Emlyn Hugh Garner Evans (3 September 1910[1] – 11 October 1963) was a British barrister, Royal Air Force officer, and politician.
[2] He attended the local county Grammar School, from where he entered the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth and obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1931.
[6] Although the seat was reckoned the Liberals' best prospect in Cheshire,[7] Evans came second in a three-cornered fight, 6,699 votes behind the Conservative winner.
[4] In January 1936, Evans was Cambridge's delegate to the Conference of University Liberal Societies and proposed a resolution which deplored the League of Nations procedure by which the United Kingdom and French governments drew up the peace settlement in the Italo-Abyssinian War.
[3] With a Labour government in power, Evans became attracted by the reforms proposed to the Liberal National organisation which had been allied to the Conservative Party since 1931.
When a joint statement of principles of Liberals and Conservatives was published in a pamphlet called "Design for Freedom" in February 1947, Evans was one of the signatories.
[11] Evans made his maiden speech in June 1950 in support of the United Kingdom joining the Schuman Plan, but his main point was to call on the Labour Party to get back to idealism and internationalism and reject the 'economic nationalism' outlined by Chancellor of the Exchequer Stafford Cripps.
[18] He was re-elected in the 1951 general election with a much improved majority of 7,915 over Labour; the previous Liberal candidate had taken a job in Switzerland and his replacement could not get established.
[26] Evans was generally loyal in his voting behaviour in the House of Commons although he did twice rebel against the whip on minor technical issues.
[30] Continuing concerns at Evans's political and personal performance both in Parliament and in the constituency prompted a meeting of the Conservative Central Council to be called in May 1958.
Despite Garner Evans pleading to the meeting that "I have spent pretty well all my life trying to bring Liberals and Conservatives together", the delegates passed a motion of no confidence in their Member of Parliament by 44 to 15.
In July 1958 he issued a statement to his electors pledging continued support for the Government and urging the Conservatives not to take any "hasty action" which might place his and other National Liberal seats in jeopardy.