He began working for Newcastle upon Tyne Council, and in 1908 formed the first branch of the National Union of Clerks (NUC) in North East England.
He ultimately withdrew his candidacy, but was selected as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Dumfries Burghs in 1911.
Due to the outbreak of World War I, no election was held until 1918, and by that time, Lindsley's political views had changed.
A strong supporter of British involvement in the war, he resigned from the ILP, and joined the National Democratic and Labour Party (NDP), standing unsuccessfully for it in Houghton-le-Spring.
He then began working in Darlington as a publicity agent, making him ineligible to hold office in the NUC.