Fred Barton (politician)
Encyclopedia
Fred Barton was a British socialist politician
.
Barton joined the Independent Labour Party
(ILP) and was elected chairman of the Stretford
Trades Council. By 1944, he was the chairman of the Manchester
Federation of the ILP, and was the party's second choice to contest the Manchester Rusholme by-election after Fenner Brockway, but neither accepted the opportunity, and Robert Edwards
stood instead.
At the 1950 UK general election, Barton stood for the party in Newcastle upon Tyne He then stood for the party at the Ormskirk by-election, 1951
Barton was elected as chairman of the ILP in March 1951. While chairman, he campaigned against apartheid in South Africa and the Korean War
.
In April 1954, Barton was succeeded as chairman by Annie Maxton
. Later in the year, he resigned from the ILP and joined the Labour Party
. At the 1955 UK general election, he was the unsuccessful Labour candidate in Stretford
, taking 39.1% of the vote, and in 1959, he took 40.4% in Middleton and Prestwich
. He became the Liverpool
district organiser of the Tobacco Workers' Union. In the run-up to the 1964 UK general election, he was the Labour Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
for Liverpool Kirkdale
, but he died suddenly in late 1963 of a thrombosis
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Barton joined the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
(ILP) and was elected chairman of the Stretford
Stretford
Stretford is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Lying on flat ground between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, it is to the southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Salford and northeast of Altrincham...
Trades Council. By 1944, he was the chairman of the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
Federation of the ILP, and was the party's second choice to contest the Manchester Rusholme by-election after Fenner Brockway, but neither accepted the opportunity, and Robert Edwards
Robert Edwards (politician)
Robert Edwards , usually known as Bob Edwards, was a British trade unionist and an Independent Labour Party and Labour Co-operative politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1955 to 1987....
stood instead.
At the 1950 UK general election, Barton stood for the party in Newcastle upon Tyne He then stood for the party at the Ormskirk by-election, 1951
Ormskirk by-election, 1951
The Ormskirk by-election of 5 April 1951 was held after the appointment of Conservative MP Ronald Cross as Governor of Tasmania:The seat was safe, having been won at the United Kingdom general election, 1950 by over 14,000 votes...
Barton was elected as chairman of the ILP in March 1951. While chairman, he campaigned against apartheid in South Africa and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
In April 1954, Barton was succeeded as chairman by Annie Maxton
Annie Maxton
Annie Maxton was a Scottish socialist and trade unionist.Born in Glasgow, Maxton was convinced to join the Independent Labour Party by her elder brother, James Maxton. She trained as a teacher and became active in the Educational Institute of Scotland....
. Later in the year, he resigned from the ILP and joined the Labour Party
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...
. At the 1955 UK general election, he was the unsuccessful Labour candidate in Stretford
Stretford (UK Parliament constituency)
Stretford was a parliamentary constituency in North West England, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, taking 39.1% of the vote, and in 1959, he took 40.4% in Middleton and Prestwich
Middleton and Prestwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Middleton and Prestwich was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Middleton and Prestwich districts of Greater Manchester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He became the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
district organiser of the Tobacco Workers' Union. In the run-up to the 1964 UK general election, he was the Labour Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate is a term used in British politics to refer to candidates selected by political parties to fight individual constituencies in advance of a general election. This terminology was motivated by the strict limits on the amount of expenses incurred by an actual...
for Liverpool Kirkdale
Liverpool Kirkdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Kirkdale was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom covering Kirkdale, Liverpool. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Members of Parliament :...
, but he died suddenly in late 1963 of a thrombosis
Thrombosis
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss...
.