James Kiley
Encyclopedia
James Daniel Kiley was a British businessman and Liberal Party
politician who served in the House of Commons from 1916 to 1922 as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for constituencies in the Whitechapel
area of the East End of London
.
A director of a warehouse
company in Houndsditch
, he entered politics in 1910, when he was elected to Stepney Borough Council
, becoming an alderman
in 1913 and serving as the borough's mayor in 1915. He was also a member of the Metropolitan Water Board from 1914 to 1922, and a justice of the peace
from 1913.
During the First World War there was a political truce between the parties, who agreed not to contest any by-elections caused by death or resignations of sitting members of parliament. When a vacancy occurred with the resignation
of the Liberal MP Sir Stuart Samuel, Bt
in December 1916, Kiley was elected unopposed as the MP for the Whitechapel division
of Stepney
. The Whitechapel constituency was abolished in boundary changes
for the 1918 general election
, and Kiley was elected for the new Whitechapel and St Georges division
of Stepney. He held the seat despite his Conservative Party
opponent having received the coalition coupon
, but with both Labour
and Conservative candidates winning over 28% of the votes, Kiley's victory was obtained with only 35% of the votes. (The fourth candidate, an independent
won 7%).
However, at the 1922 general election
, when he faced only Labour and Conservative opponents, Kiley lost the seat to the Labour Party
candidate Charles Mathew
by a majority of 2.8%. He stood again at the by-election in February 1923 after Mathew's death, but lost by a wider margin, and was unsuccessful again at the general election in December 1923
. He did not stand for Parliament
again.
He continued in business, eventually becoming chairman of Whyte Ridsdale and Company Limited, a leading firm of fancy goods and toy merchants. He was a forceful proponent of free trade
both in politics and business, opposing tariffs or other restrictions.
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...
politician who served in the House of Commons from 1916 to 1922 as a 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) for constituencies in the Whitechapel
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...
area of 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...
.
A director of a warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
company in Houndsditch
Houndsditch
Houndsditch is a street in the City of London that connects Bishopsgate in the north west to Aldgate in the south east. The modern street runs through a part of the Portsoken Ward and Bishopsgate Ward Without...
, he entered politics in 1910, when he was elected to Stepney Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Stepney
The Metropolitan Borough of Stepney was a Metropolitan borough in the County of London created in 1900. In 1965 it became part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.-Boundaries:...
, becoming an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1913 and serving as the borough's mayor in 1915. He was also a member of the Metropolitan Water Board from 1914 to 1922, and a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
from 1913.
During the First World War there was a political truce between the parties, who agreed not to contest any by-elections caused by death or resignations of sitting members of parliament. When a vacancy occurred with the resignation
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
of the Liberal MP Sir Stuart Samuel, Bt
Sir Stuart Samuel, 1st Baronet
Sir Stuart Montagu Samuel, 1st Baronet was a British Liberal politician. He was the elder brother of Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel....
in December 1916, Kiley was elected unopposed as the MP for the Whitechapel division
Whitechapel (UK Parliament constituency)
Whitechapel was a parliamentary constituency in the Whitechapel district of East London. In 1885 the seat was established as a division of the parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets...
of Stepney
Metropolitan Borough of Stepney
The Metropolitan Borough of Stepney was a Metropolitan borough in the County of London created in 1900. In 1965 it became part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.-Boundaries:...
. The Whitechapel constituency was abolished in boundary changes
Representation of the People Act 1918
The Representation of the People Act 1918 was an Act of Parliament passed to reform the electoral system in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes known as the Fourth Reform Act...
for the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
, and Kiley was elected for the new Whitechapel and St Georges division
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....
of Stepney. He held the seat despite his Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
opponent having received the coalition coupon
Coalition Coupon
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918 endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in...
, but with both 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...
and Conservative candidates winning over 28% of the votes, Kiley's victory was obtained with only 35% of the votes. (The fourth candidate, an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
won 7%).
However, at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
, when he faced only Labour and Conservative opponents, Kiley lost the seat to 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...
candidate Charles Mathew
Charles James Mathew
Charles James Mathew CBE KC was a British lawyer and Labour politician. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Whitechapel and St Georges in the 1922 general election, but died 7 weeks later....
by a majority of 2.8%. He stood again at the by-election in February 1923 after Mathew's death, but lost by a wider margin, and was unsuccessful again at the general election in December 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. He did not stand for 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...
again.
He continued in business, eventually becoming chairman of Whyte Ridsdale and Company Limited, a leading firm of fancy goods and toy merchants. He was a forceful proponent 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...
both in politics and business, opposing tariffs or other restrictions.