Winston Churchill

Between 1908 and 1922, the city’s MP was none other than Winston Churchill, at that time a member of the (Coalition) Liberal Party. Churchill’s conspicuous noble background and his frequent absence from Dundee on cabinet business alienated him from his constituents. The last years of his tenure in Dundee were marked by vitriol from local newspapers. He once described the constituency as “a life seat, and cheap and easy beyond all experience”.

Prevented from campaigning in the 1922 general election by appendicitis, his wife Clementine spoke for him instead, but was spat on for wearing pearls. Churchill was ousted by Labour candidate E. D. Morel and the Scottish Prohibitionist Edwin Scrymgeour - in Scrymgeour’s case, at the sixth attempt. Churchill left Dundee — “short of an appendix, seat and party” — never to return. In 1943 he was offered Freedom of the City — by 16 votes to 15 — but refused to accept. On being asked by the Council to expand on his reasons, his said simply: “I have nothing to add to the reply which has already been sent”.