James Blindell

James Blindell

Sir James Blindell (1884 – 10 May 1937)^[1] was a Liberal Party politician in the United Kingdom,^[2] who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Holland with Boston from 1929 until his death.

He was first elected as the constituency's MP at a by-election in March 1929, caused by the death of the Conservative MP Arthur Dean.^[3] At the time he was managing director of a boot manufacturing business. Blindell overturned a Conservative majority of nearly 5,000 to win with a majority of 3,706.^[2] His victory was the last Liberal by-election gain until Torrington in 1958.

Blindell was re-elected as a Liberal at the 1929 general election,^[2] but in 1931 he was one of the Liberal MPs who broke with their party to support Ramsay MacDonald's National Government, eventually forming the National Liberal Party.

He was re-elected as a National Liberal at the 1931 general election and at the 1935 general election. In both elections, the Conservatives (who also supported the National Government) did not field a candidate against him, and he was returned with large majorities.

Blindell was knighted in 1936,^[1] and died in office in 1937.^[1] At the consequent Holland with Boston by-election, 1937, Herbert Butcher held the seat^[4] for the National Liberals.^[2]

References

1. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)
2. Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 414. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
3. The London Gazette: no. 33480. p. 2084. 26 March 1929. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
4. The London Gazette: no. 34413. p. 4174. 29 June 1937. Retrieved 13 December 2010.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir James Blindell