James Carmichael (British politician)

For other people named James Carmichael, see James Carmichael (disambiguation).

James Carmichael
Member of Parliament for Glasgow Bridgeton
In office 29 August 1946 – 8 June 1961
Preceded by	James Maxton
Succeeded by	James Bennett
Personal details
Born	(1894-04-07)7 April 1894 Glasgow, Scotland
Died	19 January 1966(1966-01-19) (aged 71) Dumfries, Scotland
Political party	Labour
Other political affiliations	Independent Labour Party

James Carmichael (7 April 1894 – 19 January 1966) was a Scottish Labour politician.

Carmichael was born in Glasgow, the son of George Carmichael, one of the founding members of the Independent Labour Party, and Jane McCann Carmichael. educated at the Scottish Labour College and worked as a constructional engineer, insurance agent and secretary. For fourteen years, he acted as organising secretary for the Scottish Independent Labour Party (ILP). He served on Glasgow Town Council 1939–46.

He was elected for Glasgow Bridgeton at a by-election in 1946, following the death of James Maxton, leader of the ILP. He was the ILP candidate, and he narrowly beat the Labour Party candidate to win the by-election. However this by-election was the ILP's "swan song"; he and the two other ILP MPs defected to the Labour Party at various times in 1947 and it ceased to be a serious electoral force after this.

Carmichael retired as an MP in 1961. The by-election to replace him was won by Labour, but it was one of the first elections where the Scottish National Party (SNP) won a significant vote, heralding further advances in the 1960s.

His son was Neil Carmichael, who was also a Glasgow Labour MP for several years, and was later created a life peer as Lord Carmichael of Kelvingrove. His son-in-law was Labour MP Hugh Brown.

Carmichael died at a hospital in Dumfries, aged 72.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by James Carmichael
• The ILP denounces his defection