Peter Freeman (politician)

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Peter Freeman (19 October 1888 – 19 May 1956) was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.

He was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Brecon and Radnorshire at the 1929 general election, defeating the Conservative MP Walter D'Arcy Hall by only 187 votes. When Labour split at the 1931 general election over Ramsay MacDonald's formation of a National Government, D'Arcy Hall retook the seat with a majority of over 8,000.

Freeman unsuccessfully stood at the 1935 general election in the Newport constituency, losing by 1,545 votes to the Conservative MP Reginald Clarry. When Clarry died in January 1945, Freeman did not contest the by-election on 17 May. However, at the general election in July 1945, he took the seat with a majority of 9,091 votes over Clarry's Conservative successor Ronald McMillan Bell.

Freeman held the seat until his death in 1956, aged 67. The resulting Newport by-election, 1956 was won by the Labour candidate Frank Soskice, the former Attorney General.

Biography

An entertaining biography of Peter Freeman was publishes by Lolfas Book in 2005. Written by Newport author Mike Bloxsome, it's titled the Green Casanova.

[edit] References

• Craig, F. W. S. [1969] (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, 3rd edition, Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X. 
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Walter D'Arcy Hall	Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire 1929–1931	Succeeded by Walter D'Arcy Hall
Preceded by Ronald McMillan Bell	Member of Parliament for Newport 1945–1956	Succeeded by Sir Frank Soskice