to take matters through to arbitration if necessary. This was a strong model which was to influence industrial relations beyond the UK. The intention was to establish Whitley councils in the private sector, in particular in those industries most affected by the strike wave – to offset the demand for 'workers' control' – a demand which was rapidly gaining ground after the Russian revolution. However, the councils failed to gain ground in coal, cotton, engineering and other heavy industries, but succeeded only in the sphere of government employment where they remain a major feature of public sector industrial relations to this day. Speaker Whitley was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons in 1921, a post he held until 1928, when he resigned on grounds of ill health. He refused the customary peerage offered by the monarch – breaking a tradition that had originated in 1789. Some notable portraits of Whitley were commissioned during this period, with paintings by both William Rothenstein and Glyn Warren Philpot. Post-Parliament Despite resigning as MP and Speaker, his political work continued. He chaired the Royal Commission on Labour in India, which reported in 1931. The report surprised many by concurring with the criticisms of Mahatma Gandhi and others that poverty was the cause of India's social and industrial problems. It was also critical of British employers' role in perpetuating the problems. Whitley was offered a knighthood for his work on this report, but again, he, like a minority of others, declined. BBC His friendship with John Reith led to his appointment as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC in 1930. In 1932, he made the first broadcast on the Empire Service, which developed into the World Service. He held the Chairmanship until his death. Death and burial Whitley died on 3 February 1935, aged 68, shortly before his 69th birthday. He is buried in Plot 456, Lister Lane Cemetery, Halifax. Works The John Henry Whitley archive The personal archive of John Henry Whitley was donated to the Archives and Special Collections of the University of Huddersfield in 2012. Honours A blue plaque was to Whitley erected by the Halifax Civic Trust. References External links 1866 births 1935 deaths Chairmen of the BBC People from Halifax, West Yorkshire People educated at Clifton College Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Speakers of the