Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour (25 July 1848  19 March 1930) was a British Conservative politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from July 1902 to December 1905, and as Leader of the Conservative Party from his appointment as Prime Minister to November 1911. He was a Member of Parliament from 18741922 and served as Foreign Secretary in David Lloyd George's coalition government 1916-1919. Balfour's service as Foreign Secretary was most notable for the issuance of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, a letter to Lord Rothschild promising the Jews a 'national home' in Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire.