On This Day

17 January 1906

Horatio Bottomley gains Hackney South for the Liberals

In a foretaste of Bottomley’s controversial career, his campaign included issuing writs for libel against several of his opponent’s supporters.  Bottomley was to hold the seat in both 1910 elections but eventually had to leave the Commons in May 1912 when he resigned due to bankruptcy. He returned to parliament at the 1918 ‘coupon’ election, standing as an Independent but was expelled in 1922 after being convicted of fraud. Ironically, in 1906 he was opposed by an independent Liberal opposed to his business behaviour.