Ernest Spero

Who is Ernest Spero?

Ernest Spero was a British physician, author, journalist, businessman and politician. He served as a surgeon in the Royal Navy in the First World War, subsequently travelling around the world twice.

Following the war, Spero became active in politics. He contested the seat of Leicester West for the Liberal Party at the 1922 general election but failed to be elected.

In 1923 he was selected as the party's candidate to contest Stoke Newington at the general election. The sitting Conservative MP, George Jones, was seen as being safe. Spero, who was also supported by local Labour activists, ran a campaign seeking the votes of ex-servicemen, with the slogan "We were comrades during the war. Let us be pals in peace". He was successful, unexpectedly unseating the "impregnable" incumbent member. A further general election was held in the following year and the situation was reversed: Jones regained the seat, which he was to hold until 1945.

In 1925 he joined the Labour Party. At the 1929 general election he was the party's candidate for the Fulham West constituency, and won the seat in a three-cornered contest against Conservative and Liberal opponents.