Bertram Stuart Straus (17 March 1867 – 26 August 1933) was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician.^[1][2]

Born in Manchester, he was the son of Henry S Straus of Sedgley Park, a merchant and vice consul for the Netherlands.^[1][2][3] Following education at Harrow School he was articled to Hale & Sons, colonial brokers in the City of London.^[4] The company specialised in the importation of ostrich feathers, ivory, rubber, mother of pearl, drugs, gums, spices, cocoa, mica, isinglass, fibres and carpets.^[5] He subsequently became a partner in the business, from which he retired in 1898.^[1][6] He was later chairman of Virol Limited, manufacturers of "Virol", a malt extract based vitamin preparation.^[1][7]

Straus entered politics as a member of Marylebone Vestry, and was later elected as a Progressive Party Councillor to represent Mile End on the London County Council in 1898, and was re-elected in 1901 and 1904.^{[4][8][9][10]}

At the 1895 general election Straus was chosen as the Liberal candidate to contest the constituency of Marylebone West, but failed to be elected.^[1] At the next general election in 1900 he stood at Tower Hamlets, St George, narrowly failing to be elected.^[4]

When the 1905 Mile End by-election was held at Mile End in 1905, Straus came close to winning the seat, losing to the Liberal Unionist candidate Harry Levy-Leveson by 78 votes.^[1]

When a general election was held in the following year, Straus again faced Levy-Lawson at Mile End and managed to unseat him to become member of parliament.^[1]

Straus was only to hold the seat for a single term, with Levy-Leveson regaining it at the next election in January 1910 by 57 votes.

When a further election was held in December 1910, Straus and Levy-Lawson again faced each other, with Levy-Lawson holding the seat by only 6 votes.^[1]

He did not stand for parliament again.

Straus never married and died at his home at Hyde Park Mansions in August 1933, aged 66.^[2] He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.^[3]