John McGovern (politician)

John McGovern (politician)

John McGovern (13 December 1887 - 14 February 1968) was a Scottish socialist politician.

Early career

Born into a Roman Catholic family, McGovern soon became involved in the Labour movement and anarchism. Active in opposition to World War I, he joined the Anti-Parliamentary Communist Federation and became its treasurer, but soon left after disagreements with Guy Aldred. [ [http://www.geocities.com/nowar_buttheclasswar/Glossary.html No War But The Class War: Glossary] ] He emigrated to Australia in 1923, but soon returned and became a prominent member of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), at the time linked to the Labour Party. In 1929, he was elected to Glasgow City Council, a position he held for two years.Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs: Volume IV, 1945-1979"]

Leading the separation

He was elected to Parliament to represent Labour in Glasgow Shettleston in 1930. However, he was subsequently expelled from Labour following allegations that he had fixed the election to become the Labour candidate. This led him to become a leading proponent of the ILP disaffiliating from the Labour Party. [ [http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/redclyde/redcly143.htm Red Clydeside: Election address of John McGovern, Labour candidate for North Kelvin ward] ]

This was achieved the following year, but he was one of only five ILP members to retain their seats at the UK general election, 1931. He was active in a campaign to re-establish the tradition of free assembly and free speech on Glasgow Green, and after a heated debate in the Commons, refused to leave, eventually being forcibly ejected. He was fined for organising a meeting on the Green in support of this. His appeal against the charges, though unsuccessful, led directly to the reinstatement of the traditional rights. [John Couzin, [http://libcom.org/history/fight-for-freedom-of-speech-glasgow-green 1916-1932: The fight for freedom of speech on Glasgow Green] ] Despite often campaigning alongside communists in the unemployed movement, McGovern, with Richard Wallhead, led the opposition within the ILP to any official working relationship with the Communist Party of Great Britain. [Robert Surianyi, [http://www.publikon.com/htmls/studies.html?ID=43&essayID=163&download=1 The Radical Left and the beginning of thepopular front movement in Britain (1935)] ] He was particularly critical of the Moscow Trials.Hans Schafranek, [http://www.revolutionary-history.co.uk/backiss/Vol4/No1-2/Schafra.htm Kurt Landau] ]

Enquiry of Republican affairs

In 1937, McGovern led an ILP commission of enquiry into the affairs of the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. Ostensibly to counter allegations made by prominent Catholics as to Republican treatment of prisoners, he also aimed to support the POUM, which was increasingly threatened by the communists, and to find information as to the disappearance of Andres Nin.

McGovern remained active through World War II, supporting the ILP's pacifist line. When the ILP Chairman C. A. Smith unexpectedly quit the party in 1941 in disagreement with this policy, McGovern was elected in his place, although he held the post for only two years.

Labour Party

The ILP's best known leader, James Maxton, died in 1946. Following this, and encouraged by the policies of the Labour Government, McGovern resigned from the ILP in March 1947 and became a Labour MP. By the end of the year, the remaining ILP MPs had followed him. [http://www.alba.org.uk/timeline/1945to1967.html Scottish Political Timeline 1945 - 1967] ] He was re-elected for Labour in 1950 and 51, and in 1952 led the campaign to permit Trotskyist Tony Cliff to remain in Britain. [Jim Higgins, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/higgins/1997/locust/chap04.htm#n8 More Years for the Locust] ] In November 1954 he had the Labour whip withdrawn for voting against German re-armament and sat as an independent until the whip was restored in March 1955.

McGovern last years in Parliament were devoted to the campaign for moral re-armament, a cause he had supported since 1938. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,931746,00.html "Moral Rearmament"] , TIME Magazine] He resigned from the Labour Party again in 1959 and stood down from Parliament at that year's general election. At the 1964 UK general election, he called for a vote for the Conservative Party.


References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • John McGovern — People known as John McGovern include*John McGovern (footballer), European Cup winning captain *John McGovern (football), Former Minnesota Gopher football player *John McGovern (politician), British Independent Labour Party politician *John… …   Wikipedia

  • McGovern — may refer to ther following: McGovern (name), surname of Irish origin McGovern Institute for Brain Research People: Barry McGovern, Irish Actor Brian McGovern, former Irish professional footballer Elizabeth McGovern, American film and television… …   Wikipedia

  • John Donald (Wisconsin politician) — John S. Donald was a politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as that state s nineteenth Secretary of State, serving two terms from January 6, 1913 to January 1, 1917. He was a Republican and served under governors Francis E.… …   Wikipedia

  • John Chafee — United States Senator from Rhode Island In office December 28, 1976 – October 24, 1999 Preceded by …   Wikipedia

  • John O'Hara (Brooklyn politician) — John Kennedy O Hara (born c. 1961) is an American lawyer (disbarred as of 1997), active in Brooklyn, New York politics as a political reformer opposed to Brooklyn s Democratic machine. He is also the first person convicted of illegal voting in… …   Wikipedia

  • John Lindsay — This article is about the American politician. For other people of this name, see John Lindsay (disambiguation). John Lindsay Lindsay carrying in his budget in April 1966. 103rd Mayor of New York City …   Wikipedia

  • John Edwards — This article is about the American attorney and politician. For other people, see John Edwards (disambiguation). John Edwards …   Wikipedia

  • John Birch Society — The John Birch Society is a political education and action organization founded by Robert W. Welch Jr. in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1958. The society does not endorse specific political candidates, but is frequently associated with traditionally… …   Wikipedia

  • John Connally — Infobox US Cabinet official | name=John Bowden Connally, Jr. order=61st United States Secretary of Treasury term start=February 11, 1971 term end=June 12, 1972 president=Richard Nixon predecessor=David M. Kennedy successor=George Shultz… …   Wikipedia

  • John Hospers — Infobox Politician name = John Hospers caption = small candidate = President of the United States term start = November 7, 1972 runningmate = Theodora Nathan opponent = Richard Nixon (R) George McGovern (D) John G. Schmitz (AI). incumbent =… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”