Constituency : Luton 1929-45 ( from 1931 Liberal National )
Edward took Luton from the Tories in a three-cornered contest.
Edward was a solicitor's son. He was educated at the University of London and became a solicitor himself. He was a specialist in international law and principal of the Law Society. Edward contested Hornsey four times from a by-election in 1921 and would have won in 1923 but for Labour's intervention. He contested East Ham Nrth in a by-election in 1926 but came third.
Edward was a pacifist and supported a Ministry of Defence as a staging post to disarmament.
Edward joined the Liberal Nationals in 1931 and had an easy win over Labour. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade in 1932. He had another easy win in 1935.
In 1937 Edward was made Minister of Transport and then the first Minister of Supply in 1939. His appointment was ridiculed in Guilty Men as inappropriate. Churchill dropped him from the government when he took over.
He stood down in 1945 and died just weeks later aged 58.
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