William Hirst
Encyclopedia
William Hirst was a British Labour Co-operative
politician who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Bradford South
from 1924
to 1931
.
Hirst first stood for election to Parliament
at the "coupon election" in 1918
, when he was an unsuccessful Co-Operative Party in Bradford South. He stood again in 1992
and 1923
, as a Labour Co-operative candidate with the endorsement of the Labour Party
, losing in both elections by a narrow margin of less than 3% of the votes.
He won the seat on his fourth attempt, at the 1924 general election
, defeating the sitting Liberal
MP Herbert Harvey Spencer
. Hirst was re-elected in 1929
with an increased majority.
However, at the 1931 general election
, the Labour Party
had split over Prime Minister
Ramsay MacDonald
's decision to form a National government
with the support of both the Conservative
Liberal
parties, and Hirst was opposed in Bradford only by a Liberal candidate, the Conservatives having stepped aside. He lost his seat by a huge margin of 32.6% of the votes.
Hirts's seventh and final candidacy was at the 1935 general election
, when he was defeated again, although he halved the Liberal majority to 16.8%.
Labour Co-operative
Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....
politician who was the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Bradford South
Bradford South (UK Parliament constituency)
Bradford South is a borough constituency in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
from 1924
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
to 1931
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
.
Hirst first stood for election to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the "coupon election" in 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
, when he was an unsuccessful Co-Operative Party in Bradford South. He stood again in 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
and 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, as a Labour Co-operative candidate with the endorsement of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, losing in both elections by a narrow margin of less than 3% of the votes.
He won the seat on his fourth attempt, at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, defeating the sitting Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP Herbert Harvey Spencer
Herbert Harvey Spencer
Herbert Harvey Spencer was an English stuff manufacturer and trader and Liberal Party politician.-Family:Spencer was married and had three sons...
. Hirst was re-elected in 1929
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
with an increased majority.
However, at the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
, the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
had split over Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
's decision to form a National government
First National Ministry
See also First National Government 1931The First National Ministry was a coalition government formed in the United Kingdom, following the collapse of the Second MacDonald Labour Ministry in 1931.-Formation:...
with the support of both the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
parties, and Hirst was opposed in Bradford only by a Liberal candidate, the Conservatives having stepped aside. He lost his seat by a huge margin of 32.6% of the votes.
Hirts's seventh and final candidacy was at the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
, when he was defeated again, although he halved the Liberal majority to 16.8%.