James Maxton

James Maxton
Member of Parliament for Glasgow Bridgeton
In office 15 November 1922 – 23 July 1946
Preceded by	Alexander MacCallum Scott
Succeeded by	James Carmichael
Personal details
Nationality	Scottish
Political party	Labour (until 1932) ILP (1932-1946)

James Maxton (22 June 1885 – 23 July 1946) was a Scottish far-left politician, and leader of the Independent Labour Party. He was a pacifist who opposed both world wars. A prominent proponent of Home Rule for Scotland, he is remembered as one of the leading figures of the Red Clydeside era. He broke with Ramsay MacDonald and the second Labour administration, and became one of its most bitter critics. As the leader of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), he disaffiliated the ILP from the mainstream party in 1932. After that he was a marginal independent figure on the far left-wing. His biographer Graham Walker concludes:

Born in the then burgh of Pollokshaws (now Pollok, Glasgow) in 1885, James Maxton was the son of two schoolteachers. He would himself later enter that profession after his education at Hutchesons' Grammar School and the University of Glasgow.

Maxton had whilst studying at the University of Glasgow described his political loyalties as lying with the Conservatives. He soon came to socialism, however, and in 1904 he joined the Barrhead branch of the Independent Labour Party (ILP). Maxton's move to socialism was heavily influenced by John Maclean, a fellow student at Glasgow University. In addition to Maclean's influence, Maxton was moved towards socialism by a meeting which he attended in Paisley which was addressed by party leader Philip Snowden. He was also influenced by the written word, including books by Robert Blatchford and Peter Kropotkin.

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