George Darling

Who was George Darling?

George Darling, Baron Darling of Hillsborough, PC was a politician in the United Kingdom. He was Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hillsborough from 1950 to 1974. His grandfather, Thomas Darling, was agent for James Tomkinson, Liberal MP for Crewe 1900-1910. Darling was educated at elementary school and started work at 14 in the railway sheds of Crewe. When he was made redundant in 1926 he went to Leeds University, where he was chair of the Labour Club having joined the Labour Party in 1923. He later attended Cambridge University where he gained a Masters in economics, and entered journalism. He became Head of research and information of the Co-operative Wholesale Society from 1930 to 1937. He then joined the Reynolds News until 1942 before becoming industrial correspondent for the BBC reporting team from 1942 to 1949. He wrote several books on the co-operative movement.

Darling contested Macclesfield without success in 1935. He was elected for Hillsborough in 1950, succeeding A. V. Alexander, then the best known Co-operative MP. Darling was a party spokesman in opposition on Board of Trade subjects and consumer protection.