Mark Hewitson
Encyclopedia
Captain Mark Hewitson was a British
trade union
official and Labour Party
politician. He was chosen at the very last minute to stand for Parliament, and eventually served as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for nineteen years. He was described as a member of the 'old school' of trade union leaders, and proud of it.
, County Durham
where he went to the local council school. He was a convinced socialist and joined the Labour Party
in 1914. Later that year, he joined the Northumberland Fusiliers
, and went to fight in the First World War. From 1916 he was in the West Yorkshire Regiment
until his discharge in 1920.
in the north-east of England. He was based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and was an area organiser. He was elected to Durham County Council in 1930. From 1937, Hewitson was President of the International Trade Secretariat for the Public and Civil Service, a post which involved many visits to continental Europe where he became well known. Hewitson served on the National Executive Committee
of the Labour Party in 1939-40.
. Subsequently he became chief industrial officer for his union, and was involved in preventing unlawful strikes: in October 1944 he protested against a dockers' strike in Newcastle, saying that the dockers were now out of hand and the union was no longer responsible for their actions. He was elected to a five-year term as President of the General Factory Workers International in 1945.
on 29 June 1945, the sitting Labour MP for Kingston-upon-Hull Central
Walter Windsor
died. Polling was postponed to allow the party time to choose its replacement, and on 5 July Hewitson was chosen. In the last result of the election, he easily held the seat. Later, questions were raised about his election due to his membership of trade boards appointed by the Minister of Labour; however, the Select Committee on Elections reported that they were not offices "of profit" and so did not invalidate his election.
Hewitson was again elected to the Labour Party National Executive Committee from 1947 to 1953, nominated in the section for trade unions. He remained involved in his union and spoke to the Trade Union Congress in 1949 calling for the TUC to withdraw from the World Federation of Trade Unions
, which was communist
-dominated. At the 1950 general election
, Hewitson defeated his Conservative opponent R.D. Wilberforce, a descendant of William Wilberforce
who had been Member of Parliament for Hull when he began his famous campaign against slavery
.
campaign of the early 1950s, Hewitson supported the leadership. He made a speech in his constituency in August 1952 insisting that differences of opinion within the Labour Party "did not require the existence of private and conspiratorial groups". In 1953 he was replaced as GMWU candidate for the National Executive Committee, and ran instead in the constituency parties section, but came bottom of the poll. In 1954, Hewitson "talked out" a Private Member's Bill
introduced by Frederick Mulley
which called for publication of football pools
promoters' accounts.
After boundary changes, Hewitson was returned for Kingston-upon-Hull West
. Representing many fishermen, he moved a motion in Parliament to stop a proposed doubling in the levy for the White Fish Authority in September 1956.
who was working as a club hostess in London claimed that Hewitson, who was a club regular, had given her money and made advances on her after inviting her to his flat. She had pleaded guilty to theft of cheque books from his flat.
Hewitson left Parliament, and retired as National Industrial Officer for the General and Municipal Workers' Union, in October 1964.
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...
trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
official and 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...
politician. He was chosen at the very last minute to stand for Parliament, and eventually served 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 nineteen years. He was described as a member of the 'old school' of trade union leaders, and proud of it.
First World War
Hewitson was born in ConsettConsett
Consett is a town in the northwest of County Durham, England, about southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is home to 27,394 .Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground was coking coal and...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
where he went to the local council school. He was a convinced socialist 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...
in 1914. Later that year, he joined the Northumberland Fusiliers
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally raised in 1674, the regiment was amalgamated with three other fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.-Origins:...
, and went to fight in the First World War. From 1916 he was in the West Yorkshire Regiment
West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)
The West Yorkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. In 1958 it amalgamated with The East Yorkshire Regiment to form The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire...
until his discharge in 1920.
Trade Union activities
In 1927 Hewitson became a trade union official with the General and Municipal Workers' UnionGMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
in the north-east of England. He was based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and was an area organiser. He was elected to Durham County Council in 1930. From 1937, Hewitson was President of the International Trade Secretariat for the Public and Civil Service, a post which involved many visits to continental Europe where he became well known. Hewitson served on the National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
of the Labour Party in 1939-40.
Second World War
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Hewitson was one of the first national trade union leaders to leave some of his posts and volunteer to serve in the armed forces. He was commissioned into the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps in 1940, but resigned his commission due to ill health in 1941, by which time he was a CaptainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. Subsequently he became chief industrial officer for his union, and was involved in preventing unlawful strikes: in October 1944 he protested against a dockers' strike in Newcastle, saying that the dockers were now out of hand and the union was no longer responsible for their actions. He was elected to a five-year term as President of the General Factory Workers International in 1945.
Member of Parliament
During the 1945 general election campaignUnited 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...
on 29 June 1945, the sitting Labour MP for Kingston-upon-Hull Central
Kingston upon Hull Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull Central was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Kingston upon Hull in East Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
Walter Windsor
Walter Windsor
Walter Windsor was a British Labour Party politician. A native of Bethnal Green in the East End of London, he held a seat in the House of Commons from 1923 to 1929, and from 1935 until his death.- Bethnal Green :...
died. Polling was postponed to allow the party time to choose its replacement, and on 5 July Hewitson was chosen. In the last result of the election, he easily held the seat. Later, questions were raised about his election due to his membership of trade boards appointed by the Minister of Labour; however, the Select Committee on Elections reported that they were not offices "of profit" and so did not invalidate his election.
Hewitson was again elected to the Labour Party National Executive Committee from 1947 to 1953, nominated in the section for trade unions. He remained involved in his union and spoke to the Trade Union Congress in 1949 calling for the TUC to withdraw from the World Federation of Trade Unions
World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...
, which was communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
-dominated. At the 1950 general 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...
, Hewitson defeated his Conservative opponent R.D. Wilberforce, a descendant of William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
who had been Member of Parliament for Hull when he began his famous campaign against slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
.
Anti-Bevanism
During the BevaniteAneurin Bevan
Aneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
campaign of the early 1950s, Hewitson supported the leadership. He made a speech in his constituency in August 1952 insisting that differences of opinion within the Labour Party "did not require the existence of private and conspiratorial groups". In 1953 he was replaced as GMWU candidate for the National Executive Committee, and ran instead in the constituency parties section, but came bottom of the poll. In 1954, Hewitson "talked out" a Private Member's Bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
introduced by Frederick Mulley
Frederick Mulley
Frederick William Mulley, Baron Mulley PC was a British Labour politician, barrister-at-law, and economist.Mulley attended Warwick School between 1929 and 1936. He served in the Worcestershire Regiment in the Second World War, reaching the rank of sergeant, but was captured in 1940 and spent five...
which called for publication of football pools
Football pools
A football pool, often collectively referred to as "the pools", is a betting pool based on predicting the outcome of top-level association football matches set to take place in the coming week. The pools are typically cheap to enter, with the potential to win huge money. Entries were traditionally...
promoters' accounts.
After boundary changes, Hewitson was returned for Kingston-upon-Hull West
Hull West (UK Parliament constituency)
Hull West was a borough constituency in Kingston upon Hull which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election....
. Representing many fishermen, he moved a motion in Parliament to stop a proposed doubling in the levy for the White Fish Authority in September 1956.
Retirement
In April 1960 Hewitson announced that he would not fight the next election, on medical advice. He was involved in a scandal in March 1964 when a girl from South ShieldsSouth Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
who was working as a club hostess in London claimed that Hewitson, who was a club regular, had given her money and made advances on her after inviting her to his flat. She had pleaded guilty to theft of cheque books from his flat.
Hewitson left Parliament, and retired as National Industrial Officer for the General and Municipal Workers' Union, in October 1964.