Stanley Evans
Encyclopedia
Stanley Norman Evans was a British
industrialist and Labour Party
politician. He served very briefly as an Agriculture Minister in the post-war Attlee
government but was forced to resign when he claimed that farmers were being "featherbedded". During the Suez Crisis
, Evans broke from the party line and supported the Conservative
government's policy, which led his local association successfully to press him to resign from Parliament.
where he went to Harborne Elementary School. His first job after leaving school was in a chartered accountants
firm, but in 1915 he left to enlist in the Northumberland Hussars
. He served in France
and Belgium
during the First World War
, and was discharged in 1919.
for mould
s used in the many cast metal
foundries
in the Black Country
. Evans was also involved in the publishing industry, being Chairman of Town Crier Publishing Society Ltd. During the Second World War
, Evans was a road transport organiser employed by the Ministry of War Transport.
candidate for Wednesbury
to follow John Banfield
, who died at the end of May 1945 while still in post. At the 1945 general election
he had no difficulty in being elected, winning a majority of 15,935.
In his maiden speech
on 22 August 1945, Evans spoke in a debate on the ratification of the United Nations Charter
. He concentrated on the post-war reconstruction and opposed attempts to indict 70,000,000 Germans for the misdeeds of a few. In October he criticised the restrictive practices of trade associations in several fields of industry, and urged an investigation into their activities. His speech drew a protest from Imperial Chemical Industries
Ltd, whom he had singled out. Evans opposed the Anglo-American loan
and the Bretton Woods
agreement.
would be forthcoming from those who had always saved Britain – the common people, the best bred mongrel
s in the world". He distrusted the Soviet Union
for its "constant stream of vilification, invective and abuse" directed at the British people, and in June 1947 made an outspoken attack on Soviet domination of Europe led by the "hermits of the Kremlin
".
In a free vote on abolition of the death penalty
, Evans spoke loudly in support of retaining capital punishment on the grounds that public opinion was not supportive, and reported that the people to whom he spoke were concerned that too many condemned prisoners were being reprieved. He was also a supporter of the Government's plan to nationalise the steel industry, which was the most controversial of all its nationalisation proposals. Because of his experience in the industry, Evans was placed on the Standing Committee examining the Bill.
, his majority almost unchanged on that of 1945 despite a three way fight. In the government reshuffle that followed, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food
. At his first press conference on 17 March, a fortnight into his job, Evans warned that Britain "must be careful not to cosset any section of the population at the expense of the community as a whole". He said the Ministry should consider themselves the representatives of housewives; later Evans had to stress that these were his personal views.
He had a tough debut on the front bench of the House of Commons
on 3 April 1950 when he made a statement about Commonwealth
sugar
negotiations. Many Members of Parliament thought that the West Indies had been treated discourteously and the Leader of the House of Commons
Herbert Morrison
had to come to the aid of the junior Food Minister.
) had to give an assurance to them that the Ministry would fail if it did not assist food producers. However, Evans was to cause further problems at a press conference in Manchester
on 14 April. He asserted that farmers were provided with guaranteed prices and assured markets at taxpayers' expense, and asked how long it could continue. Evans then went on to claim that subsidies concealed inefficiency and inertia, and commented that "no other nation feather-beds its agriculture like Britain".
asked for Evans' resignation, dismissing him from office after only six weeks. Evans stuck by his opinions even though "the National Farmers' Unions have my scalp under their belt". He later denied as "fantastic" rumours that he intended to resign his Parliamentary seat. On 16 May Evans used a debate on the Finance Bill
to set out a full defence of his charges against agriculture.
funfair on Sundays, saying it would cause dismay to millions of people. Despite his sacking he paid tribute to Attlee for his statesmanlike diplomacy with the United States
over the Korean War
. He was a frequent member of Parliamentary delegations to other countries, including that to Hungary
in 1946. In 1951 he led a delegation to Northern
and Southern Rhodesia
, Nyasaland
, Mauritius
and Malta
. He was also a member of a delegation to the Soviet Union
in 1954.
In 1953 Evans annoyed his own side by speaking against a Labour amendment on the issue of the Central African Federation. He agreed with the Conservative government that federation would lead to economic development and would make Central Africa the Ruhr Valley
of Africa. He was a cautious supporter of German rearmament, because it would assist in the defence against Soviet expansionism.
, and second over his allegation that the United States was discriminating against British shipping. When speaking at the outbreak of the Suez Crisis
, Evans was critical of the lack of American support for what he described as the British crusade against totalitarianism.
to withhold military action until Parliament had debated it. When Eden called a vote of confidence
on 1 November 1956, Evans abstained from voting rather than vote with his party against the Government; he was the only Labour Member of Parliament to break the whip
but was not disciplined for his failure to vote.
Although supporters of Evans raised a petition asking him to stand for re-election as an Independent
candidate, Evans rejected the idea of standing again under any banner. He declared that he was not a turncoat and would do nothing to embarrass his friends in the Parliamentary Labour Party.
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...
industrialist 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 served very briefly as an Agriculture Minister in the post-war Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
government but was forced to resign when he claimed that farmers were being "featherbedded". During the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Evans broke from the party line and supported the Conservative
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...
government's policy, which led his local association successfully to press him to resign from Parliament.
Wartime service
Evans was a native of BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
where he went to Harborne Elementary School. His first job after leaving school was in a chartered accountants
Accountancy
Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
firm, but in 1915 he left to enlist in the Northumberland Hussars
Northumberland Hussars
The Northumberland Hussars is a Squadron of The Queen's Own Yeomanry is an armoured Squadron of the British Territorial Army. It is part of a Formation Reconnaissance Regiment, equipped with the FV107 Scimitar and FV103 Spartan type armoured reconnaissance vehicles...
. He served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and was discharged in 1919.
Industry
Returning to the West Midlands, Evans established Stanley N. Evans (Birmingham) Ltd, who supplied sandSand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
for mould
Molding (process)
Molding or moulding is the process of manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a pattern....
s used in the many cast metal
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
foundries
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
in the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
. Evans was also involved in the publishing industry, being Chairman of Town Crier Publishing Society Ltd. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Evans was a road transport organiser employed by the Ministry of War Transport.
Election to Parliament
Evans was chosen as Labour PartyLabour 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 for Wednesbury
Wednesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Wednesbury was a borough constituency in England's Black Country which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election....
to follow John Banfield
John Banfield
John William Banfield was a trade unionist and Labour Party politician in England who served as Member of Parliament for Wednesbury from 1932 until his death....
, who died at the end of May 1945 while still in post. At 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 had no difficulty in being elected, winning a majority of 15,935.
In his maiden speech
Maiden 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...
on 22 August 1945, Evans spoke in a debate on the ratification of the United Nations Charter
United Nations Charter
The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the international organization called the United Nations. It was signed at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, United States, on 26 June 1945, by 50 of the 51 original member countries...
. He concentrated on the post-war reconstruction and opposed attempts to indict 70,000,000 Germans for the misdeeds of a few. In October he criticised the restrictive practices of trade associations in several fields of industry, and urged an investigation into their activities. His speech drew a protest from Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
Ltd, whom he had singled out. Evans opposed the Anglo-American loan
Anglo-American loan
The Anglo-American Loan Agreement was a post World War II loan made to the United Kingdom by the United States on 15 July 1946, and paid off 29 December 2006...
and the Bretton Woods
United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference
The United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, commonly known as the Bretton Woods conference, was a gathering of 730 delegates from all 44 Allied nations at the Mount Washington Hotel, situated in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, to regulate the international monetary and financial order after...
agreement.
Steel nationalisation
Evans was a supporter of economic planning who was very conscious of his origins in the industrial midlands of England; in a debate in February 1946 he declared to laughter and cheers that "the elbow greaseElbow grease
Elbow grease is an idiom for working hard at manual labour, as in "You need to use some elbow grease." It is a humorous reflection of the fact that some tasks can only be achieved by hard effort and human energy, contrasting with the idea that there should be some special oil, tool or chemical...
would be forthcoming from those who had always saved Britain – the common people, the best bred mongrel
Mongrel
Mongrel refers to mixed ancestry:* In botany, a mongrel may refer to the offspring of varieties of a species which was in contrast to a hybrid* Among pets, one whose parentage is of unknown or mixed breeds as opposed to purebred...
s in the world". He distrusted the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
for its "constant stream of vilification, invective and abuse" directed at the British people, and in June 1947 made an outspoken attack on Soviet domination of Europe led by the "hermits of the Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
".
In a free vote on abolition of the death penalty
Capital punishment in the United Kingdom
Capital punishment in the United Kingdom was used from the creation of the state in 1707 until the practice was abolished in the 20th century. The last executions in the United Kingdom, by hanging, took place in 1964, prior to capital punishment being abolished for murder...
, Evans spoke loudly in support of retaining capital punishment on the grounds that public opinion was not supportive, and reported that the people to whom he spoke were concerned that too many condemned prisoners were being reprieved. He was also a supporter of the Government's plan to nationalise the steel industry, which was the most controversial of all its nationalisation proposals. Because of his experience in the industry, Evans was placed on the Standing Committee examining the Bill.
Ministry of Food
Evans was re-elected for Wednesbury at the 1950 general electionUnited 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...
, his majority almost unchanged on that of 1945 despite a three way fight. In the government reshuffle that followed, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Food Control, later the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Food was a junior Ministerial post in the Government of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1921 and then from 1939 to 1954...
. At his first press conference on 17 March, a fortnight into his job, Evans warned that Britain "must be careful not to cosset any section of the population at the expense of the community as a whole". He said the Ministry should consider themselves the representatives of housewives; later Evans had to stress that these were his personal views.
He had a tough debut on the front bench 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...
on 3 April 1950 when he made a statement about Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
negotiations. Many Members of Parliament thought that the West Indies had been treated discourteously and the Leader of the House of Commons
Leader of the House of Commons
The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...
Herbert Morrison
Herbert Morrison
Herbert Stanley Morrison, Baron Morrison of Lambeth, CH, PC was a British Labour politician; he held a various number of senior positions in the Cabinet, including Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.-Early life:Morrison was the son of a police constable and was born in...
had to come to the aid of the junior Food Minister.
Controversy
The controversy caused by his initial press conference had continued. The National Farmers Union had protested and the Minister (Maurice WebbMaurice Webb (politician)
Maurice Webb PC was a British Labour politician.Webb joined the Labour Party in 1922 as a teenager and was a well-known political journalist, including for the Daily Herald. From 1929 to 1935 he worked as the Party's propaganda officer...
) had to give an assurance to them that the Ministry would fail if it did not assist food producers. However, Evans was to cause further problems at a press conference in 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...
on 14 April. He asserted that farmers were provided with guaranteed prices and assured markets at taxpayers' expense, and asked how long it could continue. Evans then went on to claim that subsidies concealed inefficiency and inertia, and commented that "no other nation feather-beds its agriculture like Britain".
Dismissal
The National Farmers Unions of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland immediately responded in a joint statement expressing their amazement and giving detailed figures to refute his argument. At this Clement AttleeClement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
asked for Evans' resignation, dismissing him from office after only six weeks. Evans stuck by his opinions even though "the National Farmers' Unions have my scalp under their belt". He later denied as "fantastic" rumours that he intended to resign his Parliamentary seat. On 16 May Evans used a debate on the Finance Bill
Finance Act
In the UK, the Chancellor of the Exchequer delivers an annual Budget speech on Budget Day, outlining changes in spending, as well as tax and duty. The changes to tax and duty are passed as law, and each year form the respective Finance Act...
to set out a full defence of his charges against agriculture.
Parliamentary activity
Evans opposed the opening of Battersea ParkBattersea Park
Battersea Park is a 200 acre green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in England. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, and was opened in 1858....
funfair on Sundays, saying it would cause dismay to millions of people. Despite his sacking he paid tribute to Attlee for his statesmanlike diplomacy with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
over 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...
. He was a frequent member of Parliamentary delegations to other countries, including that to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1946. In 1951 he led a delegation to Northern
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
and Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
, Nyasaland
Nyasaland
Nyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate located in Africa, which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Since 1964, it has been known as Malawi....
, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. He was also a member of a delegation to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1954.
In 1953 Evans annoyed his own side by speaking against a Labour amendment on the issue of the Central African Federation. He agreed with the Conservative government that federation would lead to economic development and would make Central Africa the Ruhr Valley
Ruhr Area
The Ruhr, by German-speaking geographers and historians more accurately called Ruhr district or Ruhr region , is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With 4435 km² and a population of some 5.2 million , it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany...
of Africa. He was a cautious supporter of German rearmament, because it would assist in the defence against Soviet expansionism.
Attitude toward America
The summer of 1956 saw Evans involved in two controversies, first over the sale of the Trinidad Oil Company to the Texas Oil CompanyTexaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
, and second over his allegation that the United States was discriminating against British shipping. When speaking at the outbreak of the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Evans was critical of the lack of American support for what he described as the British crusade against totalitarianism.
Suez
As the situation became more grave, Evans pressed Prime Minister Anthony EdenAnthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
to withhold military action until Parliament had debated it. When Eden called a vote of confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
on 1 November 1956, Evans abstained from voting rather than vote with his party against the Government; he was the only Labour Member of Parliament to break the whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
but was not disciplined for his failure to vote.
Constituency discontent
However, Evans' tacit support for the invasion of Suez caused unrest in his constituency. After several local organisations sent in resolutions strongly condemning his action, the Wednesbury divisional Labour Party called a meeting to discuss his future on 17 November. Evans spoke in defence of his position, but the meeting unanimously passed a resolution calling on Evans to resign his seat. A few days later, Evans complied, also resigning from membership of the Labour Party. He declared that when military action had begun, it was "against the best interests of the British people to divide the House of Commons while fighting was still in progress".Although supporters of Evans raised a petition asking him to stand for re-election as 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...
candidate, Evans rejected the idea of standing again under any banner. He declared that he was not a turncoat and would do nothing to embarrass his friends in the Parliamentary Labour Party.