General Election 1945General Election 1945

General Election 1945General Election 1945

Labour Government 1945-51Labour Government 1945-51

1945 Election Results Votes No. of MPs Conservative Party 9,101,099 213 Liberal Party 2,252,430 12 National Liberals 737,732 11 Labour Party 11,967,746 393

1950 Election Results Votes No. of MPs Conservative Party 12,502, 567 298 Liberal Party 2,621,548 9 Labour Party 13,266,592 315

1951 Election Results Votes No. of MPs Conservative Party 13,717,538 321 Liberal Party 730,556 6 Labour Party 13,948,605 295

Labour’s Election victory in 1945

Reorganisation of the party by Attlee after he became leader in 1935

Labour’s policies, in particular their support for the Beveridge Report

Social change during the Second World War reduced class boundaries and increased the desire for radical reform

Experience of Labour Ministers (Attlee, Bevin, Morrison, Greenwood, Dalton even Cripps) in organising the Home Front

Memories of the failure to build homes fit for heroes after the First World War.

Churchill was distracted by foreign affairs, particularly the threat of Stalin and the USSR.

Churchill’s mistake in linking Labour with the Gestapo.

Conservative campaign focused too closely on Churchill’s personality

Context – Britain in 1945 Context – Britain in 1945 Britain’s position in the world was declining. The USA

had nuclear weapons and the Soviets were trying to develop them. How could we keep up with the USA and the USSR?

Britain was close to bankruptcy. The general public were more concerned with ensuring

the future “condition of England”. People wanted to see problems such as unemployment,

inflation, wages, houses, education and health become the priorities for the government.

There was a genuine feeling that wartime sacrifices should be repaid by domestic social improvements.

They wanted the Beveridge Report (1942) to be introduced. This would mean more unemployment insurance, a NHS and a better pension scheme.

In other words a WELFARE STATE!

The Labour Governments 1945-51: The Labour Governments 1945-51: Domestic Policy Domestic Policy

Phase 1 – 1945-47: Enthusiastic reform: Phase 1 – 1945-47: Enthusiastic reform: introduction of Welfare State legislation introduction of Welfare State legislation and nationalisation of several key and nationalisation of several key industries. industries.

Phase 2 – 1947 – 49: Austerity and Phase 2 – 1947 – 49: Austerity and economic difficulties.economic difficulties.

Phase 3 – Internal conflict between left Phase 3 – Internal conflict between left and right wing of the party. and right wing of the party.

The Labour Governments 1945-51: The Labour Governments 1945-51: Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe 1945 – 47. 1945 – 47.

Independence for India 1947Independence for India 1947 Marshall Aid 1947 – 48Marshall Aid 1947 – 48 Withdrawal from Palestine 1948Withdrawal from Palestine 1948 The Berlin Airlift 1948 - 49 The Berlin Airlift 1948 - 49 The formation of NATO 1949 The formation of NATO 1949 The Korean War 1950 – 53The Korean War 1950 – 53

Key Figures

Clement AttleeClement Attlee Deputy Prime Minister 1942Deputy Prime Minister 1942 PM 1945PM 1945

Hugh DaltonHugh Dalton Chancellor of the Exchequer He nationalized the

Bank of England in 1946 but the following year was forced to resign after budget details were leaked to a journalist and was replaced by his long-time enemy Stafford Cripps.

Key Figures

Aneurin (Nye) BevanAneurin (Nye) Bevan Appointed Minister of

Health

Punch 1944Punch 1944

Key Figures

Ernest Bevin Ernest Bevin Minister of Labour during the

war. Foreign Secretary 1945 – 51 In very poor health, he

resigned from Attlee's government in March 1951 and died the following month on 14th April, 1951

Key Figures

Herbert MorrisonHerbert Morrison After the 1945 General

Election Labour victory, Morrison became deputy Prime Minister and leader of the House of Commons. When ill-health forced Ernest Bevin to resign in March 1951, Morrison became Foreign Secretary, a post he held until Labour's defeat at the 1951 General Election.

Key Figures

Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power. This was followed by posts as Minister of Fuel and Power (October, 1947 - February, 1950) and Minister of State for Economic Affairs (February, 1950 - October, 1950) and Chancellor of the Exchequer (October, 1950 - October, 1951).

Hugh Gaitskell