Alexander Wilkie
Encyclopedia
Alexander Wilkie was a Labour Party
politician in Scotland
, best known for his service as a Member of Parliament
for Dundee
. Along with the Dundonian George Nicoll Barnes
Wilkie was one of the first two Labour
Members elected in Scotland.
in 1850 and prior to his political career was a ship carpenter. Wilkie was known for his work in the Labour movement serving as general secretary of the Ship Constructive and Shipwrights Association
. He helped to form Labour Representation Committee
and visited the United States of America as a member of the Mosely Commission in 1902.
He unsuccessfully contested the Sunderland constituency
at the 1900 general election
, but was elected to the House of Commons at the 1906 general election
as one of the two Members of Parliament
for Dundee
. Wilkie's election has been argued to be an important part of a broader process of political change in Dundee
which saw the city's electorate move from supporting the Liberal Party
to supporting the Labour Party
.
From 1908 to 1922 his colleague as MP for Dundee was the Liberal
Winston Churchill
. At the 1918 general election
both Wilkie and Churchill were supported by the local Unionists, as well as their own party organsiations. In Wilkie's case this reflected both the fact that his political views had moved to the right since 1914 and his support for British involvement in the Great War.
Wilkie stood down at the 1922 general election
.
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 in Scotland
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...
, best known for his service 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,...
for Dundee
Dundee (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundee was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1950, when it was split into Dundee East and Dundee West....
. Along with the Dundonian George Nicoll Barnes
George Nicoll Barnes
George Nicoll Barnes CH PC was a Scottish politician and a leader of the Labour Party.Barnes was born in Lochee, Dundee, the second of five sons of James Barnes, a skilled engineer and mill manager from Yorkshire, and his wife, Catherine Adam Langlands...
Wilkie was one of the first two Labour
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...
Members elected in Scotland.
Biography
Alexander Wilkie was born in FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
in 1850 and prior to his political career was a ship carpenter. Wilkie was known for his work in the Labour movement serving as general secretary of the Ship Constructive and Shipwrights Association
Shipconstructors' and Shipwrights' Association
The Shipconstructors' and Shipwrights' Association was a trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded in 1882 as the Associated Society of Shipwrights, by eleven local unions in Scotland and North East England. Seven further unions in Scotland and North West England quickly joined the...
. He helped to form Labour Representation Committee
Labour Representation Committee
Labour Representation Committee may refer to:* Labour Representation Committee, the original name of the British Labour Party* Labour Representation Committee , a 21st century pressure group within the British Labour Party...
and visited the United States of America as a member of the Mosely Commission in 1902.
He unsuccessfully contested the Sunderland constituency
Sunderland (UK Parliament constituency)
Sunderland was a borough constituency of the House of Commons, created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election until it was split into single-member seats of Sunderland North and Sunderland South for the 1950...
at the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, but was elected to the House of Commons at the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
as one of the two Members 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,...
for Dundee
Dundee (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundee was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1950, when it was split into Dundee East and Dundee West....
. Wilkie's election has been argued to be an important part of a broader process of political change in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
which saw the city's electorate move from supporting the Liberal Party
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...
to supporting 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...
.
From 1908 to 1922 his colleague as MP for Dundee was the 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...
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
. At the 1918 general election
United 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...
both Wilkie and Churchill were supported by the local Unionists, as well as their own party organsiations. In Wilkie's case this reflected both the fact that his political views had moved to the right since 1914 and his support for British involvement in the Great War.
Wilkie stood down at the 1922 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...
.