Constituency : Edinburgh East 1912-24
James took over from the deceased Sir James Gibson at Edinburgh.He received a letter of support from Lloyd George saying "We want more men in the House possessing your deep sympathy for social reform and your knowledge of social questions".
James was educated at Edinburgh Normal School and Edinburgh University. He was President of the Edinburgh Liberal Association. He started out as a teacher then qualified as a preacher in the United Free Church of Scotland. He then switched to doing social work under the auspices of the Rowntrees. He became a Progressive councillor in York. He stood at Glasgow Camlachie in December 1910 losing by 26 votes. He was Honorary Secretary of the Anti-Gambling League. He was a founder member of the Young Scots Society in 1900 campaigning for Scottish Home Rule and social reform.
James supported female suffrage. He wrote essays on Scottish economics and an advice column for the Edinburgh Evening News.
James opposed Kitchener's appointment as War Secretary and conscription. He openly asociated with conscientious objectors. During the war he worked assiduously to secure pensions for war widows and invalids. He pushed for the Civil Liberties Act of 1915 which provided for state settlement of debts incurred by soldiers whose army pay was below their civilian wage . He was hoping to be appointed Pensions minister and declined a junior post in the Ministry. He founded the Naval and Military Pensions League in 1917. He became one of Lloyd George's most vocal critics although he also suggested that the Lloyd George Liberals would be safe from attack in the Maurice debate.
James saw off an NDP challenger in 1918. However he was not particularly enamoured of Asquith either and kept himself somewhat aloof. From 1919 to 1920 he was President of the National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers. He was appointed a joint whip in 1919 against the wishes of Asquith who saw him as a permanent rebel. Donald Maclean described him as "permanently crooked and a natural wrecker". There were suggestions he had put a stand or resign ultimatum to Asquith over Paisley. He sounded out Lloyd George on reunion on behalf of some left wing Liberals.
In 1922 James defeated a challenge from a Lloyd George Liberal. He became the Asquithian chief whip. He became an agent for reunion, garnering support for a memorandum from 73 MPs across both factions . In 1923 he defeated a Unionist. He refused to serve as Scottish whip under the direction of Vivian Phillips. He voted with Labour on the Campbell case. In 1924, he came third as Labour took the seat.
He died in 1928 aged 55.
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