Simon, Viscount (1873-1954), was a noted British lawyer and politician. He held several important United Kingdom government posts between 1913 and 1945. In 1931, he founded, and became the first leader of, the Liberal National political party.
John Allsebrook Simon was born on Feb. 28, 1873, in Manchester, England. He was educated at Edinburgh University, Scotland, and Oxford University, England, and became a successful lawyer. In 1906, he was elected to Parliament as a member of the Liberal Party. Simon served as solicitor general from 1910 to 1913 and as attorney general from 1913 to 1915. In 1915, he became home secretary, but he resigned in 1916 because he opposed the military draft. He returned to Parliament in 1922.
In the early 1930’s, the Liberal Party broke into factions. In 1931, Simon formed and became the leader of the Liberal National Party (later known as the National Liberal Party). Over half of the Liberal members of Parliament joined Simon in the new party. Simon then held some of the most important posts in the British government. He was foreign secretary from 1931 to 1935, home secretary from 1935 to 1937, and chancellor of the exchequer from 1937 to 1940. In the 1930’s, he supported the policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany. This policy, which ultimately failed, attempted to prevent war by meeting some of the demands of the German dictator Adolf Hitler.
Simon was made Viscount Simon in 1940 and began serving in the House of Lords. There, he served as lord chancellor from 1940 to 1945. Simon died in London on Jan. 11, 1954.
