together the Prime Ministers of the dominions of the British Empire. It was held in London. The conference was notable for producing the Statute of Westminster, which established legislative equality for the self-governing Dominions of the British Empire with the United Kingdom, thereby marking the effective legislative independence of these countries, either immediately or upon ratification. Economic relations within the British Empire was also a key topic with proposals for a system of Imperial preference - empire-wide trade barriers against foreign goods. These proposals were further discussed at the British Empire Economic Conference in 1932.

Background

The 1926 Imperial Conference produced the Balfour Declaration that Dominions were autonomous and not subordinate to the United Kingdom. The 1929 Conference on Dominion Legislation and Merchant Shipping Laws was intended to move from the Balfour Declaration's broad statement of principle to a substantive legal framework, but the Irish Free State and the Union of South Africa demanded greater practical autonomy than the other attendees would allow. The 1930 Conference would instead address the issue.

The Conference

The conference was hosted by King-Emperor George V, with his Prime Ministers and members of their respective cabinets:
NationNamePortfolio
United KingdomRamsay MacDonaldPrime Minister
James ScullinPrime Minister
R. B. BennettPrime Minister
IndiaWilliam Wedgwood BennSecretary of State
W. T. CosgravePresident
NewfoundlandRichard SquiresPrime Minister
George ForbesPrime Minister
South AfricaJ. B. M. HertzogPrime Minister

Citations