James Andrew Seddon

James Andrew Seddon CH (7 May 1868 – 31 May 1939) was a British trades unionist and politician. Originally a member of the Labour Party, he subsequently moved to the National Democratic and Labour Party.

Biography Seddon was born in Prescot, Lancashire in 1868. Having served an apprenticeship as a grocer, he spent ten years working as a commercial traveller. He subsequently became the delegate of the St Helens branch of the National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen and Clerks. He was elected as vice-president and then president of the union in 1901 and 1902.

In 1906 he was elected Labour MP for Newton, Lancashire. Seddon continued his work with the union movement, was reselected as Labour candidate for Newton and elected a member of the parliamentary committee of the Trades Union Congress in 1911. In 1915 he was elected President of the TUC.

In 1915 Seddon became a founding member of the Socialist National Defence Committee. The SNDC was short-lived, becoming part of the British Workers League in 1916.

In late spring 1918 the British Worker's League resolved to become a parliamentary party. The National Democratic and Labour Party (British Workers League) or NDP was duly formed as a "patriotic working-class party".

Seddon continued his interest in politics outside of parliament. In 1925 he helped found the Steel House Constructors Union, claiming a programme of building steel houses could employ 150,000 men. He became a member of the Industrial Peace Union of the British Empire formed after the General Strike of 1926.

J. A. Seddon died of a heart attack at his home in New Barnet, Middlesex on 31 May 1939, aged 71.