▁contest ▁the ▁South am pton ▁constitu ency ▁in ▁the ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁General ▁E lection ▁but ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁withdraw ▁through ▁lack ▁of ▁funds . ▁He ▁stood ▁as ▁a ▁candidate ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁elections , ▁before ▁finally ▁being ▁elected ▁at ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁general ▁election , ▁along ▁with ▁Ralph ▁Mor ley , ▁as ▁South am pton ' s ▁first ▁Labour ▁MP s . ▁He ▁lost ▁the ▁seat ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁general ▁election , ▁having ▁been ▁among ▁the ▁Labour ▁MP s ▁who ▁refused ▁to ▁follow ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁and ▁Labour ▁Party ▁Le ader ▁R ams ay ▁Mac Donald ▁into ▁a ▁coal ition ▁with ▁the ▁Conserv atives ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁National ▁Government . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 7 2 ▁in ▁the ▁Labour ▁lands lide ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁but ▁retired ▁from ▁national ▁politics ▁when ▁the ▁two - se at ▁South am pton ▁constitu ency ▁was ▁divided ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁Lewis ▁played ▁a ▁prominent , ▁if ▁sometimes ▁controvers ial , ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁trade ▁union ism ▁in ▁South am pton . ▁He ▁helped ▁to ▁form ▁branches ▁of ▁the ▁D ock ers ' ▁Union , ▁the ▁Sh ip ' s ▁Ste wards ' ▁Union , ▁the ▁Sh op ▁Ass ist ants '