1203 David Randell

Constituency : Gower  1888-1900

David  succeeded  the  death  of  Frank  Yeo  at  Gower  by  610  votes.

David  was  the  son  of  a  merchant  and  was   educated  at  Llanelly  and  Wandsworth  and  became  a  solicitor.  He  was  a  Methodist . He  worked  with  the local  tinplate  workers  who  made  up  much  of  the  local  electorate. He  did  not  take  cases  on behalf  of  an  employer  against  workmen  and  often  represented  trade  unionists..  He  was  a  radical  Welsh  Nationalist  committed  to Welsh  disestablishment. He  was  selected  after  Sir  Horace  Davey, the original  choice , noted  the feeling  in  favour  of  a  local  candidate.

In  his  election  address  David  called  for  manhood  suffrage, amendments  to  Employers  Liabiliy, payment  of  MPs  and  the  establishment  of  a  Welsh  university.

David  was  re-elected  in  1892  with  a  majority  of  over  4,000  votes.

David  was  a  friend  of  William  Abraham.

David  retired  on  health  grounds  before  the  1900  election. There  was  some  speculation  that he  might  cross  to  the  I.L.P.

He  died  in  1912  aged  57.