The Ned who beat Winston

Shock waves following an explosive general election that ousted Churchill in Dundee were starting to be felt a century ago today.

The world of politics was rocked when the result of the previous day’s ballot – the turnout was 118,167 (80%) – confirmed his 14-year tenure as the city’s MP was at an end.

Craigie’s history man Fraser Elder takes up the story: “During his term on Tayside, Winston Churchill climbed the ladder of fame in the Liberal Party with Cabinet appointments at Westminster such as home secretary and first lord of the Admiralty.

“But his controversial involvement in the affairs of the First World War and in the UK made worldwide headlines, and his career aspirations were halted in an election which saw Dundee-born Scottish Prohibition Party founder and political maverick Edwin Scrymgeour and French activist and awardwinning campaigner for African nations ED Morel claim the two winning seats.

“Georges Edmond Pierre Achille Morel Deville was clearly a burden on voting slips!

“The end result of a campaign in which Churchill struggled following a serious illness read: E Scrymgeour (Scot Prohibition Party) 32,578 (27%); ED Morel (Lab) 30,292 (23.6%); David Macdonald (Lib) 22,244 (18.8%); Winston S Churchill (Lib) 20,466 (17%); R Pinkington (Lib) 6,681 (5.7%); W Gallacher (Communist) 5,906 (5.1%).

“The result – a Prohibition gain from the National Liberals and a Labour hold – was to have a sting in the tail for Dundonians, as after Churchill lapsed into what was described later as ‘his wilderness years’, as a Conservative politician he was, in time, to be immortalised as Britain’s prime minister

twice (1940-45 and 1951-55) and acclaimed as its greatest figure of the 20th Century.

“But with the Second World War in its fourth year in 1943, War Cabinet PM Churchill took time out to vent his dislike of the city of Dundee 21 years after his farewell.

“The city fathers with Lord Provost Garnet Wilson had voted to grant the freedom of Dundee to their former MP. But in October 1943 the lord provost revealed the terse reply from an official at No 10 Downing

Street which stated ‘Mr Churchill regrets he is unable to accept the honour which you have proposed to confer upon him’.

“In the years 1948 and 1954 the unrelenting politician compounded the issue by accepting freedom honours from the Courier Country towns Perth and Stirling. Similar awards were also granted by Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Ayr.”

Fraser concludes: “In 2008, Dundee honoured their former famous MP by celebrating the 100th anniversary of his first election win in the city in 1908. A commemorative plaque was placed in South Marketgate and unveiled by Churchill’s youngest daughter Lady Mary Soames.

“Neddy Scrymgeour went on to represent Dundee in the Commons until 1931, successfully defending his seat three times, before being ousted by Dundee’s first-ever woman MP, unionist Florence Horsburgh.

“He died at the age of 80 in 1947. ED Morel served Labour until 1924 when he tragically died after a failed suicide attempt.”

Autumn has been producing some spectacular sights around Courier Country in recent weeks, and Dundee-based photography enthusiast Eric Niven sent this lovely picture. The keen cyclist tells us: “This lovely hidden trail is near Coupar Angus in Perthshire.”