Milner GrayCBE (11 May 1871 – 10 April 1943) was a British Liberal politician.
Family life and business
Gray was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, the son of a Baptist Minister,[1] although he himself was a Methodist in religion.[2] He was educated at Greenwich. In 1902, he married Elizabeth Eleanor Luck of Lewisham. They had no children. In business, Gray was Chairman of Frank Harden Ltd of Luton (manufacturers of ladies' hats) and a director of the United Match Industries.[3]
In 1934, Gray tried to persuade Lloyd George to take a more active part in leading the party again, inviting him to speak at the annual meeting of the National Liberal Federation (NLF) meeting in Bournemouth, but Lloyd George refused saying the National Liberal Federation had always made him feel like the prodigal son.[9] Gray sought re-election as the Member of Parliament for Mid Bedfordshire at the 1935 general election, but lost to the Conservatives. In 1936, he was elected to serve on the Liberal Party Council.[10]
He attempted to enter Parliament again at a by-election in June 1938 in West Derbyshire, but despite an energetic campaign and his personal qualities as a political speaker,[11] he came bottom of the poll in a three-cornered contest.[12] Perhaps as a consolation for losing his seat in the House of Commons, he was made a CBE in 1937.[13]
Policy
Throughout his career, Gray took a particular interest in foreign affairs, and was strongly in favour of an effective League of Nations[14] and was prominent in highlighting the persecution of the Jews in Nazi Germany. In November 1938, he led a deputation from the Liberal Party Organisation to 10 Downing Street to deliver a resolution calling for government action and urging more generous offers of political asylum.[15] Later that month, Gray was also one of a number of signatories – politicians, artists, writers etc. – to a letter to The Times objecting to the persecution of Jews in Germany.[16] On other policy matters, Gray was regarded as an authority on employment issues, presumably one result of his experience at the Ministry of Labour and in 1933, he chaired a Liberal Party policy committee on unemployment insurance.[17]
Death
Gray was chairman of the executive of the Liberal Party Organisation for six years and was a member of the Council of the Liberal Party at the time of his death. He died at his home in Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire.[4]