How can Harold Wilson’s ideology be defined? In this lesson, we will: Assess to what extent Harold Wilson came from the left-wing of the Labour Party. Starter: What is the cartoonist suggesting with this drawing? Challenge: Why is the cartoonist referencing this?

Who was Harold Wilson? Born in Huddersfield in 1916, son of a teacher and a chemist. He studied Modern History, Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University. The Labour politician entered Parliament in 1945 as MP for Ormskirk and later becoming MP for Huyton. In 1951, he resigned alongside Nye Bevan over Gaitskell’s introduction of prescription charges in the NHS. He would return to government in 1954. Wilson served as Shadow Chancellor from 1955 to 1961, then as Shadow Foreign Secretary from 1961 to 1963. After Gaitskell’s death, Wilson defeated the Gaitskellite George Brown to win leadership of the party.

Labour hadn’t gone far enough, only 1/5th of economy nationalised under Attlee. Extend public ownership to more areas of economy. Critical of “Atlanticist” foreign policy e.g. following US into NATO, Korea and pro-nuclear policy. Critical of the EEC and Britain’s ties with Europe. Labour had to undergo a change in image to reflect the new changing nature of British society. Defined by Crosland as “post-war revisionism” Reform of education and income was more important than further nationalisation (Gaitskell wanted to abolish Clause IV)

Crosland and Revisionism within the Labour Party Anthony Crosland wrote The Future of Socialism, published in autumn 1956. In the book he outlined the need for traditional socialism to adapt to modern circumstances. The goal was to bring Labour policies up to date with the changing British society and economy. They rejected the old view that nationalization was a central goal. Second, was a series of political values focused on personal liberty, social welfare, and equality. Themes of destroying or overthrowing the rich were downplayed in favour of policies of high taxation, more widespread educational opportunity, and expanded social services.

What was Wilson’s impact on the Labour Party? What Wilson managed to do for the Labour Party was unite after a decade of bitter disputes between the Left and Right. He united them by giving them a new vision – technology. As leader, he managed to successfully silence the left as they secretly believed him to be one of them. The right stayed quiet as Wilson had shown he was all about modernity and wanted to modernise Labour with social changes at that time. Between 1964 and 1970, Wilson played a balancing act to keep his party united and therefore electable. This explain his behaviour during the Vietnam War – he did not commit British troops nor did he condemn US bombings of cities. He appeased both the left and right of the party – social changes like education reform were introduced from the right (Crosland) as well as entering a bid to join the EEC in 1967. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjTyFeAslpE&t=1107s

Since its birth, British Labour has been a rainbow coalition of socialists, social democrats and social liberals. It has been a church broad enough to encompass those on the most leftwing side of the aisle who think there is a lot to admire about the thinking of Karl Marx to people on the far side of the other aisle who might call themselves liberal centrists or even Christian democrats if they were in a different country. The Labour church has a history of doing the splits. The most violent splits have erupted when Labour has lost power. Deprived of the glue of being in government, the party has always had an impulse to turn on itself in opposition. Andrew Rawnsley, The Guardian, 2015 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/02/labour-split-corbyn-blairites

Read Chapter 2 of “Harold Wilson: The Unprincipled Prime Minister. ” Read Chapter 2 of “Harold Wilson: The Unprincipled Prime Minister?”. Using the information in this chapter complete the left/right diagram on Wilson’s ideology. Use the information from last lesson, as well as the video clip and the textbook to complete the guided note worksheet on Wilson’s personality. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=N-qzCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT21&lpg=PT21&dq=harold+wilson+ideology&source=bl&ots=0sGJ9MrCbd&sig=jaL3_Amqr0xwsT26q-HBFgcDBvI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi7-4LRts7QAhXGIcAKHYmVAo0Q6AEIcDAQ#v=onepage&q=harold%20wilson%20ideology&f=false

Evidence of left-wing support Evidence of right-wing support