Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, the Prime Minister’s son, who played a very important part in bringing about the negotiations with the Jewish Agency after the storm of protest aroused by the Passfield White Paper, which led to the Prime Minister’s letter of authoritative interpretation of the White Paper, is to succeed Dr. Drummond Shiels (who has resigned and joined the Labour Opposition to the National Government) as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Political Correspondent of the “News-Chronicle” states to-day, confirming reports to this effect which have been current for several days. As the Colonial Office has again been merged with the Dominions Office, under Mr. Thomas, who was Dominions Secretary in the last Government, Mr. MacDonald will be also Under-Secretary for the Dominions. Mr. MacDonald, who is a Labour member of Parliament, has declared for the National Government, and he is to meet the Labour Party in his constituency this week, to explain to them the stand he has taken.
Mr. James de Rothschild, the eldest son of Baron Edmond de Rothschild, the “father” of Palestine colonisation, and himself the President of the Palestine Jewish Colonisation Association (Pica), is also entering the Government, as Financial Secretary to the War Office, the forecast adds. This is the post which was held, when the Labour Government came into office, by Mr. Emanuel Shinwell, the only Jewish member in the last Labour Government. At the time of its fall, Mr. Shinwell, who has joined the Labour Opposition, was Minister of Mines. Mr. James de Rothschild is a Liberal member and has repeatedly spoken in Parliament for the Jewish case in Palestine, notably in the big Palestine debate after the issue of the Passfield White Paper.
Sir Frank Boyd Merriman, who was the leading Counsel for the Jewish Agency before the Shaw Enquiry Commission after the outbreak of the 1929 disturbances, is to be the Solicitor-General in the new Government. Sir Frank held this position in the last Conservative Government under Mr. Baldwin.
Sir Henry Betterton, also a Conservative, who was a member of the Shaw Commission, is Minister of Labour in the new Government.
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