Alfred Ernest Brown CH (August 27, 1881-February 16, 1962) was a British politician who served as leader of the National Liberals from 1940 until 1945. The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... National Liberal Party was a name used by two groups of politicians, who had formerly been associated with the Liberal Party. ...

Born in Torquay, Devon, Brown was the son of a fisherman and prominent Baptist and it was through following his father that he came to preach, gaining much experience as a public speaker. He soon came to the attention of the local Liberals and became a prominent public speaker at political meetings. Statistics Population: 62,963 [1] Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SX9165 Administration District: Torbay Region: South West England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Devon Historic county: Devon Services Police force: Devon and Cornwall Ambulance service: South Western Post office and telephone Post town: TORQUAY Postal... Devon is a large county in South West England, bordered by Cornwall to the west, Dorset and Somerset to the east. ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church or a person who believes in baptism by full immersion. ... This article is about the historic Liberal Party. ...

After three unsuccessful attempts in other constituencies, he was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Rugby in the 1923 general election but lost his in the 1924 general election. In 1927 he returned to Parliament in a by-election at Leith. During this time he became a devote follower of Sir John Simon as the latter became increasinly at odds with the leader of the Liberals, David Lloyd George, and the party's support for the minority Labour government of Ramsay MacDonald. In 1931 he followed Simon in resigning the Liberal party whip and then subsequently in setting up the Liberal Nationals. This article is about the historic Liberal Party. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... Rugby is a market town in the county of Warwickshire in the West Midlands region of England on the River Avon. ... The UK general election of 1923 was held on 5th December 1923. ... The 1924 UK general election was held on 29th October 1924. ... Formerly a municipal burgh,[1] Leith is a town at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is the port of Edinburgh, Scotland. ... The Right Honourable John Allsebrook Simon, 1st Viscount Simon (1873-1954) was a British politician and statesman. ... David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, OM, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British statesman and the last member of the Liberal Party to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main democratic socialist [1] political party in the United Kingdom. ... James Ramsay MacDonald (12 October 1866–9 November 1937) was a British politician and twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... National Liberal Party was a name used by two groups of politicians, who had formerly been associated with the Liberal Party. ...

In the National Government of Ramsay MacDonald, Brown became Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health in November 1931. The following year the official Liberals resigned from the government and Brown was promoted to become Secretary for Mines. In 1935 when MacDonald was succeeded as Prime Minister by Stanley Baldwin, Brown entered the Cabinet as Minister of Labour. This proved controversial as many believed that the Minister of Transport Leslie Hore-Belisha, had a stronger claim to be the next Liberal National to enter the Cabinet, though as unemployment was one of the government's biggest problems, many others felt that Brown's appointment to the job was not one to envy. He held the post for the next five years under both Baldwin and his successor, Neville Chamberlain. One of his most prominent achievements was the Unemployment Insurance (Agriculture) Act, 1936 which extended social security to nearly all workers in agriculture, forestry and horticulture. In another sphere he oversaw the formation of the National Joint Advisory Committee which assisted in wage control, compulsory arbitration, and direction of labour. He also helped workers in distributing to organise and took great pride when in 1937 the Trades Union Congress passed a unanimous resolution thanking him for this. In 1939 his department was expanded to incorporate overseeing National Service. In the United Kingdom the term National Government is in an abstract sense used to refer to a coalition of some or all major political parties. ... James Ramsay MacDonald (12 October 1866–9 November 1937) was a British politician and twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health was a junior ministerial office in the United Kingdom Government. ... The position of Secretary for Mines is a now defunct office in the United Kingdom Government, associated with the Board of Trade. ... Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867–14 December 1947) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on three separate occasions. ... Minister of Labour re-directs here. ... The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. ... // Isaac Leslie Hore-Belisha, 1st Baron Hore-Belisha, PC (September 7, 1893 – February 16, 1957) was a British Liberal Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister remembered for his innovations in road transport and for being an alleged victim of anti-semitism. ... Arthur Neville Chamberlain (18 March 1869 – 9 November 1940) was a Conservative British politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. ... Image:TradeUnionsCongress20050108 CopyrightKaihsuTai. ... National Service in the 20th century referred primarily to conscription for military service. ...

When Chamberlain fell in 1940 he was succeeded by Winston Churchill who moved Brown to the position of Secretary of State for Scotland, an unusual move as Brown, despite sitting for a Scottish constituency, was English by birth. At the same time Brown became the leader of the Liberal Nationals after Sir John Simon was transferred to the House of Lords. Brown served as Secretary of State for Scotland for a year before becoming Minister of Health for two years and finally Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. This article is becoming very long. ... The Secretary of State for Scotland (Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief minister in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilites for Scotland, at the head of the Scotland Office (formerly The Scottish Office). ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ... Minister of Health redirects here. ... The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a sinecure office in the British government. ...

Brown's tenure as leader of the Liberal Nationals was one of decline, as the party saw its influence diminish. Many in the party had regretted the division of Liberal forces a decade earlier and Brown undertook negotiations with the Liberal Party leader Sir Archibald Sinclair over a potential reunion, but these talks foundered on the question of continued support for the National Government after the war. The change in the leadership of the Conservatives was also unfavourable and when, in 1945, Churchill formed his "Caretaker" government he did not include Brown or any other senior Liberal Nationals in the Cabinet, despite claiming to head a "National" administration. Brown was instead appointed Minister of Aircraft Production. In the 1945 general election Brown lost his seat. Archibald Henry Macdonald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso KT CMG PC (October 22, 1890 – June 15, 1970), known as Sir Archibald Sinclair from 1912 until 1952, was a Scottish politician and leader of the British Liberal Party. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative & Unionist Party) is currently the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), and the largest in terms of public membership. ... In the United Kingdom the term National Government is in an abstract sense used to refer to a coalition of some or all major political parties. ... The Minister of Aircraft Production was the British government position in charge of the Ministry of Aircraft Production, one of the specialised supply ministries set up by the British Government during World War II. As the name suggests, it was responsible for aircraft production for the British forces; primarily the... Clement Attlee Winston Churchill The United Kingdom General Election of 1945 held on 5 July 1945 but not counted and declared until 26 July 1945 (due to the time it took to transport the votes of those serving overseas) was one of the most significant general elections of the 20th...

After the war Brown devoted his attention to the church, often visiting other parts of the Commonwealth.

Brown had a reputation for being a fast speaker and many contemporary political commentators estimated that he could deliver a statement to the House of Commons faster than any other minister. The size of his voice was also noted. Baldwin once saw Brown in a phonebox at the House of Commons and is said to have remarked, "I didn't think he needed a phone to communicate with his constituents." British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons The House of Commons is the elected lower house of the bicameral parliament in the United Kingdom and Canada. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

References

Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)