Arthur Elliot (politician)
Encyclopedia
The Honourable
Arthur Ralph Douglas Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (17 December 1846 – 12 February 1923), known as Arthur Elliot, was a British
journalist and Liberal Unionist
politician.
, and his wife Emma Eleanor Elizabeth (née Hyslop). Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
, was his elder brother and the Honourable Hugh Elliot
his younger brother. At age four his leg was amputated as the result of a fall. He was educated at Edinburgh University and Trinity College, Cambridge
.
in 1880 as a Liberal
, and held that seat until 1892, having joined the Liberal Unionist
s when the Irish Home Rule split the Liberal Party
in 1886. After his defeat by the Liberal candidate at the 1892 general election
, he did not stand again in Roxburghshire, and at the 1895 general election
he stood in the City of Durham, losing by only 3 votes to the sitting Liberal MP, Matthew Fowler. After Fowler's death in 1898, Elliot won the resulting by-election, though with a margin of only 65 votes.
He was re-elected in Durham at the 1900 general election
with a much bigger majority, but his support of free trade
then brought him into conflict with the Durham Constitutional Association (the local Conservative and Liberal Unionist organisation), some of whose members were backing John Waller Hills
as an alternative for the next election. Elliot resigned from the Durham Constitutional Association in February 1905, and contested the general election in January 1906
as a "Free Trade" candidate. The local Liberal Association did field a candidate of its own, and supported Elliot, but in a straight contest between Elliot and Hills (who had been adopted as the Conservative and Liberal Unionist candidate), Hills took the seat with 60% of the votes. He served briefly as Financial Secretary to the Treasury
under Arthur Balfour
between April and October 1903. Apart from his political career he was also editor of the Edinburgh Review
.
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
Arthur Ralph Douglas Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (17 December 1846 – 12 February 1923), known as Arthur Elliot, was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist and Liberal Unionist
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
politician.
Background and education
Elliot was the second son of William Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 3rd Earl of MintoWilliam Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 3rd Earl of Minto
William Hugh Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 3rd Earl of Minto , was a British Whig politician. He was the eldest son of the second earl.From 1814 until his accession in 1859, he was styled Viscount Melgund....
, and his wife Emma Eleanor Elizabeth (née Hyslop). Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto was a British nobleman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the eighth since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the country's 17th.-Early life and career:Minto was born in London, the...
, was his elder brother and the Honourable Hugh Elliot
Hugh Elliot (MP)
Hugh Frederick Hislop Elliot , was a British Liberal and Liberal Unionist politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892....
his younger brother. At age four his leg was amputated as the result of a fall. He was educated at Edinburgh University and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
.
Political career
Elliot was elected to the House of Commons for RoxburghshireRoxburghshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Roxburghshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801, and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
in 1880 as a 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...
, and held that seat until 1892, having joined the Liberal Unionist
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
s when the Irish Home Rule split the Liberal Party
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...
in 1886. After his defeat by the Liberal candidate at the 1892 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
, he did not stand again in Roxburghshire, and at the 1895 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
he stood in the City of Durham, losing by only 3 votes to the sitting Liberal MP, Matthew Fowler. After Fowler's death in 1898, Elliot won the resulting by-election, though with a margin of only 65 votes.
He was re-elected in Durham at the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
with a much bigger majority, but his support of free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
then brought him into conflict with the Durham Constitutional Association (the local Conservative and Liberal Unionist organisation), some of whose members were backing John Waller Hills
John Waller Hills
John Waller Hills PC DCL was a British Conservative politician.The second son of Herbert Augustus and Anna Hills of High Head Castle, Cumberland, Hills was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford....
as an alternative for the next election. Elliot resigned from the Durham Constitutional Association in February 1905, and contested the general election in January 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
as a "Free Trade" candidate. The local Liberal Association did field a candidate of its own, and supported Elliot, but in a straight contest between Elliot and Hills (who had been adopted as the Conservative and Liberal Unionist candidate), Hills took the seat with 60% of the votes. He served briefly as Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury is a junior Ministerial post in the British Treasury. It is the 4th most significant Ministerial role within the Treasury after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and the Paymaster General...
under Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
between April and October 1903. Apart from his political career he was also editor of the Edinburgh Review
Edinburgh Review
The Edinburgh Review, founded in 1802, was one of the most influential British magazines of the 19th century. It ceased publication in 1929. The magazine took its Latin motto judex damnatur ubi nocens absolvitur from Publilius Syrus.In 1984, the Scottish cultural magazine New Edinburgh Review,...
.