Harry Hague

Harry Hague (9 April 1922 – 1985), was a British Recorder of the Crown Court and a Liberal Party politician. At the 1962 Blackpool North by-election he achieved a 17% swing that was the first step on a course that led to the Night of the Long Knives when Prime Minister Harold Macmillan dismissed one-third of his Cabinet.

Background

Hague was the son of Sir Harry Hague and Lilian Hindle of Stalybridge and Blackpool. He was educated at Arnold School, Blackpool, Manchester University and London University, LLB degree at London. In 1967 he married Vera Smith. They had two step daughters.[1]

Professional career

Before the war Hague worked for the Blackpool Education Department and in a Blackpool bank. He joined the Army in 1941. He was discharged in March 1944, after injury to a leg during an assault course.[2] He was Called to Bar by the Middle Temple in 1946. He worked as a barrister on the Northern Circuit. He was Assistant Recorder of Burnley from 1969 to 1971. He was a Recorder of the Crown Court from 1972 to 1979.[3]

Political career

In the 1940s Hague joined the Liberal party and was a candidate in the Blackpool Municipal Elections.[4] He was Chairman of Blackpool South Liberal Association. He was President of the Lancashire and Cheshire Young Liberal Federation.[5] He became a member of Liberal Party Council.[6] He was Liberal candidate for the new Blackburn East division of Lancashire at the 1950 General Election. Blackburn was unpromising territory for a Liberal and the party had polled poorly there in 1945. 1950 was little different;

General Election 1950:[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Barbara Anne Castle 19,480 52.8 n/a
Conservative John Anthony Leavey 14,662 39.8 n/a
Liberal Harry Hague 2,743 7.4 n/a
Majority 4,818 13.0 n/a
Turnout 89.1 n/a
Labour win

He was a member of the Liberal Party National Executive from 1956 to 1959.[8] He was Liberal candidate for one of his hometown seats, the safe Tory Blackpool North division of Lancashire at the 1959 General Election. The Liberals had not run a candidate here since 1945, yet he still managed to poll a respectable vote;

General Election 1959: Blackpool North
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Toby Austin Richard William Low 25,297 57.9 −13.3
Labour William H Dugdale 9,440 21.6 −7.2
Liberal Harry Hague 8,990 20.6 N/A
Majority 15,857 36.3
Turnout 43,727 76.6 +9.7
Conservative hold Swing −3.1

In 1962 his victorious Tory opponent at Blackpool North was given a peerage which meant that a by-election had to take place. The by-election was expected to deliver another easy Tory win but Hague's campaign almost pulled off a surprise victory;

1962 Blackpool North by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman Alexander Miscampbell 12,711 38.3 −19.6
Liberal Harry Hague 11,738 35.3 +14.7
Labour Shirley Catherine Wynne Summerskill 8,776 26.4 +4.8
Majority 973 2.9
Turnout 33,225
Conservative hold Swing

The following day voters went to the polls in the 1962 Orpington by-election which delivered the Liberals a famous victory. Then followed a string of strong Liberal electoral performances that resulted in 4 months later in Harold Macmillan sacking a third of his cabinet. Hague was once again a member of the Liberal Party National Executive from 1962 to 1964.[9] He fought Blackpool North for a third time at the 1964 elections. However, since 1962, support for the Tories had rallied and he again finished second;

General Election 1964: Blackpool North
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman Alexander Miscampbell 19,633 47.2 +8.9
Liberal Harry Hague 11,462 27.5 -7.8
Labour Thomas McKellar 10,543 25.3 -1.1
Majority 8,171 19.6 +16.7
Turnout 41,638 74.7
Conservative hold Swing +8.3

He did not stand for parliament again.[10]

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References
  1. 'HAGUE, Harry', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 22 Nov 2014
  2. The Times House of Commons, 1950
  3. 'HAGUE, Harry', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 22 Nov 2014
  4. Who's Who of 475 Liberal Candidates fighting the 1950 General Election
  5. The Times House of Commons, 1950
  6. Who's Who of 475 Liberal Candidates fighting the 1950 General Election
  7. British parliamentary election results, 1950–1973 by FWS Craig
  8. 'HAGUE, Harry', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 22 Nov 2014
  9. 'HAGUE, Harry', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 22 Nov 2014
  10. British parliamentary election results 1950–1973, Craig, F.W.S.
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