James Maxton

The Life of James Maxton

James Maxton (1885-1946) was best known as a charismatic socialist politician and champion of the ordinary man during the inter-war years. He became a member of the Independent Labour Party in 1906 and was elected M.P. for Bridgeton in 1922, a position he held until his death.

Throughout his life he always retained a strong belief and faith in the decency of ordinary people and firmly believed in the ideal of the brotherhood of man. As a result, he was popular with and respected by many ordinary people, as well as his fellow colleagues in Parliament. Earning a reputation early on for being a Red Clydeside revolutionary, his brand of Socialism and pacifism was based on a belief that ordinary people could relate to, rather than any high-flown theory. His career covered two world wars, the General Strike and Great Depression, the Means Test and Hunger Marches and the rise of the Labour Party.