Constituency : Lanarkshire North West 1886-92 ( from 1888 Scottish Labour Party )
Robert took Lanarkshire North West from the Tories. He won by 32 votes.
Robert was the son of a major and himself served as a cornet in the Scots Greys. He was educated at Harrow and then in Brussels. He then emigrated to Argentina where his family had a cattle ranch. He then had spells in Morocco, Spain , Texas and Mexico. He returned to England in 1883 and became a convert to socialism. Despite his extreme radical views on land nationalisation he was adopted as a Liberal candidate for Lanarkshire North West in 1885 but was defeated.
Robert was twice suspended from the Commons , in 1887 for a " disrespectful reference" to the Lords and then for using the word "damn" in a speech. He complained about the use of police to break up political meetings. In November 1887 he was arrested, beaten up and sentenced to six weeks in prison for involvement in the "Bloody Sunday" protest meeting in Trafalgar Square. He was suspended again in 1888 for a remark during a debate about the rights of chain makers. He supported the match girls strike and the 1889 Dockers Strike. He attended the Second International in Paris in 1889 and was expelled from France for sedition in 1890. He was trying to get legislation on the eight hour day passed before Parliament dissolved in 1892.
Robert was also a Scottish nationalist and helped establish the Scottish Home Rule Association in 1886. In 1888 the SHRA passed his motion for a Scottish parliament "to do justice to their crofters and keep them at home , to pass an Eight Hours Bill for their miners, to settle the liquor laws, and to nationalise the land".
Later that year Robert was disgusted by the failure of the Liberals to get behind his friend Keir Hardie at the Mid Lanarkshire by-election and with him established the Scottish Labour Party although dual membership was not prohibited .
Robert contested Glasgow Camlachie under his new colours in 1892 but was defeated. He continued to support Hardie in founding the ILP and helped in his successful campaign at West Ham.
Although a pacifist by nature Robert travelled to Argentina during the First World War to buy horses for the war effort.
In 1928 Robert helped found the National Party of Scotland and was the first president in 1934.
Robert was a prolific writer of fiction,non-fiction and poetry. He helped Conrad's research for Nostromo and had many other literary friends such as Shaw and Chesterton . He was also an art patron who was painted many times himself.
He died in Buenos Aires in 1936 aged 83.
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