Gordon Lang

Rev. Gordon Lang (25 February 1893 – 20 June 1981) was a Welsh Congregationalist minister and Labour Party politician.[1] [2] He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Oldham from 1929 to 1931, and for Stalybridge and Hyde from 1945 to 1951.

Lang was born in Monmouth, and attended the town's grammar school and Cheshunt College. He combined his pastoral work with political activity including being honorary secretary of the United Europe Movement and a leading member of the Proportional Representation Society.

Contents

MP for Oldham

In 1929 he was nominated as one of two Labour candidates for the two-seat Oldham constituency along with James Wilson.[3] [1] The election saw a large swing to the party, and Lang and Wilson were elected, unseating the two sitting members (one Conservative and one Liberal.)[4]

Following the collapse of the second Labour Government and the formation of a National Government, a further general election was held in 1931.[5] Lang and Wilson defended their seats against two government candidates, but were heavily defeated.[6] Lang stood at Oldham again at the next general election in 1935, but failed to regain the seat for Labour.[7]

MP for Stalybridge and Hyde

In 1937, Philip Dunne, the Conservative MP for Stalybridge and Hyde retired due to ill health. Lang was chosen to contest the ensuing byelection, which was a straight fight with Horace Trevor-Cox, Conservative and National Government candidate.[8] Lang came close to taking the seat, reducing the Conservative majority in 1935 of 5,081 to just 334.[9]

With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, elections were postponed. It was not until 1945 that another general election was held. Lang and Trevor-Cox were again the candidates of the Labour and Conservative parties respectively, joined by a Liberal candidate, Donald Burden.[10] There was a Labour landslide, and Lang was comfortably elected with a majority of 4,370 votes.[11] He held the seat at the next general election in 1950.[12] The result of the election was a slender Labour majority, and a further election was called in 1951. Lang announced that we would not contest the election due to ill health, and retired form the Commons.[13]

After politics

Lang continued in his ministry, and was appointed chaplain to the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain.[2] He died at his home in Chepstow in June 1981, aged 88.[2] [14]

References

  1. ^ a b "Lancashire Seats. Five Candidates At Oldham". The Times: p. 7. 18 May 1929. 
  2. ^ a b c "Obituary: Rev Gordon Lang". The Times: p. 16. 24 June 1981. 
  3. ^ "General Election: Nominations". The Times: p. 8. 21 May 1929. 
  4. ^ "Lancashire Seats. Disappointed Liberals". The Times: p. 6. 1 June 1929. 
  5. ^ "Lancashire Seats. Clear Issue At Oldham". The Times: p. 17. 19 October 1931. 
  6. ^ "The General Election First Returns, Polling In The Boroughs". The Times: p. 6. 28 October 1931. 
  7. ^ "General Election: List Of Nominations". The Times: p. 8. 5 November 1935. 
  8. ^ "Party Activity At Stalybridge. The Defence Issue". The Times: p. 8. 7 April 1937. 
  9. ^ "By-Election Results". The Times: p. 8. 30 April 1937. 
  10. ^ "Labour Hopes At Stockport. Effect Of Liberal Vote. Predominance Of Women". The Times: p. 8. 3 July 1945. 
  11. ^ "The New House Of Commons. List Of Members, Constituencies And Parties". The Times: p. 8. 10 August 1945. 
  12. ^ "Conservative Hopes In Cheshire. Local Election Pointer". The Times: p. 5. 14 February 1950. 
  13. ^ "News in Brief". The Times: p. 26. 24 June 1981. 
  14. ^ "Deaths". The Times: p. 4. 28 April 1951. 

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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
William Martin Wiggins and
Duff Cooper		 Member of Parliament for Oldham
1929–1931
With: James Wilson		 Succeeded by
Anthony Crommelin Crossley and
Hamilton Kerr
Preceded by
Horace Trevor-Cox		 Member of Parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde
1945–1951		 Succeeded by
Fred Blackburn