Thomas Whittaker

Sir Thomas Palmer Whittaker PC (7 January 1850 – 9 November 1919) was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician.

Early life Whittaker was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire. In 1874 he married Emma Mary Theedham.

Parliament At the 1892 general election Whittaker was elected to the Commons as Liberal member of parliament for the Spen Valley constituency in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He was re-elected at each subsequent election, holding the seat until his death. In parliament he was a committed advocate of the temperance movement and sought reform of the alcohol licensing laws. This led to his appointment as a member of the Royal Commission on Licensing of 1896–1899.

The famous Spen Valley by-election ensued, at which his seat fell to Labour.

Works Free trade, reciprocity, and foreign competition , 1879 The ownership, tenure and taxation of land, some facts, fallacies and proposals relating thereto , 1914