Fred Jowett

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This article is about Frederick William Jowett. For William Frederick Jowett, see Fred Jowett (rugby).
Frederick William Jowett in 1924

Frederick William Jowett (31 January 1864 – 1 February 1944) was a British Labour politician,[1] who served as First Commissioner of Works in the first Labour government, and therefore in the Cabinet of Ramsay MacDonald.

Early life

Jowett was born in

Bradford Technical College (now the University of Bradford
), was employed as a manager at the mill.

As a young man Jowett read the works of

Bradford Labour Church" in the town.[2]

Bradford City Council

In 1892 Jowett became the first socialist to be elected to Bradford City Council,

Bradford Workhouse
.

Member of parliament for Bradford West

Jowett, in about 1900

In the

Bradford West. His strong opposition to the Second Boer War
may have cost him the election, as he only lost by 41 votes.

With the Boer War over, Jowett comfortably won the seat in the

Means Test. During this period Jowett established himself as one of the leading left-wing figures in the House of Commons and in 1909 was elected Chairman of the Independent Labour Party
.

Jowett was re-elected in the

December 1910 general elections. In the Socialist Review Jowett suggested a new system of government. He argued that the Cabinet system should be abolished and replaced with committees representing all political parties. Jowett believed this would give more power to individual MPs. This proposal was unpopular with the leaders who felt it would undermine their power if the Labour Party formed the next government. This controversy brought Jowett into conflict with the party leader, Ramsay MacDonald
. In an attempt to maintain party unity, Jowett agreed to resign as party chairman.

Like many socialists Jowett opposed Britain's involvement in the

Philip Snowden lost their seats.[1]

Member of parliament for Bradford East

In the

Privy Counsellor.[1]
One of his achievements as a minister was to obtain the money needed to repair and modernize 60,000 government built houses.

Jowett was defeated in the 1924 general election and while out of the House of Commons took the opportunity to consider the future policies of the Independent Labour Party.[1] In 1926 he produced a report Socialism in Our Time which argued for a national minimum income with full socialism as a long-term objective. Ramsay MacDonald refused to endorse the report and now out of line with the ILP decided to resign from the party. Jowett returned to the House of Commons at the 1929 general election, but MacDonald did not offer him a place in his government. Jowett opposed the formation of the National Government and as a result lost his seat in the 1931 general election. The following year Jowett and the Independent Labour Party disaffiliated from the Labour Party. [citation needed]

Jowett stood again in Bradford East in 1935, this time as an ILP candidate, facing a Labour Party opponent, Wilfred Heywood. He was ill during the campaign, so his ILP colleagues undertook almost all the activity. Jowett beat Heywood, but saw a substantial reduction in his vote, and could only take second place.[4]

Death and legacy

The Independent Labour Party opposed Britain's involvement in the

Second World War
. He was very critical of the way the government ran the country during the conflict. Jowett claimed that the government's Equality of Sacrifice policy was just propaganda and pointed out that workers' wages were falling well behind increasing prices.

Jowett died in Bradford on 1 February 1944, aged 80.[1]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Obituary: Mr. F. W. Jowett". The Times. 3 February 1944. p. 7.
  2. ^ a b c d e J.A. Jowitt, "Frederick William Jowett," in A. Thomas Lane, Biographical Dictionary of European Labor Leaders: A-L. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1995; pg. 464.
  3. ^ Fenner Brockway, Socialism Over Sixty Years: The Life of Jowett of Bradford. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1946
  4. ^ Christopher T. Husbands, Racial Exclusionism and the City: The Urban Support of the National Front, p.73

Works

  • What Made Me a Socialist. Glasgow, Scotland: Strickland Press, 1941.

Further reading

  • Fenner Brockway, Socialism Over Sixty Years: The Life of Jowett of Bradford. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1946.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Bradford West
1906–1918
 Constituency abolished
Preceded by
Bradford East
1922–1924
 Succeeded by
Preceded by
Bradford East
1929–1931
 Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Independent Labour Party
1909–1911 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chairman of the Independent Labour Party
1914–1917 		Succeeded by
Philip Snowden
Preceded by Chair of the Labour Party
1921–1922 		Succeeded by
Sidney Webb
Preceded by Treasurer of the Independent Labour Party
1927–1944 		Succeeded by
Percy Williams
Political offices
Preceded by First Commissioner of Works
1924 		Succeeded by
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