Constituency : Manchester Withington 1923-4, 1929-31
Ernest took Withington from the Tories in a straight fight having come close in 1922.
Ernest was the son of a German-born engineer who made his fortune in flour milling. He was no relation to John Simon. He was educated at Rugby and Cambridge. Under his stewardship the firm expanded into building grain silos. He became a Manchester city councillor in 1912 and was Lord Mayor in 1921-22. He was a friend of the Webbs and contributed to the launch of the New Statesman in 1913. He was a founder of the Liberal Summer School in 1921.
Ernest's maiden speech condemned the Conservatives inaction on housing and that was why he was voting in a Labour government. He tried to make co-operation between the two parties a reality in the 1924 Parliament.
In 1924, Ernest was defeated by more than the vote of the Labour candidate. He came out top of a three cornered contest in 1929. In 1930 ,at a Liberal Summer School, he expressed doubts about the continued relevance of Free Trade which appalled prominent Liberals.
He gave notice to stand down in 1931. He was then made Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health and found an alternative seat in Penryn and Falmouth. However the Tories were not prepared to stand aside for him and he came second to them in a three-cornered contest.
In 1926, Ernest purchased Wythenshawe Hall and Park and gave them over to Manchester . The estate land was used for the massive council estate of Wythenshawe. He also held positions in the governance of the University of Manchester.
Ernest was knighted in 1932.
In 1946 Ernest contested the Combined English Universities seat as an independent but came third. Later that year, he joined the Labour party.
In 1947 Ernest was elevated to the peerage as Baron Simon of Wythenshawe. He was also appointed chairman of the BBC Board of Governors and served until 1952.
He died following a stroke while on holiday in 1960 aged 80.
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