Liberal Reform and Industrial Relations: J.H. Whitley (1866-1935), Halifax Radical and Speaker of the House of Commons

J.H. Whitley came from an established business family in Halifax, became an MP for Halifax in 1900, was a Liberal Radical who worked with Labour, gave his name to the industrial councils of the First World War, was Speaker of the House of Commons, was chairman of the BBC between 1930 and 1935, was involved with the issue of India during the inter-war years, and presided over the House of Commons debates at the time of the General Strike of 1926. Whitley was thus a vitally important political figure who was active at a series of watershed moments in modern British and political history.