On This Day
23 February 1880
Birth of Isaac Foot, Liberal MP for Bodmin 1922-24 and 1929-35
Born in Plymouth, the son of a carpenter, Isaac Foot joined the Liberal Party in 1907 and was a long serving member of Plymouth City Council. In 1945 although no longer a member of the Council he was unanimously elected Lord Mayor. In parliament Foot was actively involved with Indian affairs and his championing of the rights of the poor of the subcontinent earnt Foot the nickname of ‘The member for the depressed classes’. He briefly held office in the National Government as Minister for Mines but resigned, along with his Liberal colleagues in 1932. Outside parliament Foot served as Vice-President of the Methodist Conference and in 1947 became President of the Liberal Party. Four of Foot’s sons followed him into public life, including Dingle, a Liberal and Labour MP and Michael who led the Labour Party from 1980 to 83.