Major Sir Herbert Paul Latham, 2nd Baronet (22 April 1905 – 24 July 1955)[1] was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Scarborough and Whitby constituency from 1931 to 1941.

Latham was selected as the Conservative candidate for the resulting by-election on 6 May, which he won with a majority of 5% of the votes over his Liberal Party opponent.

In 1941, however, he was arrested [5] for "improper behaviour", a homosexual act, with three gunners and a civilian[6] (letters he had written to those involved had been discovered) while serving as an officer in the Royal Artillery.

[7][8] He was court-martialled and found guilty of ten charges of indecent conduct and of attempted suicide and was discharged dishonourably and imprisoned for two years without hard labour.

[9] After his release in 1943 Latham commented to his fellow MP Henry Channon that he had found conditions and treatment at Maidstone Gaol better than at Eton.