1. 4SSIE001 – Challenges and Transformations: British Political History Since 1945

2. Module Leader: Dr Michael Kandiah (Michael.Kandiah@kcl.ac.uk) Institute of Contemporary British History, N.227, 2nd Norfolk Building, Surrey Street, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS. (Office Hours: Most Mondays, 16.00-17.00, and Wednesdays, 13.00-14.00. Appointments recommended)

3. Lecture: The Second World War & the 1945 General Election

4. Transformative nature of war Long wars change things

5. The Fall of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (1937-1940) Formally declared war 3 September 1939 Compromised by “appeasement” Unable to construct a broad government – has to bring in Winston Churchill (First Lord of the Admiralty) The Norway debate in the House of Commons

6. Churchill as Prime Minister (10 May 1940-27 July 1945) Constructed of a wartime coalition government Labour Leader Attlee, Deputy Prime Minister; Ernest Bevin Minister for Labour “We Shall Fight Them on the Beaches”

7. Party Politics during the War Political Truce The result of By-Elections The Rise of Independents & Minor Parties

8. Widening Role of the Government Military Training Act 1939 Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939, 1940 War taxes The National Service (No. 2) Act 1941 Rationing & Ministry of Food

9. The issue of Reconstruction - or what happens after the War The Beveridge Report 1942 – “From Cradle to the Grave” The Butler Education Act 1944 Town & Country Planning Act 1944

10. Wartime Foreign Policy “The Big Three” “Uncle Joe”

11. End of the Wartime Coalition & the Caretaker Government (23 May-26 July) Labour members of government withdraw Family Allowances Act 1944

12. The 1945 General Election (5 July 1945) First General Election since 1935 Complexity of Overseas Votes Result not announced until 26 July 1945