James Johnson (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
James Johnson was a British
Labour Party
politician and Member of Parliament
(MP).
He was born to the family of a Northumberland
miner and was educated at Duke's School, Alnwick
, and Leeds University. He played football (soccer)
for the English Universities XI and the Corinthians. Johnson was a lecturer in social studies at Coventry Technical College and an official for the National Union of General and Municipal Workers in Kenya
. He served as a councillor on Coventry City Council.
Johnson was first elected to the House of Commons
at the 1950 general election
, as MP for Rugby
. He was re-elected at the 1951
and 1955
elections, but at the 1959 general election
, he lost his seat at the to the Conservative Party
candidate Roy Wise by a margin of only 470 votes.
He returned to Parliament
five years later, at the 1964 general election
, when he succeeded Mark Hewitson
in the safe Labour seat of Hull West
. He retired at the 1983 general election
, when his seat was held for Labour by Stuart Randall
.
Johnson never reached ministerial office, but he served as a parliamentary private secretary
from 1964 to 66.
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...
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 and 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,...
(MP).
He was born to the family of a Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
miner and was educated at Duke's School, Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
, and Leeds University. He played football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
for the English Universities XI and the Corinthians. Johnson was a lecturer in social studies at Coventry Technical College and an official for the National Union of General and Municipal Workers in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. He served as a councillor on Coventry City Council.
Johnson was first elected to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
at the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, as MP for Rugby
Rugby (UK Parliament constituency)
Rugby is a parliamentary constituency in Warwickshire, England. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom using the first past the post system....
. He was re-elected at the 1951
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
and 1955
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
elections, but at the 1959 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
, he lost his seat at the to 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...
candidate Roy Wise by a margin of only 470 votes.
He returned to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
five years later, at the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, when he succeeded Mark Hewitson
Mark Hewitson
Captain Mark Hewitson was a British trade union official and Labour Party politician. He was chosen at the very last minute to stand for Parliament, and eventually served as a Member of Parliament for nineteen years. He was described as a member of the 'old school' of trade union leaders, and...
in the safe Labour seat of Hull West
Hull West (UK Parliament constituency)
Hull West was a borough constituency in Kingston upon Hull which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election....
. He retired at the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, when his seat was held for Labour by Stuart Randall
Stuart Randall, Baron Randall of St Budeaux
Stuart Jeffrey Randall, Baron Randall of St Budeaux was a British Labour politician.Randall gained a BSc degree in Electrical Engineering from University College, Cardiff and worked in the electronics industry for twenty years. He was Member of Parliament for Hull West from 1983 until he stood...
.
Johnson never reached ministerial office, but he served as a parliamentary private secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
from 1964 to 66.