# Sydney Cope Morgan

Sydney Cope Morgan MBE QC (25 October 1887 – 14 October 1967), was a British barrister and Liberal Party politician.

## Background

Morgan was the eldest son of George Ernest Morgan, of Cookham Dean, Berkshire. He was educated at Taunton School and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1918 he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

## Professional career

Morgan served in the European War, 1914–18 as a Major in the South Wales Borderers. He received the Call to Bar in 1921. He was a Captain on the General List from 1940–44. In 1946 he was appointed a Queen's Counsel. He was Leader of the Parliamentary Bar from 1952–62. He became a Bencher, Middle Temple in 1954.

## Political career

Morgan was Liberal candidate for the Cambridge division at the 1922 Cambridge by-election. The Liberal party had not contested the previous election when Labour came second. However, Morgan's campaign helped to re-establish the party as a political force in the borough;
1922 Cambridge by-election Electorate 28,402 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Newton | 10,897 | 48.7 | −26.6 |
| | Labour | Hugh Dalton | 6,954 | 31.1 | +6.4 |
| | Liberal | Sydney Morgan | 4,529 | 20.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,943 | 17.6 | −33.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 80.4 | +19.6 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -16.5 | |
He was again Liberal candidate for Cambridge at the 1922 General Election which took place shortly after. At this election he was able to improve the Liberal vote and take second place from the Labour party;
1922 General Election: Cambridge Electorate 28,402 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Newton | 11,238 | 48.7 | +0.0 |
| | Liberal | Sydney Morgan | 7,005 | 30.4 | +10.2 |
| | Labour | Alec Sandy Firth | 4,810 | 20.9 | −11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,233 | 18.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 81.2 | +0.8 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -5.1 | |
He was again Liberal candidate for Cambridge at the 1923 General Election. He achieved a 5% swing but this was not enough to unseat the sitting Unionist;
1923 General Election: Cambridge Electorate 28,920 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Newton | 9,814 | 42.0 | −6.7 |
| | Liberal | Sydney Morgan | 7,852 | 33.5 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Alec Sandy Firth | 5,741 | 24.5 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,962 | 8.5 | −9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 80.9 | −0.3 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -5.1 | |
He did not contest the 1924 General Election. He was Liberal candidate for the Northampton division at the 1928 Northampton by-election. The seat was a Unionist/Labour marginal which made it tough for a Liberal candidate. However, he managed to retain the level of support the party had won at the previous general election;
1928 Northampton by-election Electorate: 48,048 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Cecil Malone | 15.173 | 37.5 | +0.3 |
| | Unionist | Alexander Frederick Gordon Renton | 14,616 | 36.1 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal | Sydney Morgan | 9,584 | 23.7 | +0.4 |
| | Ind. Conservative | Augustine Hailwood | 1,093 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 557 | 1.4 | 3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 84.2 | −2.8 |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +1.9 | |
He did not stand for parliament again.