John Platts-Mills

John Faithful Fortescue Platts-Mills, QC (4 October 1906 – 26 October 2001) was a British Labour Party politician and barrister. He was the Member of Parliament for Finsbury from 1945 to 1950.

Early life

Born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1906 to John Mills, a prosperous businessman, and Elizabeth Platts, a doctor,[1][2] Platts-Mills was educated at Nelson College from 1919 to 1924.[3] He graduated with a first-class honours degree in law from Victoria University College and in 1928 won a Rhodes Scholarship to Balliol College, Oxford. At one time identifying with the conservative English Mistery group, the Hoare–Laval Pact permanently altered his political outlook.[4]

Career

After graduating he was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple in 1932, then worked as a barrister in London, and in 1936 joined the Labour Party. On the outbreak of the Second World War he joined the Royal Air Force. However he was later told to leave, and it was suspected that this was due to his communist sympathies. Once the Soviet Union entered the war, the military was more enthusiastic about his involvement.

During the later part of the war, Platts-Mills volunteered to work as a miner, and at the 1945 general election he was elected as the Labour MP for Finsbury.

In the Commons, Platts-Mills emerged as one of a small number of MPs with pro-Soviet sympathies. Platts-Mills' opposition to NATO and his claim that the United States had too much power in Europe brought him into conflict with the leadership of the Labour Party.

In April 1948, Platts-Mills organised a petition in support of Pietro Nenni and the Italian Socialist Party in its general election campaign. Controversial because Nenni was in alliance with the Italian Communist Party, this action became the foundation of the Labour Independent Group. He gained support from other MPs including Konni Zilliacus, D. N. Pritt, Geoffrey Bing and William Warbey. This went against government policy. Platts-Mills was expelled from the Labour Party, and, standing as an independent, he lost his seat in the 1950 general election.

He returned to his legal career and established himself as one of Britain's leading barristers. He was made a QC in 1964,[5] and readmitted to the Labour Party in 1969.[6] "A master of courtroom theatre.. [whose] clashes with the Bench entered into legal legend",[5] Platts-Mills was defence counsel to many clients, including the Great Train Robbers and the Kray twins.[7]

Platts-Mills died on 26 October 2001.[6]

Personal life

In 1936, he married Janet Cree. He was the father of a forester Tim Platts-Mills, a Lonrho director Jonathan Platts-Mills, Thomas Platts-Mills, Barney Platts-Mills, a wood sculptor Benjamin Platts-Mills and Mark Platts-Mills QC.

See also

• Orwell's list

Notes

1. "John Platts-Mills". 26 October 2001 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
2. "Obituary: John Platts-Mills". NZ Herald. 2 November 2001. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
3. Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006, 6th edition
4. Stephen Sedley "In Judges’ Lodgings", London Review of Books, 11 November 1999
5. Obituary, Daily Telegraph, 27 October 2001
6. Lena Jeger Obituary, The Guardian, 27 October 2001
7. Morton, James. "The trial that finally jailed the Krays" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

Further reading

• Edmond, Martin (2017). The Expatriates. Wellington: Bridget Williams Books. pp. 182–251. ISBN 978-19885-33179.
• John Platts-Mills QC: Muck, Silk and Socialism - Recollections of a Left-wing Queen's Counsel. Autobiography, published posthumously in 2002 by Paper Publishing, Oldwood Cottage, Wedmore, Somerset BS28 4XW. ISBN 0-9539949-0-2. xvi + 687 pages.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by John Platts-Mills

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by George Savile Woods	Member of Parliament for Finsbury 1945–1950	constituency abolished