Edward Doran

Edward Doran (1885 – 15 December 1945) was a British film producer and politician who served as a Conservative Member of Parliament. He was known for his populism and for summing up his arguments in emotive phraseology. His reaction to the arrival of Jewish refugees verged on antisemitism and he hosted Hitler's representative at the House of Commons; however his alleged neglect of his constituency caused difficulties and he was defeated for re-election after a single term.

Doran was born in Failsworth, Lancashire in 1885, although his year of birth is given inaccurately as 1892 in some sources, including Who's Who.

He was educated at St Mary's School in Failsworth, and at Manchester Grammar School. During the First World War, he enlisted in the Empire Battalion of the Royal Engineers; in January 1916, as a Corporal he claimed a world record for individual recruiting, having secured 8,700 recruits in the space of eleven months in London. First working on the railways, he later moved into the film industry, and later gave his occupation as film producer. Doran was an experienced traveller in Canada and the USA and gave lectures on life in North America, and on the history of the western United States.

His entry into politics came in the 1924 general election when he fought the Silvertown division. Doran described himself as a "Constitutionalist", although he was included as a Conservative and Unionist in contemporary lists of candidates. As Silvertown had a large Labour majority he was thought to be up against heavy odds and his main hope was to reduce the majority rather than win the seat. He ended up trailing badly with only 3,702 votes while the re-elected Labour MP had nearly 16,000.

As a member of the Primrose League, Doran was lead speaker in support of the British Empire in a debate on "Communism v Imperialism" held at Speakers' Corner on 7 March 1926, arguing that the Empire had been built up on the spirit of liberty and gave British people more freedom than any other nation.

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