Stafford Cripps

Background

He was born in London, United Kingdom on April 24, 1889, the son of an eminent lawyer and member of Parliament later ennobled as Baron Parmoor.

Career

Extremely successful as a patent and corporation lawyer, Cripps was appointed solicitor general in 1930 and received the knighthood that accompanied the post.  Cripps was elected to Parliament as a member of the Labour Party in 1931, and in 1934 he became a member of the party's national executive council.  He became a leading spokesman of the left wing of the Labour party and in 1939 was expelled from the party for urging a united front with the Communists.

In the same year Cripps was sent to India with a self-government plan (which was rejected by India).

He returned to India to negotiate independence in 1946, and the failure of his mission (because of the antagonism between Hindus and Muslims) is often seen as the point at which the partition of India became inevitable.

Great Britain was in the throes of a severe economic crisis, which Cripps sought to counter with his policy of austerity.

By continuing rationing and imposing strict economic controls, he was able to slow inflation while maintaining full employment and without cutting back the government's welfare programs.

Despite a vigorous export drive, however, Britain's balance of payments situation remained serious, and in 1949, Cripps most reluctantly devalued the pound by 30%.

He retired in 1950.

Works

More photos

• book

  • God in our work

    (. with dustjacket, 1949 rep clean copy)

  • Shall the Spell be Broken?
  • Russia in War: London, Summer 1941; Russia-Bound Convoy; a British Cruiser; Iceland

Membership

He was a member of the Labour Part;  a member of the party's national executive council.

Connections

In 1911 Cripps married Isobel Swithinbank.

Wife:

Isobel Swithinbank

References

• The Cripps Version: The Life of Sir Stafford Cripps
• India during the Second World War