During the Australian General Strike of 1917 he was dismissed but was later re-employed with a lower rank and was promoted to tram driver in 1925.
Stanley was active in community organizations in the Lakemba area including the Sydenham-Bankstown Co-operative Building Society.
In November 1949, Jim Harrison resigned from the Legislative Council to successfully contest the federal seat of Blaxland at the 1949 election.
On the day of the election, Asher Joel, a wealthy Sydney businessman, was a surprise nomination against Labor's Norman Thom.
Stanley and the other disendorsed members received support from the Caucus, and a significant rift developed between the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary sections of the party, which was a major factor in Labor's poor showing at the election.