The Lord Janner | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Barnett Janner (1970) | |
| Member of Parliament forLeicester North West Leicester West (1945–1950) | |
| In office 5 July 1945 – 29 May 1970 | |
| Preceded by | Harold Nicolson |
| Succeeded by | Greville Janner |
| Member of Parliament forWhitechapel and St George's | |
| In office 27 October 1931 – 25 October 1935 | |
| Preceded by | James Henry Hall |
| Succeeded by | James Henry Hall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1892-06-20)20 June 1892 |
| Died | 4 May 1982(1982-05-04) (aged 89) |
| Spouses | |
Barnett Janner, Baron Janner (20 June 1892 – 4 May 1982), was a British politician who was elected as aLiberalMember of Parliament (MP) and later as aLabour MP.[1][2]
Janner was born ברוך אהרון בן יהושע (Baruch Aharon ben Yehoshua) to aLitvak family inLuokė in theKovno Governorate of theRussian Empire, in what is nowLithuania. He was the son of Joseph and Gertrude Janner.[2] At the age of nine months, his family, who wereOrthodox Jews, moved toBarry,Glamorgan,Wales, where his father opened a furniture shop.[2]
Janner was educated at the local school before obtaining a scholarship to attend theUniversity College of South Wales and Monmouthshire atCardiff. He was president of the students' union and edited the college magazine. He graduated with aBA in English and mathematics in 1914, before serving in theRoyal Garrison Artillery during theFirst World War.[1][2] Having studied law before the war, he was admitted assolicitor in 1919 and established a legal practice in Cardiff.[1]
Janner entered politics in 1920 when he stood unsuccessfully for election toCardiff City Council as a candidate of theComrades of the Great War. Three years later he had joined theLiberal Party, but again failed to gain a seat on the council.[1][2] In 1926 he was elected to theBoard of Deputies of British Jews, and subsequently became a member of the executive of the BritishZionist Federation.[2]
At the1929 general election he was the Liberal candidate forCardiff Central, but failed to be elected. Later in the year he moved toHendon, north London, and took up employment as company secretary and solicitor for his father-in-law's business.[2]
In 1930,Harry Gosling, the sitting LabourMP for theWhitechapel and St George's constituency in theEast End of London died. Janner was chosen to contest the resulting by-election. The area had a large Jewish population, and he campaigned in opposition to the government's policy on Palestine, but was narrowly defeated.[2] Ten months later at the1931 general election Janner again contested the Whitechapel seat for the Liberals, this time being returned to the House of Commons. At thenext general election in 1935 Janner stood as a Liberal and Anti-Fascist candidate, but was one of many Liberals to lose their seats, with the Labour Party regaining the seat.[2]
Within a year of losing his seat as a Liberal, Janner had joined theLabour Party, and was quickly chosen as prospective candidate forLeicester West, which was held byNational Labour with a small majority. In the event there was no election for ten years because of theSecond World War.[1][2]
Janner returned toParliament ten years later, when he was elected at the1945 general election as Labour MP for Leicester West, defeatingHarold Nicolson the incumbentNational Labour MP. When that constituency was abolished for the1950 election, he was re-elected for the newLeicester North West constituency. He held that seat until he retired from the Commons at the1970 general election, when his seat was held for Labour by his sonGreville.
Knighted in 1961,[3] Janner was created alife peer on 20 June 1970 and took the titleBaron Janner, of theCity of Leicester.[4]
Janner held many positions in theJewish community, including President of theBoard of Deputies of British Jews, 1955–64.
In 1927, Janner married Elsie Sybil Cohen, daughter of the owner of a furniture store. Their son Greville Janner,[5] laterBaron Janner of Braunstone, succeeded his father as the Labour MP for Leicester North-West in 1970.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forWhitechapel and St George's 1931–1935 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forLeicester West 1945–1950 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forLeicester North West 1950–1970 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
