Donald Sumner

Who was Donald Sumner?

William Donald Massey Sumner, known as Donald Sumner, was a British Conservative Party politician who later became a judge. Sumner, the incumbent chairman of the divisional Conservative Association for Orpington, defeated Margaret Thatcher to be adopted prospective candidate for the local constituency.

He was elected at the Orpington by-election, 1955 and was subsequently returned in the general election later that year. He remained Member of Parliament for Orpington in Kent until 1962, when he accepted an appointnent as a County Court judge.

The resulting Orpington by-election was won by the Liberal Party candidate Eric Lubbock, marking the start of a revival in the fortunes of the Liberals.