Campbell-Bannerman, Sir Henry, 1836–1908, British statesman. Entering Parliament (1868) as a Liberal, he served as secretary to the admiralty (1882–84), secretary of state for Ireland (1884), and secretary of state for war (1886, 1892–95). He was knighted in 1895. In 1899 he was elected leader of the Liberal party (succeeding Sir William Harcourt) and led opposition to British policy in the South African War (1899–1902). When the Conservative government resigned in 1905, Campbell-Bannerman became prime minister. Before ill health caused his retirement in 1908 he had furthered many Liberal measures, including that of self-government for the Transvaal and the Orange Free State.
See biography by J. Wilson (1974).
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