Background
Born in Glasgow, he was the son of Alexander and Mary Baird.
Born in Glasgow, he was the son of Alexander and Mary Baird.
University of Glasgow.
After leaving school he worked initially as a coalminer, before attending Saint Mungo"s Medical School to study dentistry. He qualified in 1929, and was admitted to the Royal Faculty Physicians and Surgeons. In 1928 Baird become active in Labour politics in Glasgow.
With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 Baird joined the Army Dental Corps, reaching the rank of captain by the war"s education
He has first elected to the House of Commons in the Labour landslide at the 1945 general election, when he defeated the long-serving Liberal Member of Parliament, Geoffrey Mander. When his constituency was abolished for the 1950 general election, Baird was returned to Parliament for the new Wolverhampton North East.
He held that seat until he stepped down at the 1964 general election. In parliament he took an interest in health and social insurance issues.
He was a strong opponent of racism, and also sought to form better relations with Communist countries, visiting the Soviet Union and People"s Republic of China on a number of occasions.
Baird died in a London hospital in 1965, aged 58.
According to John Callaghan, Baird should be "counted as the first Trotskyist Member of Parliament" for assistance he gave to the second Revolutionary Socialist League, later better known as the Militant tendency.
39th United Kingdom Parliament. 40th United Kingdom Parliament. 41st United Kingdom Parliament.
42nd United Kingdom Parliament.
38th United Kingdom Parliament]
He continued to be a member of the Labour Party when he moved his dental practice firstly to the north of England and then later to the London area.