▁War ▁I , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁National ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁( NS P ) ▁split ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁and ▁served ▁on ▁its ▁first ▁prov is ional ▁committee . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁two ▁terms ▁as ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁Urban ▁District ▁Council . ▁ ▁The ▁NS P ▁adopted ▁Wh iting ▁as ▁its ▁candidate ▁in ▁Rom ford ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁UK ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁NS P ▁was ▁affili ated ▁to ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party , ▁Wh iting ▁failed ▁to ▁be ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁Labour ▁candidate , ▁and ▁he ▁came ▁last ▁in ▁a ▁three - way ▁race . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁UK ▁general ▁election , ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁candidate ▁for ▁Great ▁Y arm outh , ▁where ▁he ▁lost ▁his ▁depos it . ▁ ▁The ▁Gas ▁Work ers ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Union ▁of ▁General ▁and ▁Municipal ▁Work ers , ▁and ▁Wh iting ▁remained ▁an ▁organ iser ▁for ▁the ▁union . ▁ ▁B ark ing ▁became ▁a ▁Municipal ▁Bor ough ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁and ▁Wh iting ▁served ▁as ▁Mayor ▁of ▁B ark ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 / 3 5 . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁UK ▁general ▁election , ▁his ▁union ▁spons ored ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁Labour ▁Party ▁candidate ▁in ▁Chor ley . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁considered ▁a ▁w inn able ▁seat , ▁but ▁Wh iting ▁ultimately ▁took ▁second ▁place , ▁with ▁ 4 1 . 4