William Whiteley (politician)

William Whiteley CH PC DL (3 October 1882 – 3 November 1955) was the Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Blaydon in County Durham.

Whiteley in 1946

William Whiteley, not to be confused with the founder of the Department Store of the same name, was a Durham miner by background and a lodge official. He was an active trade unionist and member of the Labour Party.

He stood unsuccessfully in Blaydon for Labour in the 1918 general election, but was successful in the election four years later. He went on to be the MP for Blaydon from 1922 to 1931. His defeat in the 1931 general election followed the events of that summer when Ramsay MacDonald quit the Labour Party to form a National Government and the election called in October that year reduced the Labour representation to a rump of 52 MPs. However Whiteley was re-elected at the 1935 general election and went on to represent the constituency for the next twenty years until his death in 1955 at the age of 74. In the consequent by-election, the seat was held for Labour by Robert Woof.

President of the Durham Miners' Homes for the Aged 1927 - 1955, Whiteley became a Privy Councillor after 1943 and was Labour Chief Whip in the House of Commons for thirteen years. During the government of Clement Attlee of 1945 - 1951 was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Walter Waring
Member of Parliament for Blaydon
19221931
Succeeded by
Thomas Ballantyne Martin
Preceded by
Thomas Ballantyne Martin
Member of Parliament for Blaydon
19351955
Succeeded by
Robert Woof
Political offices
Preceded by
Charles Kerr
Comptroller of the Household
1940–1942
Succeeded by
William John
Preceded by
Charles Edwards
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
1942–1945
With: James Stuart
Succeeded by
James Stuart
Preceded by
James Stuart
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
1945–1951
Succeeded by
Patrick Buchan-Hepburn
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