James Barr (politician)
James Barr was a British Liberal then Labour politician and a noted pacifist and socialist. He was also a strong supporter of home rule for Scotland, a minimum wage and the Temperance movement.
Barr was originally a Liberal but then joined the Independent Labour Party. He served as the Member of Parliament for Motherwell, from 1924–31 and then for Coatbridge from 1935–45.
He served as Chairman of the Select committee on capital punishment, 1929–1930, which reported at the end of the latter year.
In 1930-1931, Barr was Chairman of the Liaison Committee, as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party was then known at any time when the party was in government.
A Presbyterian minister, Barr strongly opposed any link between church and state; in his view, the Church must support and maintain itself on an entirely voluntary basis.
For this reason, he was a prominent member of the United Free Church of Scotland and he led the opposition to that group's reunion with the Church of Scotland in 1929; he and those of like mind did not participate in the reunion and continued as the United Free Church of Scotland, which is still in existence.
His maiden speech as an MP was an attack on the Church of Scotland Act 1925 and lasted just under an hour and a half.
Barr was the grandfather of James Barr.Published works
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