Dan Irving
Encyclopedia
David Daniel Irving, known as Dan Irving (31 October 1854 - 25 January 1924) was a British socialist activist and Labour Party
Member of Parliament
.
Born in Birmingham
, Irving moved to Bristol in 1875, where he began working on the railways. After he lost his leg in an industrial accident, the Midland Railway
forced him to take a pay cut. Angered by this injustice, he joined the Bristol Socialist Society
and became an activist in a gasworkers' union, which soon merged into the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers.
In 1892, Irving worked with Herbert V. Mills in an attempt to start a utopian socialist community at Starnthwaite, but this soon disintegrated, and Irving eventually won a legal case against Mills. Instead, he became a socialist lecturer
, and then in 1894, secretary of the Burnley
branch of the Social Democratic Federation
(SDF).
Burnley was one of the SDF's most important branches, and Irving kept its profile high. In the 1906 UK general election, SDF leader H. M. Hyndman stood in the Burnley constituency
, and came within 350 votes of winning the seat. In 1902, Irving was elected to Burnley Town Council, a post he held (with one gap) until 1922.
In the 1906 election, Irving himself stood for Accrington
; he then stood in the Manchester North West by-election, 1908, and in the January and December 1910 general elections he stood in Rochdale
. While his votes varied considerably, as an SDF candidate he never came close to winning a seat.
In 1911, Irving followed the SDF into the formation of the British Socialist Party
. In 1914, he was a supporter of British action in World War I
, and as a result, when the SDF split on the issue, he joined Hyndman's new group, the National Socialist Party
. This group affiliated to the Labour Party, and as a Labour candidate he was finally able to win a Parliamentary seat, taking Burnley
in the 1918 UK general election. He held the seat in 1922 and 1923, but remained a low-profile MP and died in 1924.
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...
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,...
.
Born in Birmingham
Birmingham
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...
, Irving moved to Bristol in 1875, where he began working on the railways. After he lost his leg in an industrial accident, the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
forced him to take a pay cut. Angered by this injustice, he joined the Bristol Socialist Society
Bristol Socialist Society
The Bristol Socialist Society was a political organisation in South West England.The group originated in 1885 as a local affiliate of the Social Democratic Federation. However, in 1886, it instead affiliated to the Socialist Union...
and became an activist in a gasworkers' union, which soon merged into the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers.
In 1892, Irving worked with Herbert V. Mills in an attempt to start a utopian socialist community at Starnthwaite, but this soon disintegrated, and Irving eventually won a legal case against Mills. Instead, he became a socialist lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
, and then in 1894, secretary of the Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
branch of the Social Democratic Federation
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on June 7, 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury and Eleanor Marx. However, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx's long-term...
(SDF).
Burnley was one of the SDF's most important branches, and Irving kept its profile high. In the 1906 UK general election, SDF leader H. M. Hyndman stood in the Burnley constituency
Burnley (UK Parliament constituency)
Burnley is a borough constituency centred on the town of Burnley in Lancashire, which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, and came within 350 votes of winning the seat. In 1902, Irving was elected to Burnley Town Council, a post he held (with one gap) until 1922.
In the 1906 election, Irving himself stood for Accrington
Accrington (UK Parliament constituency)
Accrington was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-History:...
; he then stood in the Manchester North West by-election, 1908, and in the January and December 1910 general elections he stood in Rochdale
Rochdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rochdale is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
. While his votes varied considerably, as an SDF candidate he never came close to winning a seat.
In 1911, Irving followed the SDF into the formation of the British Socialist Party
British Socialist Party
The British Socialist Party was a Marxist political organisation established in Great Britain in 1911. Following a protracted period of factional struggle, in 1916 the party's anti-war forces gained decisive control of the party and saw the defection of its pro-war Right Wing...
. In 1914, he was a supporter of British action in World War I
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 as a result, when the SDF split on the issue, he joined Hyndman's new group, the National Socialist Party
National Socialist Party (UK)
The National Socialist Party was a small political party in the United Kingdom, founded in 1916. It originated as a minority group within the British Socialist Party who supported British participation in World War I; while historically linked with the Marxist left, the party grew more moderate...
. This group affiliated to the Labour Party, and as a Labour candidate he was finally able to win a Parliamentary seat, taking Burnley
Burnley (UK Parliament constituency)
Burnley is a borough constituency centred on the town of Burnley in Lancashire, which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in the 1918 UK general election. He held the seat in 1922 and 1923, but remained a low-profile MP and died in 1924.