Background
Hughes was born in Tonypandy, Wales, the son of the Reverend J. R. Hughes. In 1924, he married Nan Hardie, the daughter of Keir Hardie.
Hughes was born in Tonypandy, Wales, the son of the Reverend J. R. Hughes. In 1924, he married Nan Hardie, the daughter of Keir Hardie.
He was educated at Abercynon Council School, Mountain Ash Secondary School and City of Leeds Training College, and became a teacher by profession.
In the First World War he was imprisoned as a conscientious objector. In the late 1930s, Forward was one of the few left-wing publications to criticise the Moscow Trials. A left-winger, he was frequently at odds with the leadership of the Labour Party and twice had the whip withdrawn, between November 1954 and April 1955 (over German rearmament), and between March 1961 and May 1963 (over nuclear weapons).
However, his Constituency Labour Party always backed him in his clashes with the leadership of the Labour Party.
In 1952 Hughes caused further controversy by calling for a reducing of the Civil list payments to the British Royal Family. During this debate Hughes identified himself as an anti-monarchist and "a republican, like President Eisenhower".
He also became editor of the socialist journal Forward.
37th United Kingdom Parliament. 38th United Kingdom Parliament. 39th United Kingdom Parliament.
40th United Kingdom Parliament.
41st United Kingdom Parliament. 42nd United Kingdom Parliament.
43rd United Kingdom Parliament. 44th United Kingdom Parliament]
On 7 February 1946 Hughes stood in the South Ayrshire (Scotland) by-election, following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) Alexander Sloan.
He was elected as the constituency"s Member of Parliament, and re-elected in the general elections of 1950, 1951, 1955, 1959, 1964, and 1966.
As a fellow pacifist and member of the Peace Pledge Union, he was shown around the House of Commons by Emrys Hughes. On pointing out the Welsh table in the Commons" tea room, Hughes warned him, "You’d better not sit there, your name’s mud among that lot.".