The Lord Bevan of Tredegar | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Bevan in 1943 | |
| Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |
| In office 16 October 1964 – 8 August 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Alec Douglas-Home |
| Succeeded by | Harold Wilson |
| Leader of the Labour Party | |
| In office 15 February 1963 – 8 July 1969 | |
| Deputy | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | Hugh Gaitskell |
| Succeeded by | Harold Wilson |
| Deputy Leader of the Labour Party | |
| In office 4 May 1959 – 15 February 1963 | |
| Leader | Hugh Gaitskell |
| Preceded by | Jim Griffiths |
| Succeeded by | Harold Wilson |
| Shadow Foreign Secretary | |
| In office 22 July 1956 – 4 May 1959 | |
| Leader | Hugh Gaitskell |
| Preceded by | Alf Robens |
| Succeeded by | Denis Healey |
| Minister of Labour and National Service | |
| In office 17 January 1951 – 23 April 1951 | |
| Prime Minister | Clement Attlee |
| Preceded by | George Isaacs |
| Succeeded by | Alf Robens |
| Minister of Health | |
| In office 5 August 1945 – 17 January 1951 | |
| Prime Minister | Clement Attlee |
| Preceded by | Henry Willink |
| Succeeded by | Hilary Marquand |
| Member of Parliament for Ebbw Vale | |
| In office 30 May 1929 – 8 August 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Evan Davies |
| Succeeded by | Neil Kinnock |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| In office 6 May 1976 – 5 March 1982 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 November 1897 Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Died | 5 March 1982 (aged 84) Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | Central Labour College, London |
| Signature |  |
Aneurin "Nye" Bevan, Baron Bevan of Tredegar KG OBE PC (/əˈnaɪrɪn ˈbɛvən/; Welsh: [aˈnəɨ.rɪn]; 15 November 1897 – 5 March 1982) was a Welsh Labour Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from October 1964 until the 1969 General Election. Noted for tenure as Minister of Health in Clement Attlee's government in which he spearheaded the creation of the British National Health Service. He is also known for his wider contribution to the founding of the British welfare state. He was first elected as MP for Ebbw Vale in 1929, and used his Parliamentary platform to make a number of influential criticisms of Winston Churchill and his government during the Second World War. Before entering Parliament, Bevan was involved in miners' union politics and was a leading figure in the 1926 general strike. Bevan is widely regarded as one of the most influential left-wing politicians in British history.
Raised in Monmouthshire by a Welsh working-class family, he was the son of a coal miner and left school at 14. Bevan first worked as a miner during his teens where he became involved in local miners' union politics. He was elected head of his Miners' Lodge when aged 19, where he frequently railed against management. He joined the Labour Party and attended Central Labour College in London. On his return to South Wales he struggled to find work, remaining unemployed for nearly three years before gaining employment as a union official, which led to him becoming a leading figure in the 1926 general strike.
In 1928, Bevan won a seat on Monmouthshire County Council and was elected as the MP for Ebbw Vale the following year. He would serve as an MP for 31 years. In Parliament, he became a vocal critic of numerous other politicians from all parties, particularly Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George.
After the war, Bevan was chosen as the Minister of Health in Clement Attlee's new Labour government, becoming the youngest member of the cabinet at 47, with his remit also including housing. Inspired by the Tredegar Medical Aid Society in his hometown in South Wales, Bevan led the campaign for a National Health Service to provide medical care free at point-of-need across the UK, regardless of wealth. Despite resistance from opposition parties and the British Medical Association, the National Health Service Act 1946 was passed and launched in 1948, nationalising more than 2,500 hospitals within the United Kingdom.
Bevan was named Minister of Labour in 1951, but resigned after two months in office, when the Attlee government proposed the introduction of prescription charges for dental and vision care and decided to transfer funds from the National Insurance Fund to pay for rearmament. His influence waned after his departure, although a left-wing group (not under his control) within the party became known as "Bevanites". Attlee and Labour were ousted from power in a snap election held six months after Bevan's resignation, but Attlee continued on as Labour Party Leader. When Attlee retired from the leadership in 1955, Bevan unsuccessfully contested the party leadership with Hugh Gaitskell, but was appointed Shadow Colonial Secretary and later Shadow Foreign Secretary. In 1959, he was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and held the post until Gaitskell's death in 1963.
Bevan succeeded to the leadership of the Labour Party after Gaitskell's death after a narrow victory in the subsequent leadership election. This was followed by the formation of a minority government in the general election the following year. In the February 1965 election the Labour Party was able to win a narrow majority. Early in his tenure the country experienced economic prosperity with high employment and low inflation, the government also saw a surge in popularity following the repeal of the charges that had been placed on various sectors of the National Health Service whilst Gaitskell served as Chancellor. His tenure also underwent social reforms such as abolishing both capital punishment and theatre censorship, partially decriminalising male homosexuality in England and Wales, relaxing the divorce laws, limiting immigration, and liberalising birth control and abortion law. Industries that were privatised under the Conservative governments of the last 13 years were mostly renationalised and the Beeching cuts were halted and partially reversed.
He faced controversy for his ignorance of local government in application of his policies and his fast decolonisation which proved unpopular. The Labour Party also proved relatively unstable under his leadership with several former Gaitskellites splitting off the party to form the Alliance of Social Democrats after the re-affliation of the Independent Labour Party in 1968. The Alliance proved to be short lived however, entering a coalition with Labour until it's bulk merged back into the party in April of 1969. Bevan announced his resignation as Prime Minister for the 1969 General Election and immediately resigned as Leader of the Labour Party when the 1969 election was called on the 21st anniversary of the NHS.
Historians generally rank Bevan as a competent