Robert Murray (Scottish politician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Murray was a Scottish
co-operator
and politician who served briefly in Parliament as a member of the Labour Party
.
in Glasgow
and in his early life worked as a Brass
finisher and a pattern
maker. He later moved to being a bookseller, journalist and author and settled in Barrhead
. In 1894 he was elected to Neilston
Parish Council, on which he served for nearly thirty years; he also became a Justice of the Peace
for Renfrewshire
. Prominent in the Cooperative movement he was sub-editor of its journal Scottish Co-operator.
, Murray stood for West Renfrewshire as a Labour Party
candidate, having been sponsored by the Independent Labour Party
. With 7,126 votes, he was not elected but came within 4,500 of the sitting Coalition Liberal MP. Murray was reselected to stand at the next election, and when it was called in November 1922
he won the West Renfrewshire seat by 11,787 to 10,051.
in Parliament criticised the Government for "colouring information" which it gave to the public, and manipulating the press; it followed an incident in which the National Unemployed Workers' Movement
had organised a march and the Government had given out biographies of the leaders to the press with an instruction not to identify the source of the information. In April 1923 Murray moved a motion in Parliament calling for more middle-class professional workers to form trade unions and associations for collective bargaining; the Government did not oppose his motion and it was agreed to by the House of Commons. Murray retained his seat in the 1923 general election
with a majority of 3,302 over the Conservative candidate with the Liberals in third. He spoke in favour of the Guardianship of Infants Bill, which gave mothers equal legal authority with fathers, making a witty speech which observed that women's knowledge that they had no legal rights made them get their own way "in other directions".
was called, Murray faced a single opponent in Lt Col McInnes Shaw (Conservative) as the Liberal Party decided not to stand. There had been negotiations between the Liberals and Conservatives for an electoral pact which centred on the neighbouring Paisley
seat held by H. H. Asquith
and McInnes Shaw, who had been adopted as the Conservative candidate there, retired and came forward instead to challenge Murray. In the circumstances it was thought likely that McInnes Shaw would take most of the Liberal vote and therefore win the seat, and this proved to be the case: Murray was beaten by 2,015.
; his son was Dr David Stark Murray
who became President of the Socialist Medical Association and a leading advocate of the national health service. His youngest daughter Marion married Neil Maclean, the son of the MP for Govan who was also called Neil Maclean.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
co-operator
History of the cooperative movement
The history of the cooperative movement concerns the origins and history of cooperatives. Although cooperative arrangements, such as mutual insurance, and principles of cooperation existed long before, the cooperative movement began with the application of cooperative principles to business...
and politician who served briefly in Parliament as a member of 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...
.
Early life
Murray came from BridgetonBridgeton, Glasgow
Bridgeton is a district to the east side of Glasgow city centre. It is bounded by Glasgow Green to the west, Dalmarnock to the east and south and Calton to the north-west at Abercromby Street/ London Road...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and in his early life worked as a Brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
finisher and a pattern
Pattern (casting)
In casting, a pattern is a replica of the object to be cast, used to prepare the cavity into which molten material will be poured during the casting process.Patterns used in sand casting may be made of wood, metal, plastics or other materials...
maker. He later moved to being a bookseller, journalist and author and settled in Barrhead
Barrhead
Barrhead is a town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, southwest of Glasgow on the edge of the Gleniffer Braes. As of the 2001 census its population was 19,813....
. In 1894 he was elected to Neilston
Neilston
Neilston is a village and parish in East Renfrewshire set in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Levern Valley, southwest of Barrhead, south of Paisley, and south-southwest of Renfrew, at the southwestern fringe of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
Parish Council, on which he served for nearly thirty years; he also became 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...
for Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
. Prominent in the Cooperative movement he was sub-editor of its journal Scottish Co-operator.
Parliamentary elections
At the general election of 1918United 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...
, Murray stood for West Renfrewshire as a 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, having been sponsored by 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...
. With 7,126 votes, he was not elected but came within 4,500 of the sitting Coalition Liberal MP. Murray was reselected to stand at the next election, and when it was called in November 1922
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...
he won the West Renfrewshire seat by 11,787 to 10,051.
In Parliament
Murray's maiden speechMaiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
in Parliament criticised the Government for "colouring information" which it gave to the public, and manipulating the press; it followed an incident in which the National Unemployed Workers' Movement
National Unemployed Workers' Movement
The National Unemployed Workers' Movement was a British organisation set up in 1921 by members of the Communist Party of Great Britain. It aimed to draw attention to the plight of unemployed workers during the post World War I slump, the 1926 General Strike and later the Great Depression, and to...
had organised a march and the Government had given out biographies of the leaders to the press with an instruction not to identify the source of the information. In April 1923 Murray moved a motion in Parliament calling for more middle-class professional workers to form trade unions and associations for collective bargaining; the Government did not oppose his motion and it was agreed to by the House of Commons. Murray retained his seat in the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
with a majority of 3,302 over the Conservative candidate with the Liberals in third. He spoke in favour of the Guardianship of Infants Bill, which gave mothers equal legal authority with fathers, making a witty speech which observed that women's knowledge that they had no legal rights made them get their own way "in other directions".
1924 election
When the 1924 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
was called, Murray faced a single opponent in Lt Col McInnes Shaw (Conservative) as the Liberal Party decided not to stand. There had been negotiations between the Liberals and Conservatives for an electoral pact which centred on the neighbouring Paisley
Paisley (UK Parliament constituency)
Paisley was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1983, when it was divided into Paisley North and Paisley South...
seat held by H. H. Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
and McInnes Shaw, who had been adopted as the Conservative candidate there, retired and came forward instead to challenge Murray. In the circumstances it was thought likely that McInnes Shaw would take most of the Liberal vote and therefore win the seat, and this proved to be the case: Murray was beaten by 2,015.
Later life
Out of Parliament Murray became editor of Scottish Co-operator, and from 1927 to 1939 he was a Director of the Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society. Murray was a member of the Evangelical Union Congregational ChurchEvangelical Union (Scotland)
The Evangelical Union was a religious denomination which originated in the suspension of the Rev. James Morison, minister of a United Secession congregation in Kilmarnock, Scotland, for certain views regarding faith, the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation, and the extent of the atonement, which...
; his son was Dr David Stark Murray
David Stark Murray
Dr David Stark Murray , son of Robert Murray MP was a consultant pathologist and President of the Socialist Medical Association 1951–70...
who became President of the Socialist Medical Association and a leading advocate of the national health service. His youngest daughter Marion married Neil Maclean, the son of the MP for Govan who was also called Neil Maclean.