John Badlay

John Badlay (1861 – 14 April 1944) was a British politician.

Early life Born in Kirmond le Mire in Lincolnshire, Badlay worked full-time on a farm starting at age eight. He taught himself to read, and soon moved to Leeds, where he initially sold hay, before finding work in insurance. He then worked for a bookshop in Huddersfield, before setting up his own bookshop in Leeds. In 1885 he married Ann Elizabeth Atkinson, and they had a son and a daughter.

Badlay joined the Independent Labour Party (ILP) in 1895, and soon became president of its Leeds branch.

Leadership of the Labour group Badlay held his council seat for the Labour Party in 1908. At this time, the Labour group was led by John Buckle, who resented the influence of the ILP. In 1908, Buckle resigned in protest at the group refusing to meet with the King and Queen when they visited the city. Badlay was elected as his replacement, and oversaw Buckle's expulsion from the party. While his personal style has been criticised by Michael Meadowcroft as "somewhat theatrical", That year, he also became an alderman on the council. He retired in 1931, and returned to Leeds, where he was re-elected to the council, becoming an alderman again in 1933. In 1937 he was elected as Lord Mayor of Leeds. He remained on the council as an independent, although Graham Stevenson argues that he probably joined the CPGB.

On 14 April 1944, John Badlay died in Leeds. He was 83.