▁educated ▁at ▁an ▁industrial ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁Kirk dale ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁leaving ▁school ▁aged ▁ 1 3 ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁a ▁co alm ine ▁in ▁As ht on ▁in ▁M aker field . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁Wal sh ▁was ▁an ▁official ▁of ▁the ▁Lanc ash ire ▁and ▁Ch esh ire ▁Min ers ' ▁Federation ▁before ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁parliament ▁for ▁In ce ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁general ▁election . ▁Later ▁that ▁year ▁he ▁attacked ▁the ▁idea ▁that ▁an ▁MP ▁needed ▁an ▁Ox bridge ▁education ▁further ▁adding ▁that : ▁" To ▁use ▁an ▁ar ithmet ical ▁met ap hor , ▁ ▁the ▁Labour ▁party ▁had ▁reduced ▁the ▁points ▁of ▁difference ▁among ▁the ▁working ▁classes ▁to ▁the ▁lowest ▁common ▁denomin ator , ▁and ▁had ▁promoted ▁and ▁developed ▁the ▁greatest ▁common ▁measure ▁of ▁un ited ▁action ". ▁ ▁Wal sh ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁David ▁Lloyd ▁George ' s ▁Co al ition ▁Government ▁as ▁Parliament ary ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁National ▁Service ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁and ▁as ▁Parliament ary ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Local ▁Government ▁Board ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁ ▁Wal sh ▁stood ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁Co al ition ▁Labour ▁candidate ▁opposed ▁by ▁the ▁official ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁He ▁was ▁Vice - Pres ident ▁of ▁National ▁Union ▁of ▁Mine work ers ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Secretary ▁of