William Williams (politician)

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William Williams (February 12, 1788 – April 28, 1865), was a Welsh Radical politician.

Born in Llanpumsaint, Carmarthenshire, and having had only a basic education, Williams began working in a cotton warehouse in London and soon built up his own business. In 1833 he became a member of the Common Council of the City of London, and in 1835 was elected MP for Coventry. After losing the seat in 1847, he became MP for Lambeth in 1850.

As a result of a speech made by Williams on 10 March 1846, a government inquiry into the state of education in Wales was launched, culminating in the "Treachery of the Blue Books". In 1863 he chaired the meeting that launched the campaign for a University of Wales.