Arthur Creech Jones - Defeat

Defeat

At the 1950 general election, Creech Jones' constituency of Shipley was subjected to boundary changes, and he was vigorously challenged by the Conservatives. He ended up losing his seat by a narrow 81 votes to Geoffrey Hirst, being one of the most prominent Ministerial casualties of the election. Out of Parliament he spent more time with the Fabian Colonial Bureau for whom he chaired conferences and lectured. He edited volumes of the Fabian Colonial Essays.

He also tried to get back into Parliament. When Sir Stafford Cripps resigned his seat at Bristol South East in the autumn of 1950, Creech Jones was the favourite to succeed him given his status and his family connections to the city. However, he lost the selection to Anthony Wedgwood Benn. At the 1951 general election Creech Jones stood in Romford, but was unable to regain the constituency.

In the early 1950s Creech Jones succeeded in reconciling Seretse Khama (who had been exiled from Bechuanaland after marrying an Englishwoman) with his uncle Tshekedi, and petitioned the government to rescind the exile order. He also led delegations to the Government from the Anti-Slavery Society (of which he was Vice President) and the Africa Bureau. He was Chairman of the British council of Pacific Relations from 1952.