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'I am as strong a Liberal as you': H. C. Janes and Luton Politics, 1935–63

Abstract The decline of the British Liberal party after the end of the First World War posed crucial questions for those with Liberal beliefs and convictions. Should they, despite compelling evidence to the contrary, pin their hopes on the eventual revival of an apparently moribund party? Alternatively, was their best hope to build upon the liberal tendencies within other existing and more powerful parties? In the historical exploration of this dilemma the role of the Liberal National (later National Liberal) party has received comparatively little attention. Historians have tended to accept the verdict of mainstream Liberals that the Liberal Nationals were nothing but Conservatives in disguise. This article seeks to explore these issues through a detailed study of the career of Herbert Janes, active in the politics of Luton for more than two decades.