Rhys Hopkin Morris
Encyclopedia
Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris was a Welsh
Liberal
politician who was a Member of Parliament
from 1923–1932 and from 1945–1956.
Hopkin Morris was educated at University of North Wales Bangor and qualified as a barrister, being called to the Bar
in 1920. A classic laissez-faire liberal, Hopkin Morris supported Herbert Henry Asquith against David Lloyd George
when the party split between 1916 and 1923, and would remain fiercely opposed to Lloyd George and interventionist Liberalism throughout his political career.
In 1922 Hopkin Morris contested the general election
as a pro Asquith Liberal in Cardiganshire
, narrowly losing to the sitting pro-Lloyd George
Liberal MP Ernest Evans
. The following year the Liberal Party reunited but Hopkin Morris ran as an Independent Liberal against Evans. In one of the most surprising results of the 1923 general election
Hopkin Morris was elected. In the follow year's general election
he was returned unopposed as an official Liberal candidate.
His opposition to both Lloyd George and the introduction of tariffs resulted in his remaining with the official ("Samuelite
") Liberals when the party split three ways in advance of the 1931 general election
. The following year Hopkin Morris was appointed as a Metropolitan Police magistrate
, a salaried post which vacated his seat because the post was an 'office of profit under the Crown' and incompatible with membership of the House of Commons
. In 1936, he became the first Regional Director of the BBC in Wales
. The same year Hopkin Morris became President of the London Welsh Trust, which runs the London Welsh Centre
, holding office until 1937.
Thirteen years later Hopkin Morris returned to Parliament in a once more sensational result. In the 1945 general election
he successfully won Carmarthen
, taking the seat from the Labour Party
's Moelwyn Hughes
despite the rest of the country experiencing a Labour landslide. Hopkin Morris was to hold the seat for the remainder of his life.
In 1951 he became Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
in the House of Commons
and thus one of the Deputy Speakers. This post, together with his age, combined to exclude him for consideration for the Liberal Party leadership when Clement Davies
stood down in October 1956. Hopkin Morris died the following month.
Throughout his career Hopkin Morris was a staunch individualist, once summing up his political philosophy as, "There is no man alive who is sufficiently good to rule the life of the man next door to him!" Many have regarded him as being the last representative of traditional Gladstonian Liberalism
in the Commons.
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...
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...
politician who was 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,...
from 1923–1932 and from 1945–1956.
Hopkin Morris was educated at University of North Wales Bangor and qualified as a barrister, being called to the Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1920. A classic laissez-faire liberal, Hopkin Morris supported Herbert Henry Asquith against David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
when the party split between 1916 and 1923, and would remain fiercely opposed to Lloyd George and interventionist Liberalism throughout his political career.
In 1922 Hopkin Morris contested the 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...
as a pro Asquith Liberal in Cardiganshire
Ceredigion (UK Parliament constituency)
Ceredigion, formerly Cardiganshire, is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1536, the boundaries have remained remarkably unchanged for nearly five centuries...
, narrowly losing to the sitting pro-Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
Liberal MP Ernest Evans
Ernest Evans (politician)
Ernest Evans was a Liberal Party politician from Wales.-Family and education:Ernest Evans was born at Aberystwyth, the son of Evan Evans, the Clerk to the Cardiganshire County Council and his wife Annie Davies...
. The following year the Liberal Party reunited but Hopkin Morris ran as an Independent Liberal against Evans. In one of the most surprising results of the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
Hopkin Morris was elected. In the follow year's general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
he was returned unopposed as an official Liberal candidate.
His opposition to both Lloyd George and the introduction of tariffs resulted in his remaining with the official ("Samuelite
Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel
Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel GCB OM GBE PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Early years:...
") Liberals when the party split three ways in advance of the 1931 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...
. The following year Hopkin Morris was appointed as a Metropolitan Police magistrate
Magistrates' Court
A magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and many other common law jurisdictions...
, a salaried post which vacated his seat because the post was an 'office of profit under the Crown' and incompatible with membership of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. In 1936, he became the first Regional Director of the BBC in Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
. The same year Hopkin Morris became President of the London Welsh Trust, which runs the London Welsh Centre
London Welsh Centre
The London Welsh Centre is a community and arts centre on Gray's Inn Road, in the London Borough of Camden. The Centre is owned and run by the London Welsh Trust....
, holding office until 1937.
Thirteen years later Hopkin Morris returned to Parliament in a once more sensational result. In 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...
he successfully won Carmarthen
Carmarthen (UK Parliament constituency)
Carmarthen was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1542 and 1997...
, taking the seat from 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...
's Moelwyn Hughes
Moelwyn Hughes
Ronw Moelwyn Hughes , known as Moelwyn Hughes was a Welsh lawyer and a Liberal and Labour politician who was elected to two brief terms as a Member of Parliament ....
despite the rest of the country experiencing a Labour landslide. Hopkin Morris was to hold the seat for the remainder of his life.
In 1951 he became Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
Committee of Ways and Means
The Committee of Ways and Means is a government body that is charged with reviewing and making recommendations for government budgets. The term "Ways and Means" originated with the English Parliament and refers to the provision of revenue to meet national expenditure requirements and to forward...
in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
and thus one of the Deputy Speakers. This post, together with his age, combined to exclude him for consideration for the Liberal Party leadership when Clement Davies
Clement Davies
Clement Edward Davies KC, MP was a Welsh politician and leader of the Liberal Party from 1945 to 1956.-Life:...
stood down in October 1956. Hopkin Morris died the following month.
Throughout his career Hopkin Morris was a staunch individualist, once summing up his political philosophy as, "There is no man alive who is sufficiently good to rule the life of the man next door to him!" Many have regarded him as being the last representative of traditional Gladstonian Liberalism
Gladstonian Liberalism
Gladstonian Liberalism is a political doctrine named after the British Victorian Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstonian Liberalism consisted of limited government expenditure and low taxation whilst making sure government had balanced budgets...
in the Commons.
Further reading
- Rhys Hopkin Morris, The man and his character: T J Evans (introduction by Herbert Samuel), Gomerian Press, Llandyssul, 1958