Harry Selby
Encyclopedia
Harry Selby was a Scottish
politician.
A barber by trade, based in Glasgow
, he became an active Trotskyist, joining the Revolutionary Socialist League
. When this disintegrated, he became a leading figure in the Left Fraction. This group followed a strict policy of entrism in the Labour Party
, and although Selby was briefly expelled in the mid-1940s, he was soon readmitted. Following a split in the Left Fraction in 1948, Selby became its leader, and he and his supporters increasingly came to dominate the Glasgow Govan Labour Party.
Eventually allowing the Left Fraction to peter out, Selby was able to win the Labour candidature in the Glasgow Govan by-election, 1973
. Much to his surprise, he lost the normally safe seat to Margo Macdonald
of the Scottish National Party
.
Selby stood again for the Labour Party in Glasgow Govan
in the February 1974 UK general election, in which he took the seat by a narrow majority of 543 votes. He held the seat in the October general election but stood down in 1979.
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...
politician.
A barber by trade, based in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, he became an active Trotskyist, joining the Revolutionary Socialist League
Revolutionary Socialist League (UK, 1938)
The first RSL was formed in early 1938 with the merger of two different parties, the Marxist League led by Harry Wicks and the Marxist Group led by C. L. R. James....
. When this disintegrated, he became a leading figure in the Left Fraction. This group followed a strict policy of entrism in 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...
, and although Selby was briefly expelled in the mid-1940s, he was soon readmitted. Following a split in the Left Fraction in 1948, Selby became its leader, and he and his supporters increasingly came to dominate the Glasgow Govan Labour Party.
Eventually allowing the Left Fraction to peter out, Selby was able to win the Labour candidature in the Glasgow Govan by-election, 1973
Glasgow Govan by-election, 1973
The Glasgow Govan by-election was held on 8 November 1973, following the death of John Rankin, Labour Party Member of Parliament for the Glasgow Govan constituency. Rankin had died one month earlier, on 8 October 1973. Rankin had held the seat since 1955. With the exception of a narrow Conservative...
. Much to his surprise, he lost the normally safe seat to Margo Macdonald
Margo MacDonald
Margo MacDonald MSP is a Scottish politician and former Scottish National Party MP and Deputy Leader...
of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
.
Selby stood again for the Labour Party in Glasgow Govan
Glasgow Govan (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Govan was a parliamentary constituency in the Govan district of Glasgow. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 2005, returning one Member of Parliament elected by the first-past-the-post system.The area which the constituency...
in the February 1974 UK general election, in which he took the seat by a narrow majority of 543 votes. He held the seat in the October general election but stood down in 1979.