Thomas Robinson (Stretford MP)

Robinson was mostly identified with the Liberal Party, but was successful in Parliamentary politics through a Liberal-Conservative pact and stood under the title Independent Free Trade and Anti-Socialist. He was always identified by the Liberal Party as a representative of the party, even at the 1924 general election, when he chose to describe himself as a Constitutionalist. The Constitutionalist label was one used by a number of candidates; many were Liberals or ex-Liberals like Winston Churchill. The Constitutionalists did not function as a party but fielded candidates in 1924 in constituencies where local Conservative and Liberal Associations collaborated against socialism.[7] Many ended up in the Conservative Party, but Robinson preferred to continue to receive the Liberal whip up until the 1929 general election, when he stood formally as an Independent.[8]

Robinson started his political career in local government and administration. He was first elected to the Stretford Urban District Council in 1894.[9] He was later elected as Chairman of the Council.[10] He sat as Chairman of the Stretford Hundred Licensing Committee from 1916 to 1941[9] and was Chairman of the Manchester Port Sanitary Committee after 1927.[11] In 1933, he became the first Mayor of Stretford when the borough gained its Charter of Incorporation.[12] He sat as mayor again in 1944–1945 and was also an Alderman.[13] In 1937 he was awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Stretford.[14]

Robinson entered Parliament at the 1918 general election when he was selected as Coalition Liberal candidate for his home Division of Stretford. That is to say, he was the candidate of the Coalition government of David Lloyd George and the Conservatives of Bonar Law, and as such he received the Coalition coupon. He won the seat by a large majority in a straight fight against Labour.[10]

Robinson held his seat at the 1922 general election, standing as a Lloyd George National Liberal, again in a straight fight with Labour. He held again against Labour, this time described solely as a Liberal, in 1923, and in another straight fight in 1924 he won Stretford for a fourth time, although this time standing as a Constitutionalist.[15] Although the Constitutionalists were included in the Unionist lists of Parliamentary candidates,[16] Robinson's victory at Stretford in 1924 was recorded as "no change" in The Times newspaper results from the election, rather than as a Constitutionalist or Unionist gain from the Liberals.[17] At the 1929 general election, Robinson described himself as an Independent,[18] saying he was not fighting on party lines.[19] He declined the Liberal whip in the following Parliament but was often still referred to in the press as a Liberal MP.[20] He did not stand for Parliament again.