Reginald Sorensen, Baron Sorensen
Encyclopedia
Reginald William Sorensen, Baron Sorensen (19 June 1891 – 8 October 1971) was a Unitarian
minister and Labour Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) for over thirty years between 1929 and 1964.
At the 1923 general election
, he was an unsuccessful candidate in Southampton
, coming fourth in the two-seat constituency. He stood again in the 1934 Lowestoft by-election
, losing by 1,920 votes to the Conservative
candidate, Pierse Loftus.
Sorensen was elected as MP for Leyton West
at the 1929 general election
, defeating the sitting Conservative MP James Cassels
by a majority of 2,153. When Labour split at the 1931 general election
, Sir Wilfrid Sugden
retook the seat for the Conservatives with a majority of nearly 10,000.
Sorensen narrowly regained the seat at the 1935 election
, and represented the constituency until it was abolished in 1950. At the 1950 general election
, he was returned to Parliament
for the new Leyton constituency
.
At the 1964 general election
, he was re-elected for a seventh term in the House of Commons. Shortly afterwards, in December 1964, he was made a life peer
, as Baron Sorensen, of Leyton in the County of Essex. He then served until 1968 as a Lord-in-Waiting
in the House of Lords
.
He had been offered the peerage to make a vacancy for the Foreign Secretary, Patrick Gordon Walker
, who had been defeated in his Smethwick constituency
. However, the by-election in January 1965
was won by the Conservative Ronald Buxton
.
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
minister 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 in the United Kingdom
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...
. He was a 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 over thirty years between 1929 and 1964.
At the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, he was an unsuccessful candidate in Southampton
Southampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Southampton was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. Centred on the town of Southampton, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1295 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election....
, coming fourth in the two-seat constituency. He stood again in the 1934 Lowestoft by-election
Lowestoft by-election, 1934
The 1934 Lowestoft by-election was an election held for the House of Commons of the United Kingdom's constituency of Lowestoft, it was the first ever by election in the constituency. It was held on Thursday 15 February 1934, polling stations opened between the hours of 8 am and 10 pm...
, losing by 1,920 votes to the Conservative
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, Pierse Loftus.
Sorensen was elected as MP for Leyton West
Leyton West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leyton West was a parliamentary constituency in the Municipal Borough of Leyton, then part of Essex but now in Greater London.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.-History:The constituency...
at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, defeating the sitting Conservative MP James Cassels
James Cassels (politician)
Sir James Dale Cassels was a British judge, journalist and Conservative politician.He was the only son of Robert Cassels, assistant clerk at the Bow Street Magistrates' Court...
by a majority of 2,153. When Labour split at the 1931 general election
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...
, Sir Wilfrid Sugden
Wilfrid Sugden
Sir Wilfrid Hart Sugden was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. A Member of Parliament for fourteen years, he represented three different constituencies, losing his seat twice and losing in three other elections which he contested.He was elected at the 1918 general election as...
retook the seat for the Conservatives with a majority of nearly 10,000.
Sorensen narrowly regained the seat at the 1935 election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
, and represented the constituency until it was abolished in 1950. 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...
, he was 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...
for the new Leyton constituency
Leyton (UK Parliament constituency)
Leyton was a parliamentary constituency, centred on the town of Leyton in North-East London. 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.-History:...
.
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...
, he was re-elected for a seventh term in the House of Commons. Shortly afterwards, in December 1964, he was made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
, as Baron Sorensen, of Leyton in the County of Essex. He then served until 1968 as a Lord-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
He had been offered the peerage to make a vacancy for the Foreign Secretary, Patrick Gordon Walker
Patrick Gordon Walker
Patrick Chrestien Gordon Walker, Baron Gordon-Walker CH, PC was a British Labour Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament for nearly thirty years, and served twice as a Cabinet minister...
, who had been defeated in his Smethwick constituency
Smethwick (UK Parliament constituency)
Smethwick was a parliamentary constituency, centred on the town of Smethwick in Staffordshire. 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....
. However, the by-election in January 1965
Leyton by-election, 1965
The Leyton by-election, 1965 was a parliamentary by-election held on 21 January 1965 for the British House of Commons constituency of Leyton in east London....
was won by the Conservative Ronald Buxton
Ronald Buxton (UK politician)
Ronald Carlile Buxton is a former Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was a Member of Parliament for a little over a year, after winning an unexpected victory in by-election in 1965....
.