 At the 1918 general election, he was elected as Liberal MP for Hull South West, and held the seat until he was defeated at the 1924 general election.He then devoted himself to the law and business and after joining the Conservatives in 1926 he unsuccessfully contested Bolton at the 1929 general election.He won the seat as a Tory in 1931, and held it until his defeat in the Labour Party landslide at the 1945 election.