James Daniel Kiley (1865 – 12 September 1953) [1] was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician who served in the House of Commons from 1916 to 1922 as a Member of Parliament (MP) for constituencies in the Whitechapel area [1] of the East End of London. [2]
A director of a warehouse company in Houndsditch, he entered politics in 1910, when he was elected to Stepney Borough Council, becoming an alderman in 1913 and serving as the borough's mayor in 1915. [2] [3] He was also a member of the Metropolitan Water Board from 1914 to 1922, and a justice of the peace from 1913. [2] [3]
During the First World War there was a political truce between the parties, who agreed not to contest any by-elections caused by death or resignations of sitting members of parliament. When a vacancy occurred with the resignation of the Liberal MP Sir Stuart Samuel, Bt in December 1916, Kiley was elected unopposed as the MP for the Whitechapel division of Stepney. [4] [5] [6] The Whitechapel constituency was abolished in boundary changes for the 1918 general election, and Kiley was elected for the new Whitechapel and St Georges division of Stepney. [7] He held the seat despite his Conservative Party opponent having received the coalition coupon, but with both Labour and Conservative candidates winning over 28% of the votes, Kiley's victory was obtained with only 35% of the votes. [8] (The fourth candidate, an independent won 7%). [8]
However, at the 1922 general election, when he faced only Labour and Conservative opponents, Kiley lost the seat to the Labour Party candidate Charles Mathew by a majority of 2.8%. [8] He stood again at the by-election in February 1923 after Mathew's death, but lost by a wider margin, [8] [9] and was unsuccessful again at the general election in December 1923. [8] He did not stand for Parliament again. [8]
He continued in business, eventually becoming chairman of Whyte Ridsdale and Company Limited, a leading firm of fancy goods and toy merchants. He was a forceful proponent of free trade both in politics and business, opposing tariffs or other restrictions. [2]
James Daniel Kiley (1865 – 12 September 1953) [1] was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician who served in the House of Commons from 1916 to 1922 as a Member of Parliament (MP) for constituencies in the Whitechapel area [1] of the East End of London. [2]
A director of a warehouse company in Houndsditch, he entered politics in 1910, when he was elected to Stepney Borough Council, becoming an alderman in 1913 and serving as the borough's mayor in 1915. [2] [3] He was also a member of the Metropolitan Water Board from 1914 to 1922, and a justice of the peace from 1913. [2] [3]
During the First World War there was a political truce between the parties, who agreed not to contest any by-elections caused by death or resignations of sitting members of parliament. When a vacancy occurred with the resignation of the Liberal MP Sir Stuart Samuel, Bt in December 1916, Kiley was elected unopposed as the MP for the Whitechapel division of Stepney. [4] [5] [6] The Whitechapel constituency was abolished in boundary changes for the 1918 general election, and Kiley was elected for the new Whitechapel and St Georges division of Stepney. [7] He held the seat despite his Conservative Party opponent having received the coalition coupon, but with both Labour and Conservative candidates winning over 28% of the votes, Kiley's victory was obtained with only 35% of the votes. [8] (The fourth candidate, an independent won 7%). [8]
However, at the 1922 general election, when he faced only Labour and Conservative opponents, Kiley lost the seat to the Labour Party candidate Charles Mathew by a majority of 2.8%. [8] He stood again at the by-election in February 1923 after Mathew's death, but lost by a wider margin, [8] [9] and was unsuccessful again at the general election in December 1923. [8] He did not stand for Parliament again. [8]
He continued in business, eventually becoming chairman of Whyte Ridsdale and Company Limited, a leading firm of fancy goods and toy merchants. He was a forceful proponent of free trade both in politics and business, opposing tariffs or other restrictions. [2]