John Reginald Bevins (20 August 1908 – 16 November 1996) was a British Conservative politician who served as a Liverpool Member of Parliament (MP) for fourteen years. He served in the governments of the 1950s and 1960s, playing an important role in establishing independent television. Early life Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, Bevins was one of five children. He was educated at the Dovedale Road School and then at Liverpool Collegiate School. He joined the insurance business, and also became interested in politics: he joined the Labour Party. In 1935 he was elected to Liverpool City Council. Wartime service At the outbreak of the Second World War, Bevins enlisted in the Royal Artillery. He served as a gunner in 1940, and was stationed in the middle-east and in Europe. He completed his tour of duty as a Major in the Royal Army Service Corps, and became a strong supporter of the Conservative Party. At the conclusion of the war he immediately sought a Parliamentary nomination. He was chosen to run for the West Toxteth division Labour-held seat; he lost by 4,814 votes, on a pro-Labour swing much less than the national average. Search for a seat Bevins, who remained on the City Council after his change of parties, became a popular figure in the Liverpool Conservative Association. In 1947 he was chosen to fight the Liverpool Edge Hill division in a by-election. Although he did not win, he reduced the Labour majority to less than 2,000. Boundary changes announced the next year created a united seat in Liverpool Toxteth, and the sitting Member of Parliament for East Toxteth, Patrick Buchan-Hepburn, chose to move constituencies to Beckenham. Bevins was chosen to attempt to retain the new seat for the Conservatives. Parliament He succeeded in the 1950 general election by 2,620 votes. When the Conservative Party returned to office in 1951, Bevins was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Harold Macmillan. His knowledge of Liverpool municipal housing issues was valuable to the Minister who was leading a housing drive. In November 1953, he was brought into the government himself as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works. Rise through Government Macmillan became Prime Minister in January 1957 and moved Bevins back to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. He had a key role in guiding through Parliament the Rent Act 1957, which removed rent control