James Milner, 1st Baron Milner of Leeds

James Milner, 1st Baron Milner of Leeds, MC, PC (12 August 1889 – 16 July 1967), was a British Labour Party politician.

For other people named James Milner, see James Milner (disambiguation).

Major The Right Honourable

The Lord Milner of Leeds

MC PC
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
Chairman of Ways and Means
In office
10 March 1943 – 20 December 1951
Preceded byDouglas Clifton Brown
Succeeded bySir Charles MacAndrew
Member of Parliament for
Leeds South East
In office
1 August 1929 – 20 December 1951
Preceded byHenry Slesser
Succeeded byDenis Healey
Personal details
Born(1889-08-12)12 August 1889
Died16 July 1967(1967-07-16) (aged 77)

Biography

Milner was educated at the University of Leeds and became a solicitor. He was a major in World War I and was wounded, awarded the Military Cross and bar for his service. He was a Leeds City Councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor of Leeds in 1928, and was also Chairman of Leeds Labour Party and President of Leeds Law Society. He later became deputy-lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

He was elected as the Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds South East at a by-election in August 1929,[1] and served until 1951. He became Chairman of Ways and Means and Deputy Speaker[2] and led the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1945.

In 1951, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Douglas Clifton Brown, had stepped down. As Chairman of Ways and Means, Milner wanted to be Labour's first-ever Speaker. However, the Conservatives, now the majority party, nominated William Morrison. The vote went along party lines – the first time the post had been contested in the 20th century – and Milner lost. As some compensation, he was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Milner of Leeds, of Roundhay in the City of Leeds, on 20 December 1951.[3] Denis Healey replaced him in the subsequent by-election.

Honours

Marriage and children

Milner married Lois Tinsdale Brown on 10 February 1917. They had three children:[4]

Milner died in 1967 at the age of 77 and was succeeded in the barony by his only son, Michael.

References
  1. Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 164. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  2. "Chairman of Ways and Means and Deputy-Chairman". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 10 March 1943. col. 699.
  3. "No. 39414". The London Gazette. 21 December 1951. p. 6650.
  4. The peerage.com, entry for 1st Lord Milner of Leeds

Sources
  • Iain Dale, ed. (2003). The Times House of Commons 1929, 1931, 1935. Politico's (reprint). ISBN 1-84275-033-X.
  • The Times House of Commons 1945. 1945.
  • The Times House of Commons 1950. 1950.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir Henry Slesser		 Member of Parliament for Leeds South East
1929–1951		 Succeeded by
Denis Healey
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baron Milner of Leeds
1951–1967		 Succeeded by
Michael Milner
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