William Stanley Russell Thomas
Encyclopedia
Dr Russell Thomas was a physician, barrister and Welsh Liberal
politician who served as a Liberal National
Member of Parliament.
, and Queens' College, Cambridge
.
and was Treasurer's gold medallist in medicine.
in the 1931 election
. It was a promising seat which the Liberals had nearly gained from the Conservatives in 1929. At the 1931 elections, the Liberal party was split into three groups and Thomas remained with the official Liberals under Sir Herbert Samuel
, in support of the National Government. He finished third in Ilford, just behind the Labour candidate.
He remained loyal to the official Liberal party when it left the National government in 1932.
he was selected as Liberal candidate in the promising constituency of Aberdeenshire Central
where the Liberal in 1931 finished a close second behind the Conservative in a two-party contest. However, in 1935, the Labour party intervened and in a three-way contest Thomas finished third, again just behind Labour.
. In 1935, the Liberal National candidate was re-elected unopposed. When the by-election came around, a minority section of the local Liberal Association wanted a Liberal to stand and were unhappy when the majority decided to support a National Labour candidate. The Scottish Liberal Federation persuaded Thomas to stand as a Liberal candidate. However, the result was a disaster for Thomas as he finished fourth. Following this disappointment, Thomas decided to switch his support from the official Liberal party to the Liberal National party.
. By then, a war time electoral truce between the main political parties was in operation, so Thomas was returned unopposed.
At the 1945 General election
, Thomas sought re-election as a Liberal National candidate in support of Winston Churchill. Southampton was a dual member seat and he ran in tandem with a Conservative against two Labour candidates and a Liberal. However, he lost his seat and finished fourth.
Thomas contested Middlesbrough East in the 1950 general election, however, this time not as a Liberal National but as an official Liberal candidate. He came third with 10% of the vote.
for the 1955 General election
. Having been raised in Brecon, he might have had hopes of winning. However, the Liberals had not contested the seat in 1951 and in 1950, their candidate finished a poor third. The 1955 elections represented the lowest point in the fortunes of the Liberal party and Thomas was to finish third once again. This was to be his electoral swansong.
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 as a Liberal National
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
Member of Parliament.
Education
Educated at Brecon Grammar School, Christ College, BreconChrist College, Brecon
Christ College, Brecon is a co-educational, boarding and day independent school, located in the market town of Brecon in mid-Wales. It caters for pupils from eleven to eighteen.Christ College was founded by Royal Charter in 1541 by King Henry VIII...
, and Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
.
Physician
He qualified as a physician and surgeon at Guy's HospitalGuy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital is a large NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It is a large teaching hospital and is home to the King's College London School of Medicine...
and was Treasurer's gold medallist in medicine.
Ilford
He was Liberal candidate for IlfordIlford (UK Parliament constituency)
Ilford was a borough constituency in what is now the London Borough of Redbridge in east London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in the 1931 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...
. It was a promising seat which the Liberals had nearly gained from the Conservatives in 1929. At the 1931 elections, the Liberal party was split into three groups and Thomas remained with the official Liberals under Sir Herbert Samuel
Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel
Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel GCB OM GBE PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Early years:...
, in support of the National Government. He finished third in Ilford, just behind the Labour candidate.
He remained loyal to the official Liberal party when it left the National government in 1932.
Aberdeenshire Central
Despite his poor showing at Ilford in 1931, for the 1935 electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
he was selected as Liberal candidate in the promising constituency of Aberdeenshire Central
Aberdeen and Kincardine Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Aberdeen and Kincardine Central, also known as Central Aberdeenshire, was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1950...
where the Liberal in 1931 finished a close second behind the Conservative in a two-party contest. However, in 1935, the Labour party intervened and in a three-way contest Thomas finished third, again just behind Labour.
Ross & Cromarty
His next attempt to enter parliament was also in Scotland at the Ross and Cromarty by-election, 1936Ross and Cromarty by-election, 1936
The Ross and Cromarty by-election, 1936 was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Ross and Cromarty held on 10 February 1936. The by-election was triggered when Sir Ian Macpherson, a Liberal National was given a peerage...
. In 1935, the Liberal National candidate was re-elected unopposed. When the by-election came around, a minority section of the local Liberal Association wanted a Liberal to stand and were unhappy when the majority decided to support a National Labour candidate. The Scottish Liberal Federation persuaded Thomas to stand as a Liberal candidate. However, the result was a disaster for Thomas as he finished fourth. Following this disappointment, Thomas decided to switch his support from the official Liberal party to the Liberal National party.
Southampton
His connection with the Liberal Nationals was far more rewarding when he was chosen as the National government's candidate for the 1940 by-election in SouthamptonSouthampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Southampton was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. Centred on the town of Southampton, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1295 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election....
. By then, a war time electoral truce between the main political parties was in operation, so Thomas was returned unopposed.
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...
, Thomas sought re-election as a Liberal National candidate in support of Winston Churchill. Southampton was a dual member seat and he ran in tandem with a Conservative against two Labour candidates and a Liberal. However, he lost his seat and finished fourth.
Thomas contested Middlesbrough East in the 1950 general election, however, this time not as a Liberal National but as an official Liberal candidate. He came third with 10% of the vote.
Brecon & Radnor
Despite his Welsh heritage, none of his previous electoral challenges was in his native Wales. However he was selected as Liberal candidate for Brecon & RadnorBrecon and Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Brecon and Radnorshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1918, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election; until 1997 its name was simply Brecon and Radnor.The Brecon and Radnorshire Welsh...
for the 1955 General election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
. Having been raised in Brecon, he might have had hopes of winning. However, the Liberals had not contested the seat in 1951 and in 1950, their candidate finished a poor third. The 1955 elections represented the lowest point in the fortunes of the Liberal party and Thomas was to finish third once again. This was to be his electoral swansong.