John Dugdale (Labour politician) facts for kids

John Dugdale (born March 16, 1905 – died March 12, 1963) was a British newspaper writer and a politician. He was closely connected to the Labour Party and worked as a special assistant to Clement Attlee. Later, he became a minister in Attlee's government after World War II.

Early Life and Education

John Dugdale came from a wealthy family. He was the only son of Ethel Innes Sherston and Colonel Arthur Dugdale CMG DSO. His father led the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars during the First World War. John was also related to other important people, including Door de Graaf and Conservative MP Thomas Dugdale.

John went to a famous school called Wellington College. After that, he studied at Christ Church at the Oxford University. After finishing his studies, Dugdale joined the Diplomatic Service. This meant he worked for the British government in other countries. His first job was in Peking (now Beijing), China, at the British embassy.

From Diplomacy to Journalism

Working as a diplomat didn't really suit John Dugdale. So, he decided to change careers and became a journalist. In 1930, he worked as a reporter for The Times newspaper. He covered events along the Yangtze River in China during a time of trouble there.

First Steps in Politics

In the 1931 general election, Dugdale decided to run for Parliament. He was a Labour Party candidate for the area of Leicester South. Even though he didn't win, he was still important to the Labour Party.

After the election, Clement Attlee became the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. Attlee chose John Dugdale to be his special assistant, called a Parliamentary Private Secretary.

Working in Local Government

In 1934, John Dugdale was elected to the London County Council. This council managed local affairs for London. He represented the area of Islington South. He really enjoyed working in local government. He even became the Vice-President of the Association of Municipal Corporations, which was a group for local councils.

More Attempts to Enter Parliament

Dugdale tried again to become a Member of Parliament (MP) in the 1935 general election. This time, he ran for Cardiff Central, but he was defeated again. He also ran in a special election, called a by-election, in York in 1937. In December 1938, John Dugdale married Irene Haverson. She was the granddaughter of George Lansbury, another important Labour politician.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

When Second World War started, John Dugdale left his job as Attlee's assistant. He joined the Army and became an Officer. In 1940, he helped publish a book of Attlee's speeches called The Road to War.

Entering Parliament During Wartime

The Labour MP for West Bromwich, Frederick Roberts, had to resign because he was ill. John Dugdale was chosen to take his place. In April 1941, he was elected without anyone running against him in a special election. So, he finally became an MP.

Speaking Out in Parliament

In December 1941, Dugdale helped organize a group of Labour MPs. They wanted to change a law about National Service, which made people work for the war effort. They wanted industries involved in the war to be taken over by the government. However, their idea was not supported by the Labour Party leaders.

In 1942, he joined a group that wanted cinemas and theaters to be open more on Sundays. He also continued his interest in China. In 1943, he became the Secretary of a special group in Parliament that focused on China.

Serving as a Minister

During the last few months of World War II, John Dugdale continued to be a special assistant to Clement Attlee. After the 1945 general election, Attlee formed his government. Dugdale was given an important job: Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty. This role meant he had to travel a lot to visit Royal Navy bases all over the world. His health was not always good during this time. In 1949, he was given a special honor and became a member of the Privy Council.

Work in the Colonial Office

In February 1950, John Dugdale was given a new role. He became the Minister of State at the Colonial Office. This office dealt with countries that were still under British rule. He supported the fight against communist rebels in the Federation of Malaya. In the summer of 1950, he traveled to East Africa. This trip included visiting the Tanganyika groundnut scheme, a large farming project.

As an Opposition Spokesperson

In 1951, the Labour Party lost the election and was no longer in power. John Dugdale became a spokesperson for Colonial affairs for the Labour Party. He spoke out against a plan to unite Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland.

In 1956, he asked questions in Parliament about the mysterious disappearance of Lionel Crabb. Crabb was a diver who vanished while reportedly on a secret mission to spy on a visiting Soviet warship. In 1958, Dugdale tried to join the Shadow Cabinet, which is a group of top opposition spokespeople, but he didn't get enough votes.

He continued to travel, visiting Uganda in 1959. During this trip, he disagreed with the government's plan to save seats in the Uganda Parliament for the Indian minority after the country became independent. He believed this plan was causing unrest.

Important Campaigns

After the 1959 general election, John Dugdale argued with those who said that the Labour Party's promise to take industries into public ownership had cost them votes. In late 1959, he was one of the first people to call for a boycott of cricket matches with South Africa. He wanted this boycott to continue until the policy of apartheid, which was a system of racial segregation, was ended.

In November 1960, he got a chance to introduce his own law proposal in Parliament. He proposed a law to make conditions for farm animals more humane. However, his bill was not successful.

Final Years and Legacy

Dugdale strongly believed in the Commonwealth, which is a group of countries that used to be part of the British Empire. Because of this, he was against the government's plan to join the European Economic Community. He also demanded that the head of the Navy resign over the Vassall spy case.

On March 11, 1963, John Dugdale was speaking in Parliament about defense spending. He suddenly became ill and was rushed to the hospital. He sadly passed away during the night.

John Dugdale had some deafness or hearing loss since he was a child. In 1959, he helped start the Commonwealth Society for the Deaf. This organization, now called Sound Seekers, helps people with hearing problems. He co-founded it with Lady Edith Templer, who was the wife of Gerald Templer.