James Maxton was the Glasgow schoolteacher who became one of the greatest orators in the House of Commons and the figurehead of the Independent Labour Party. A leading light of Red Clydeside, he served the poor district of Bridgeton as its Member of Parliament for nearly a quarter of a century.
A Pollokshaws teacher
Born in Pollokshaws, on the south side of Glasgow, in 1885, the son of two schoolteachers, Maxton took an MA at the University of Glasgow and became a teacher himself. Like his friend John Maclean, he was drawn to socialism by the grinding poverty of the children he taught, and joined the Independent Labour Party.
War and prison
A convinced pacifist, Maxton opposed the First World War, and in 1916 he was tried for sedition and jailed for a year, losing his teaching post. His stand belongs to the story of Red Clydeside, which we tell in our post on what Red Clydeside was.
The member for Bridgeton
In 1922 Maxton was elected MP for Glasgow Bridgeton, one of the famous Red Clydesiders who travelled to Westminster to a rousing send-off. He held the seat until his death, and became chairman and figurehead of the ILP, leading it out of the Labour Party in 1932. He never held office, but as a speaker he was unmatched, and even Churchill called him the finest gentleman in the House of Commons. He died in 1946, still the member for Bridgeton, mourned as one of the most principled figures in British politics.
Related questions
Who was James Maxton?
A Glasgow schoolteacher who became a leading figure of Red Clydeside, the long-serving MP for Glasgow Bridgeton and the figurehead of the Independent Labour Party.
Why was James Maxton imprisoned?
He was a pacifist who opposed the First World War, and in 1916 he was tried for sedition and jailed for a year, which cost him his teaching post.
What was James Maxton famous for?
He was one of the greatest orators of his day, admired across the political divide. Churchill called him ‘the finest gentleman in the House of Commons’.