Henry Hogbin

Hogbin first stood for Parliament at the 1922 general election in Battersea North as a National Liberal i.e. a supporter of the wing of the Liberal Party led by David Lloyd George. The seat was won by the Communist candidate, Shapurji Saklatvala, who had the support of the local the Labour Party. Hogbin came second to Saklatvala, 2,021 votes behind. The Independent Asquithian Liberal, V C Albu, lost his deposit.[4] As a portent of worse things to come in later elections, Hogbin's meetings were disrupted by people claiming to be supporters of Saklatvala.[5]

At the 1923 Hogbin secured the nomination of the now re-united Liberal Party but his candidacy was also endorsed by the local Conservatives in order to oppose Saklatvala, who they regarded as a revolutionary and unconstitutional candidate.[6] At one point in the campaign Hogbin discontinued holding indoor election meetings claiming this was as a result of Labour intimidation and disruption.[7] It was also feared he would be prevented from canvassing and he had to seek the protection of the police.[8] In the end, Hogbin's pact with the Conservatives was just enough to ensure his victory by the narrow margin of 186 votes in a straight fight with Saklatvala.[4] During his time in Parliament Hogbin often voted with the Conservatives against the Labour government, perhaps aware of his reliance on Tory support and votes in North Battersea.[9] However he held his seat for just one year. In the 1924 general election Hogbin stood this time as a Constitutionalist (i.e. a Liberal with Conservative support).[10] Again the campaign was marred by disruption [11][12] and violence. On one occasion a stone was thrown through Hogbin's car window hitting him near the eye.[13] Hogbin's election day organisation was disrupted and it was surmised that some potential Constitutionalist electors were discouraged from going out to vote by the prospect of rowdyism near polling stations.[14] When the result was declared Hogbin trailed Saklatvala by 542 votes.[4]

In 1926, Hogbin took the decision to leave the Liberal Party. He wrote to party leader Lord Oxford explaining that he did not believe the Liberal Party any longer represented an effective instrument for fighting what he called ‘the pernicious doctrine’ of socialism.[15] Hogbin's experience of co-operation with the Conservative Party was a clear factor in his decision to leave the Liberal Party and follow other politicians, most famously Winston Churchill, who had stood under the Constitutionalist banner in 1924, into the Tory Party itself. In 1927, Hogbin was chosen as Conservative candidate in the 1927 Stourbridge by-election in Worcestershire.[16] The sitting Tory MP, Douglas Pielou, had died and Hogbin faced a three-cornered contest with Labour and Liberal opponents. He failed to hold the seat however which was gained by Labour's Wilfred Wellock.[17] Hogbin did not stand for Parliament again.