1. General Election 1945

2. General Election 1945

3. Labour Government 1945-51 1945 Election Results Votes No. of MPs
Conservative Party ,101,
Liberal Party ,252,
National Liberals ,
Labour Party ,967,

4. 1950 Election Results
Votes No. of MPs
Conservative Party ,502,
Liberal Party ,621,
Labour Party ,266,

5. 1951 Election Results
Votes No. of MPs
Conservative Party ,717,
Liberal Party ,
Labour Party ,948,

6. Labour’s Election victory in 1945
Social change during the Second World War reduced class boundaries and increased the desire for radical reform
Reorganisation of the party by Attlee after he became leader in 1935
Labour’s policies, in particular their support for the Beveridge Report
Conservative campaign focused too closely on Churchill’s personality
Churchill’s mistake in linking Labour with the Gestapo.
Labour’s Election victory in 1945
Experience of Labour Ministers (Attlee, Bevin, Morrison, Greenwood, Dalton even Cripps) in organising the Home Front
Churchill was distracted by foreign affairs, particularly the threat of Stalin and the USSR.
Memories of the failure to build homes fit for heroes after the First World War.

7. 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!

8. The Labour Governments 1945-51: Domestic Policy
Phase 1 – : Enthusiastic reform: introduction of Welfare State legislation and nationalisation of several key industries.
Phase 2 – 1947 – 49: Austerity and economic difficulties.
Phase 3 – Internal conflict between left and right wing of the party.

9. The Labour Governments 1945-51: Foreign Policy
Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe 1945 – 47.
Independence for India 1947
Marshall Aid 1947 – 48
Withdrawal from Palestine 1948
The Berlin Airlift
The formation of NATO 1949
The Korean War 1950 – 53

10. Key Figures Clement Attlee Hugh Dalton Deputy Prime Minister 1942
PM 1945
Hugh 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.

11. Key Figures Punch 1944 Aneurin (Nye) Bevan
Appointed Minister of Health

12. Key Figures 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

13. Key Figures Herbert 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.

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