Andrew McElwee
Encyclopedia
Andrew McElwee was a British
trades unionist and Labour Party
politician.
McElwee joined the Clydebank
branch of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
in 1907. He subsequently transferred to a union branch in Brixton
, London
. He was elected to the union's general council and was chairman from 1924 to 1926.
He was nominated as the Labour Party candidate for the Manchester
constituency of Hulme
with the support of the woodworkers' union, but failed to win the seat at the 1924 general election
. In 1925 he was chairman of the Dumbarton and Clydebank Labour Party, and gave evidence to an enquiry into the Clydebank Rents Strike.
McElwee again stood at Hulme at the 1929 general election
, and was elected. However, he became involved in a dispute with his sponsoring union, who refused to support him at the ensuing election in 1931
. The Divisional Labour Party asked him to stand down as candidate, but he refused to do, and after a search for a replacement candidate he received the Labour nomination. He was defeated, with the Conservative Party
regaining the constituency.
In February 1932 the executive council and a number of officials of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers issued summonses alleging criminal libel
against the former MP. The allegations centred around statements made in four letters written by McElwee about the union. The letters accused identifiable officials of corruption and of misappropriation of expenses. In May 1932 he entered a plea of guilty to the charges and was bound over to keep the peace on his personal recognisance of £100.
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...
trades unionist 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.
McElwee joined the Clydebank
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
branch of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
The Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers was a British trades union representing carpenters, joiners and allied trades. The ASW was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of two smaller unions...
in 1907. He subsequently transferred to a union branch in Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was elected to the union's general council and was chairman from 1924 to 1926.
He was nominated as the Labour Party candidate for the 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...
constituency of Hulme
Manchester Hulme (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester Hulme was a parliamentary constituency in Manchester which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election.-Members of Parliament:...
with the support of the woodworkers' union, but failed to win the seat at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
. In 1925 he was chairman of the Dumbarton and Clydebank Labour Party, and gave evidence to an enquiry into the Clydebank Rents Strike.
McElwee again stood at Hulme at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, and was elected. However, he became involved in a dispute with his sponsoring union, who refused to support him at the ensuing election in 1931
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 Divisional Labour Party asked him to stand down as candidate, but he refused to do, and after a search for a replacement candidate he received the Labour nomination. He was defeated, with the Conservative Party
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...
regaining the constituency.
In February 1932 the executive council and a number of officials of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers issued summonses alleging criminal libel
Criminal libel
Criminal libel is a legal term, of English origin, which may be used with one of two distinct meanings, in those common law jurisdictions where it is still used....
against the former MP. The allegations centred around statements made in four letters written by McElwee about the union. The letters accused identifiable officials of corruption and of misappropriation of expenses. In May 1932 he entered a plea of guilty to the charges and was bound over to keep the peace on his personal recognisance of £100.