Wogan Philipps, 2nd Baron Milford

Wogan Philipps, 2nd Baron Milford (25 February 1902 – 30 November 1993) was the only member of the Communist Party of Great Britain ever to sit in the House of Lords. [ J. Wells, "The House of Lords" (London, Hodder & Stoughton 197) ISBN 0340649283 ]

Philipps was the eldest son of Laurence Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford. In 1928, he married the novelist Rosamond Lehmann. [http://thepeerage.com/p7907.htm thepeerage.com] ] He aimed to become an artist and set up a studio in Paris, but found little success. He abandoned this to join Medical Aid to Spain, acting as an ambulance driver for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War.Michael Walker, [http://graham.thewebtailor.co.uk/archives/000088.html Wogan Philipps] , Compendium of Communist Biography] During the conflict, he was wounded and had to return to Britain. On his return, he encouraged Nan Green to take his place and, in her absence, paid for the education of her children. [Michael Walker, [http://graham.thewebtailor.co.uk/archives/000088.html George and Nan Green] , Compendium of Communist Biography]

Following his experiences, he joined the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), upon which he was disinherited by his father. [ [http://www.arlindo-correia.com/060902.html Rosamond Lehmann] ]

By the end of the 1930s, Lehmann had set up house with poet Cecil Day Lewis, and she and Philipps divorced in 1944. [ Who's Who 1970 p2163 ISBN 0713611405] His second marriage, to Cristina, Viscountess Hastings, the only child of the eccentric Italian arts patron Luisa Casati, was terminated by her death in 1953. A year later, Philipps married Tamara Kravetz, the widow of the editor of the "Daily Worker".

In 1946, Philipps was elected as a Communist councillor on Cirencester Urban District Council, but soon lost the seat. In the 1950 general election, he stood for the House of Commons in the Cirencester and Tewkesbury constituency, but took only 432 votes. [ [http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge50/i05.htm UK General Election results: February 1950] ] During the campaign, opponents described by Hymie Fagan as "fascists" threw rotten food, and an attempt was made to force his car off the road.

In 1959, he narrowly lost a rural council by-election. Following this, he and his third wife went to study in the Soviet Union.

In 1962, Philipps inherited his father's title and, after encouragement from Harry Pollitt, agreed to sit in the House of Lords as the second Baron Milford. Ironically, this meant that the CPGB's last Parliamentary representative was in the House in Lords. Although, unlike Tony Benn, he made no effort to disclaim the peerage, in his maiden speech he called for the abolition of the institution. [TIME Magazine Archive [http://time-proxy.yaga.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,940300,00.html Jul. 12, 1963] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.everything2.net/?node_id=1907811 Wogan Philipps profile] . Retrieved 21 September 2007.