Barnett Janner, Baron Janner
Encyclopedia
Barnett Janner, Baron Janner (20 June 1892 – 4 May 1982) was a Lithuanian-born British
politician who was elected as a Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) and later as a Labour
MP.
in modern day Lithuania
, and was the son of Joseph and Gertrude Janner. At the age of nine months his family, who were Orthodox Jews, moved to Barry, Glamorgan
, Wales
, where his father opened a furniture shop. He was educated at the local school before obtaining a scholarship to attend the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire
at Cardiff
. He was president of the student's union and edited the college magazine. He graduated with a BA
in English and mathematics in 1914 before serving in the Royal Garrison Artillery
during the First World War. Having studied law before the war, he was admitted as solicitor
in 1919, and established a legal practice in Cardiff.
. Three years later he had joined the Liberal Party
, but again failed to gain a seat on the council. In 1926 he was elected to the Board of Deputies of British Jews
, and subsequently became a member of the executive of the English Zionist Federation.
In 1927 he married Elsie Sybil Cohen, daughter of the owner of a furniture store. At the 1929 general election
he was the Liberal candidate for Cardiff Central
, but failed to be elected. Later in the year he moved to Hendon
, north London, and took up employment as company secretary and solicitor for his father in law's business.
In 1930, Harry Gosling
, the sitting Labour MP
for the Whitechapel and St Georges
constituency in the East End of London
died. Janner was chosen to contest the resulting by-election. The area had a large Jewish population, and he campaigned in opposition to the government's policy on Palestine, but was narrowly defeated. Ten months later a general election
was held, and Janner again contested the Whitechapel seat for the Liberals, this time with success. At the next general election in 1935
Janner stood as a Liberal and Anti-Fascist candidate, but was one of many Liberals to lose their seats, with the Labour Party regaining the seat.
, and was quickly chosen as prospective candidate for Leicester West
, which was held by National Labour with a small majority. In the event there was no election for ten years due to the Second World War.
Janner returned to Parliament
ten years later, when he was elected at the 1945 general election
as Labour MP for Leicester West. When that constituency was abolished for the 1950 election
, he was re-elected for the new Leicester North West
. He held that seat until he retired from the Commons at the 1970 general election
, when his seat was held for Labour by his son Greville
.
In June 1970, he was made a life peer
as Baron Janner, of the City of Leicester.
He held many positions in the Jewish community, including President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
, 1955-64.
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...
politician who was elected 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...
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) and later as a Labour
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...
MP.
Early life
He was born in Kaunas CountyKaunas County
Kaunas County is one of ten counties of Lithuania. It is in the centre of the country, and its capital is Kaunas...
in modern day Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, and was the son of Joseph and Gertrude Janner. At the age of nine months his family, who were Orthodox Jews, moved to Barry, Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, where his father opened a furniture shop. He was educated at the local school before obtaining a scholarship to attend the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
at Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. He was president of the student's union and edited the college magazine. He graduated with a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in English and mathematics in 1914 before serving in the Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
during the First World War. Having studied law before the war, he was admitted as solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in 1919, and established a legal practice in Cardiff.
Liberal politics
Janner entered politics in 1921 when he stood unsuccessfully for election to Cardiff City Council as a candidate of the Comrades of the Great WarComrades of the Great War
The Comrades of The Great War were formed in 1917 as a non-political association to represent the rights of ex-service men and women who had served or had been discharged from service during World War I. Comrades of The Great War was one of the original four ex-service associations that amalgamated...
. Three years later he had joined 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...
, but again failed to gain a seat on the council. In 1926 he was elected to the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Board of Deputies of British Jews
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the main representative body of British Jews. Founded in 1760 as a joint committee of the Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jewish communities in London, it has since become a widely recognised forum for the views of the different sectors of the UK Jewish...
, and subsequently became a member of the executive of the English Zionist Federation.
In 1927 he married Elsie Sybil Cohen, daughter of the owner of a furniture store. At the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
he was the Liberal candidate for Cardiff Central
Cardiff Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Cardiff Central is a borough constituency in the city of Cardiff. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
, but failed to be elected. Later in the year he moved to Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
, north London, and took up employment as company secretary and solicitor for his father in law's business.
In 1930, Harry Gosling
Harry Gosling
Harry Gosling CH was a British Labour Party politician and trade union leader.-Early life:Gosling was born in 1861 at 57 York Street, Lambeth, London, on the southern bank of the River Thames. He was the second son of William Gosling, master lighterman, and his wife Sarah Louisa née Rowe, a...
, the sitting Labour MP
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,...
for the Whitechapel and St Georges
Whitechapel and St Georges (UK Parliament constituency)
Whitechapel and St George's was a parliamentary constituency in east London, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
constituency in the East End of London
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
died. Janner was chosen to contest the resulting by-election. The area had a large Jewish population, and he campaigned in opposition to the government's policy on Palestine, but was narrowly defeated. Ten months later a 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...
was held, and Janner again contested the Whitechapel seat for the Liberals, this time with success. At the next general election in 1935
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...
Janner stood as a Liberal and Anti-Fascist candidate, but was one of many Liberals to lose their seats, with the Labour Party regaining the seat.
Labour politics
Within a year of losing his seat as a Liberal, Janner had joined the Labour PartyLabour 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...
, and was quickly chosen as prospective candidate for Leicester West
Leicester West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester West is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
, which was held by National Labour with a small majority. In the event there was no election for ten years due to the Second World War.
Janner returned 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...
ten years later, when he was elected at the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
as Labour MP for Leicester West. When that constituency was abolished for the 1950 election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, he was re-elected for the new Leicester North West
Leicester North West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester North West was a borough constituency in the city of Leicester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He held that seat until he retired from the Commons at the 1970 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
, when his seat was held for Labour by his son Greville
Greville Janner
Greville Ewan Janner, Baron Janner of Braunstone is a British Labour politician, lawyer and author. A QC since 1971, he was a Labour MP from 1970 to 1997...
.
In June 1970, he was made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Janner, of the City of Leicester.
He held many positions in the Jewish community, including President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Board of Deputies of British Jews
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the main representative body of British Jews. Founded in 1760 as a joint committee of the Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jewish communities in London, it has since become a widely recognised forum for the views of the different sectors of the UK Jewish...
, 1955-64.