Leslie Burgin
Encyclopedia
Edward Leslie Burgin was a British Liberal
and later Liberal National
politician in the 1930s.
Burgin trained as a solicitor specialising in international law and served as principal and director of legal studies to the Law Society
. He contested Hornsey
four times and East Ham North
once, without success.
In the 1929 general election
Burgin was elected as Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Luton
. Along with other Liberal MPs he joined the Liberal Nationals
in 1931 and was made a Charity Commission
er. In 1932 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary
to the Board of Trade
.
In 1937 Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
appointed Burgin as Minister of Transport
. Two years later he was appointed as the first Minister of Supply
in April 1939. As the post had not yet been established in law, he formally served as Minister without Portfolio
for the first three months. His appointment was aimed to appeal to liberal minded opinion but was criticised as being inappropriate - A.J.P. Taylor described Burgin as being "another horse from Caligula's well stocked stables" (a follow-up to contemporary remarks about the earlier appointment of Sir Thomas Inskip
as Minister for Coordination of Defence
). When Chamberlain was replaced by Winston Churchill
, Burgin was not included in the new ministry.
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...
and later Liberal National
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
politician in the 1930s.
Burgin trained as a solicitor specialising in international law and served as principal and director of legal studies to the Law Society
Law society
A Law Society in current and former Commonwealth jurisdictions was historically an association of solicitors with a regulatory role that included the right to supervise the training, qualifications and conduct of lawyers/solicitors...
. He contested Hornsey
Hornsey (UK Parliament constituency)
Hornsey was a parliamentary constituency covering what is now the Hornsey district of North London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from the 1885 general election until it was abolished for the 1983 general election...
four times and East Ham North
East Ham North (UK Parliament constituency)
East Ham North was a parliamentary constituency centred on the East Ham district of London, which was in Essex until 1965. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.- History :The...
once, without success.
In the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
Burgin was elected as 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...
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) for Luton
Luton (UK Parliament constituency)
Luton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Luton in Bedfordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
. Along with other Liberal MPs he joined the Liberal Nationals
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
in 1931 and was made a Charity Commission
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales....
er. In 1932 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
.
In 1937 Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
appointed Burgin as Minister of Transport
Secretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
. Two years later he was appointed as the first Minister of Supply
Minister of Supply
The Minister of Supply was the minister in the British Government responsible for the Ministry of Supply, which existed to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to the national armed forces...
in April 1939. As the post had not yet been established in law, he formally served as Minister without Portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
for the first three months. His appointment was aimed to appeal to liberal minded opinion but was criticised as being inappropriate - A.J.P. Taylor described Burgin as being "another horse from Caligula's well stocked stables" (a follow-up to contemporary remarks about the earlier appointment of Sir Thomas Inskip
Thomas Inskip, 1st Viscount Caldecote
Thomas Walker Hobart Inskip, 1st Viscount Caldecote CBE, PC, KC was a British politician who served in many legal posts, culminating in serving as Lord Chancellor from 1939 until 1940...
as Minister for Coordination of Defence
Minister for Coordination of Defence
The position of Minister for Coordination of Defence was a British Cabinet-level position established in 1936 to oversee and co-ordinate the rearmament of Britain's defences....
). When Chamberlain was replaced by 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...
, Burgin was not included in the new ministry.