List of National Labour MPs

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This is a list of National Labour MPs. It includes all members of Parliament who sat in the British House of Commons who were sponsored by the National Labour Organisation. Member Constituency Start End Notes Craigie Mason Aitchison Kilmarnock 3 September 1931 2 October 1933 Originally elected as a Labour MP; appointed Lord Advocate in the National Government. Re elected in the 1931 general election and served until he was appointed Lord Justice Clerk. Sir Ernest Nathaniel Bennett Cardiff Central 1 September 1931 14 June 1945 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Announced his support for the National Government on 1 September 1931. Re elected in the 1931 and 1935 general elections and served until the organisation was dissolved; defeated standing as a National candidate in the 1945 general election. Archibald George Church Wandsworth Central 8 September 1931 7 October 1931 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Initially sceptical, Church supported the Government once Parliament resumed. He was defeated in the 1931 general election, standing as a National candidate in London University. Richard Douglas Denman Leeds Central 10 September 1931 14 June 1945 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Abstained in the first vote after the National Government was set up but announced his support shortly afterwards. Re elected in the 1931 and 1935 general elections and served until the organisation was dissolved; retired at the end of the Parliament. Abraham John Flint Ilkeston 27 October 1931 25 October 1935 Gained his seat from Labour in the 1931 general election. Retired at the end of the Parliament. Sir George Masterman Gillett Finsbury 31 August 1931 25 October 1935 Originally elected as a Labour MP; was a junior Minister in the Labour Government. Announced his support of the Government and was appointed to the National Government. Re elected in the 1931 general election; defeated standing for re election in 1935. Derwent Hall Caine Liverpool Everton 23 September 1931 7 October 1931 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Away from Parliament after the death of his father, announced support for the National Government on his return. Not endorsed by the Conservatives, he was defeated for re election in the 1931 general election. George Wilfrid Holford Knight Nottingham South 2 September 1931 25 October 1935 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Announced his support for the Government before Parliament resumed. Re elected in the 1931 general election and retired at the end of the Parliament. Sir William Allen Jowitt Preston 28 August 1931 7 October 1931 Originally elected as a Liberal MP; after he was appointed to the Labour Government was re elected as a Labour MP. Retained office in the National Government. Defeated standing for re election in Combined English Universities at the 1931 general election. Subsequently rejoined the Labour Party and served again as a Labour MP from 1939 until given a Peerage in 1945. William Stephen Richard King Hall Ormskirk 27 October 1939 23 February 1942 Elected in a by election in a National Labour seat. Left the Parliamentary group to sit as an Independent. Defeated for re election at the 1945 general election standing as a National Independent, opposed by the Conservatives. Kenneth Martin Lindsay Kilmarnock 2 November 1933 28 May 1943 Elected in a by election in a National Labour seat. Re elected in the 1935 general election. Left the Parliamentary group to sit as an Independent, and re elected as an Independent in Combined English Universities in the 1945 general election. Retired at the end of the Parliament. James Alexander Lovat Fraser Lichfield 2 September 1931 18 March 1938 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Announced his support for the Government before Parliament resumed. Re elected in the 1931 election; defeated for re election in the 1935 general election. Ross and Cromarty 10 February 1936 14 June 1945 Elected in a byelection in a Liberal National seat. Served until the organisation was dissolved. Retired at the end of the Parliament. James Ramsay MacDonald Seaham 24 August 1931 25 October 1935 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Formed the National Government. Re elected in the 1931 election; defeated for re election in the 1935 general election. Combined Scottish Universities 31 January 1936 9 November 1937 Elected in a byelection in a Conservative seat. Served until his death. Sydney Frank Markham Chatham 16 September 1931 7 October 1931 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Absent from the first votes after the National Government was set up but began supporting the Government later that month. Not endorsed by the Conservatives, he withdrew his bid for re election in the 1931 general election. Nottingham South 14 November 1935 14 June 1945 Elected in the 1935 general election, retaining a National Labour seat. Served until the organisation was dissolved. Defeated for re election at the 1945 general election standing as a National candidate. Subsequently joined the Conservative Party and served as a Conservative MP for Buckingham from 1951 to 1964. Hon Harold George Nicolson Leicester West 14 November 1935 14 June 1945 Elected in the 1935 general election, gaining a seat from the Liberal Party. Served until the organisation was dissolved. Defeated for re election at the 1945 general election standing as a National candidate. Francis Noel Palmer Tottenham South 27 October 1931 25 October 1935 Gained his seat from Labour in the 1931 general election. Defeated for re election at the 1935 general election. Sir Samuel Thomas Rosbotham Ormskirk 5 September 1931 11 October 1939 Originally elected as a Labour MP. Announced his support for the Government before Parliament returned. Re elected in the 1931 and 1935 general elections and served until he resigned in order to retire. Philip Snowden Colne Valley 25 August 1931 7 October 1931 Originally elected as a Labour MP, was Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government. Re appointed to office in the National Government but had already decided not to seek re election. James Henry Thomas Derby 25 August 1931 11 June 1936 Originally elected as a Labour MP, was Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs in the Labour Government. Re appointed to office in the National Government. Re elected in the 1931 and 1935 general elections and served until he resigned over a financial scandal. Sir John Vigers Worthington Forest of Dean 27 October 1931 25 October 1935 Gained his seat from Labour in the 1931 general election. Defeated for re election at the 1935 general election.

Five Labour MPs are known to have deliberately abstained from voting on 8 September 1931 in the first House of Commons division (vote) called after the formation of the National Government. Of the five, only one (Richard Denman) subsequently became a National Labour MP. The identities of the other four who had indicated a degree of alienation from the Labour Party and of support for the National Government, even if not committing themselves to it absolutely. Sir Ralph Norman Angell (Bradford North) voted against the Government in a division the following day, but announced his decision not to seek re election on 24 September 1931 while stressing that he was not leaving the Labour Party. Edith Picton Turbervill (The Wrekin) also voted against the Government in a division the following day. She was re adopted as the Labour candidate for her constituency at the 1931 general election but was defeated for re election. George Russell Strauss (Lambeth North) also voted against the Government in a division the following day. Although defeated for re election in 1931, he returned in a 1934 by election at which he defeated a National Labour candidate, and then served until he retired in 1979. Josiah Clement Wedgwood (Newcastle under Lyme) first voted against the Government on 14 September 1931. As a member of the Independent Labour Party he refused to sign a pledge to abide by the standing orders of the Parliamentary Labour Party and so fought for re election without official endorsement at the 1931 general election, but was re elected unopposed. He was readmitted to the PLP and served until elevated to the Peerage in 1942.

Constituency1931193119331935363738394243Cardiff CentralBennettLeeds CentralDenmanNottingham SouthKnightMarkhamKilmarnockAitchisonLindsayOrmskirkRosbothamKing HallLichfieldLovat FraserDerbyThomasFinsburyGillettBassetlawM. MacDonaldSeahamR. MacDonaldWandsworth CentralChurchLiverpool EvertonCainePrestonJowittChathamMarkhamColne ValleySnowdenIlkestonFlintTottenham SouthPalmerForest of DeanWorthingtonLeicester WestNicolsonRoss and CromartyM. MacDonaldCombined Scottish UniversitiesR. MacDonaldNo. of National Labour MPs1513138987765