Margaret Bondfield(18731953) was a BritishLabourpolitician, trades unionist and women's rights activist. She became the first female cabinet minister, and the first woman to be aprivy counsellor, when she was appointedMinister of Labourin theLabour government of 192931. Bondfield was born in humble circumstances and received limited formal education. Beginning as a shopworker inBrightonand London, she was an active trades unionist and held union office from 1898. Bondfield helped to found theWomen's Labour Leaguein 1906, and was chair of theAdult Suffrage Society. She was a socialist rather than a suffragette, which divided her from some factions in the women's movement. She was first elected to parliament in 1923, and was a junior minister in theLabour government of 1924. Her term in the cabinet was overshadowed by the economic crises that beset the 192931 Labour ministry, and her actions in office antagonised many in the Labour Party. She left parliament in 1931, but continued in quiet public service until shortly before her death