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in a debate on industry in
Scotland. As he began speaking, he explained that he had tried to get in to speak in other debates but found it so difficult that it was hardly worthwhile. He then observed "People get up here from time to time and keep us here for hours on end, and I have said 'What's the
253:; the election as a whole showed a strong movement to the Labour Party. In Parliament Balfour became a very low-profile Member. He made no speeches at all, and asked only a handful of questions in the first two years before contributing nothing in the last three sessions.
141:(7 September 1885 – 26 January 1963) was a British railwayman and politician. He worked his way up from being a baker's message boy to serve as a member of parliament for fourteen years. He was marked by his loyalty to party and near silence in the
225:, being made a delegate to the Labour Party annual conference, and he served on Aberdeen Town Council from 1941 until he stood down in 1942. It was his prominence in the railway union which led to his selection as Labour candidate for
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His activity in the remainder of the
Parliament was confined to asking several written Parliamentary Questions. In May 1954 he asked a written question about the cost of refurbishing the flat of the Secretary to the
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His silence was accompanied by invariable loyalty to the party whip. In a free vote in
December 1947 he supported a motion to cut the proposed additional allowance paid to
312:, Balfour did not make any further speeches or ask any questions (either oral or written) before announcing in 1958 that he would not be a candidate for re-election.
431:, House of Commons 5th Series, General Indexes for the sessions 1945–46 (vol. 429), 1946–47 (vol. 442), 1947–48 (vol. 455), 1948 (vol. 456), and 1949–50 (vol. 471).
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In 1913 he married
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use of inflicting another torture upon the House?'" In the main body of his speech he opposed the policy of building
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Balfour won the seat, but his election was unusual as he had a reduced majority compared to the
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443:, "Dissension in the House of Commons 1945–74" (Macmillan, 1975) shows no dissenting votes.
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and the
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On 14 July 1953, Balfour finally broke eight years' silence in the chamber to make his
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M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of
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when old towns, including those in his constituency, were becoming derelict.
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Balfour was re-elected with a majority increased to over 4,000, and in the
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nuclear bombers from France to United
Kingdom bases. When party leader
165:, before beginning work as a baker's message boy. He later worked in a
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called on Labour members to withdraw their names, Balfour complied.
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where he waited eight years after being elected before making his
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Through his union activities, Balfour became active in the
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it increased again; both were against the national trend.
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Balfour was the son of a shoemaker, and was born in
468:, House of Commons 5th Series, vol. 517, col. 1953.
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405:"The Times House of Commons 1951", p. 205.
381:"The Times House of Commons 1945", p. 121.
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372:"Who Was Who", A & C Black.
239:Secretary of State for Scotland
323:opposing the transfer of some
16:British politician (1885–1963)
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245:Parliamentary activity
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310:1955 general election
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452:"Royal Allowances",
298:Parliamentary Estate
260:after her marriage.
36:Member of Parliament
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258:Princess Elizabeth
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213:for twelve years.
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327:-assigned
304:Retirement
237:, who was
106:, Scotland
97:1885-09-07
531:The Times
518:The Times
492:The Times
479:The Times
454:The Times
441:P. Norton
416:The Times
286:new towns
49:In office
217:Politics
189:Railways
183:Scotland
159:Aberdeen
104:Aberdeen
548:Hansard
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466:Hansard
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296:on the
263:In the
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171:tannery
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167:sawmill
147:maiden
127:Labour
175:boxer
153:Youth
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