David Arnold Scott Cairns

Sir David Arnold Scott Cairns (5 March 1902 – 8 September 1987), was a British judge and Liberal Party politician.

Background[edit]

Cairns was a son of David Cairns JP, a Freeman of Sunderland and Sarah Scott Cairns. He was educated at Bede Grammar School for Boys, Sunderland and Pembroke College, Cambridge. In 1932 he married Irene Cathery Phillips. They had one son and two daughters. He was knighted in 1955. He was made a member of the Privy Council in 1970.^[1]

Political career[edit]

He was Liberal candidate for the Epsom division of Surrey at the 1947 Epsom by-election.

1947 Epsom by-election^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Malcolm McCorquodale	33,633	61.0	+11.1
	Labour	R Bishop	17,339	31.5	-6.3
	Liberal	David Cairns	4,121	7.5	-4.7
Majority			16,447	33.0
Turnout			16,294
	Conservative hold		Swing

He did not stand for parliament again.^[3] However, the following year he was elected to Leatherhead Urban District Council. He served for two three-year terms. He was also actively involved inside the Liberal Party on policy development. From 1948-49 he was Chairman of the Liberal Party Commission on Trade Unions. From 1951-53 he was a member of the Liberal Party Committee.^[1]

Professional career[edit]

Cairns was Chairman of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission. He was Lord Justice of Appeal from 1970-77. He presided over a number of notable enquieries and cases;

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b 'CAIRNS, Rt. Hon. Sir David (Arnold Scott)', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 20 May 2015
^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
^ British parliamentary election results 1950-1983, Craig, F.W.S.

[Cairns-1] 'CAIRNS, Rt. Hon. Sir David (Arnold Scott)', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 20 May 2015

[2] British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig

[3] British parliamentary election results 1950-1983, Craig, F.W.S.

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