Attlee ministry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Attlee ministries |
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Attlee (1950)
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| Date formed |
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| Date dissolved |
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| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | George VI |
| Prime Minister | Clement Attlee |
| Prime Minister's history | 1945–1951 |
| Deputy Prime Minister | Herbert Morrison |
| Total no. of members | 243 appointments |
| Member party | Labour Party |
| Status in legislature | Majority
393 / 640 (61%)
(1945)315 / 625 (50%)
(1950) |
| Opposition party | Conservative Party |
| Opposition leader | Winston Churchill |
| History | |
| Election(s) |
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| Outgoing election | 1951 general election |
| Legislature term(s) |
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| Predecessor | Churchill caretaker ministry |
| Successor | Third Churchill ministry |
In July 1945, Clement Attlee became the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He was asked by King George VI to form a government after the Labour Party won a huge victory in the general election. Attlee took over from Winston Churchill.
His government, known as the Attlee ministry, brought in many big changes. They created what is now called the welfare state, which helps people with things like healthcare and social support. They also took control of some major industries for the country.
This time was tough because of austerity (strict money-saving rules) after World War II. But the government also made the National Health Service (NHS), which provides free healthcare for everyone. They also gave independence to India and other countries, and played a part in the Cold War.
Attlee won another election in 1950, but with a much smaller majority. This led to the second Attlee ministry. However, just 20 months later, he called another election in 1951, hoping for a stronger win. Instead, his party lost to the Conservative Party, and Labour was out of power for 13 years.
Contents
Key People in Attlee's Government
When the Labour Party won in 1945, Clement Attlee became Prime Minister. He replaced Winston Churchill.
Some important people in his government were:
- Ernest Bevin: He was the Foreign Secretary, dealing with other countries, until he passed away in 1951.
- Hugh Dalton: He was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in charge of the country's money, but he resigned in 1947.
- James Chuter Ede: He was the Home Secretary, responsible for law and order, for the entire time Attlee was Prime Minister.
- Herbert Morrison: He was the Deputy Prime Minister and also led discussions in the House of Commons. He later became Foreign Secretary.
- Sir Stafford Cripps: He first handled trade, then took over as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
- Hugh Gaitskell: He held several jobs before becoming Chancellor in 1950.
- Nye Bevan: He was the Minister of Health and played a huge role in creating the NHS.
- Harold Wilson: He became the youngest cabinet member in the 20th century at 31, as President of the Board of Trade.
- Ellen Wilkinson: She was the Minister of Education until her death in 1947, one of the few women in the government.
Major Changes and Policies
After the war, Britain faced tough times. It was an "age of austerity," meaning people had to save money, and rationing of food (even bread) continued. The country needed to rebuild after the war.
The Attlee government made big changes to help the country and its people.
Nationalising Industries
The government took control of about 20% of the economy. This meant that industries that used to be owned by private companies became owned by the government. The idea was to make sure these important services worked for everyone.
Here are some industries that were nationalised:
- 1946: The National Coal Board took over the coal industry. The Bank of England also became publicly owned. The National Health Service (NHS) was created, providing free healthcare for all. It started working in 1948.
- 1947: Electricity companies were brought under the British Electricity Authority. Cable & Wireless, a communications company, was also nationalised.
- 1948: Railways, inland water transport, and some road transport were combined under the British Transport Commission. This created British Railways.
- 1949: Local gas supply companies were nationalised.
- 1951: The iron and steel industries were nationalised under the Iron and Steel Corporation of Great Britain. (This was later changed back by another government).
Social Policies: Helping People
The Attlee government wanted to create a "welfare state" that would support people "from cradle to grave." This meant providing help throughout a person's life.
Healthcare for Everyone
One of the most important changes was the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948. Aneurin Bevan, the Health Minister, worked hard to make this happen, even though many doctors were against it at first.
The NHS meant that healthcare was paid for by the government, so everyone could get treatment, no matter how much money they had. It was free to use when you needed it. In its first year, the NHS helped millions of people with dental care and glasses.
This new system greatly improved the health of working-class people. Diseases like diphtheria, pneumonia, and tuberculosis became much less common. The NHS became a very important part of British life.
Support for Families and Individuals
The government also set up a new system for social security. The National Insurance Act 1946 meant that people who worked paid a small amount of money regularly. In return, they could get benefits if they were sick, unemployed, or retired.
Other laws provided child benefit (money to help families with children) and support for people who had no other income. Pensions for retired people were also increased to help them live better.
The government also helped local councils provide social services for families, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. These changes helped to reduce poverty across the country.
Better Homes and Town Planning
The government started a large program to build new homes, especially council houses (public housing). They wanted to provide good quality homes for millions of people. Between 1945 and 1951, over 1 million new homes were built. This was a big achievement and helped many low-income families get decent housing for the first time.
The New Towns Act 1946 led to the creation of new towns to reduce overcrowding in big cities like London. The Town and Country Planning Act 1947 gave local councils more power to plan how land was used and to rebuild areas damaged by the war.
Help for Women and Children
Several changes were made to improve life for women and children. In 1946, child benefit was introduced, giving financial support to families for raising children. This was actually planned by the previous government but put into action by Attlee's team.
Laws were passed to give married women more control over their property and better financial support. The government also stopped the "marriage bar" in the Civil Service, meaning married women could now work in government jobs.
The Criminal Justice Act 1948 made improvements to how young offenders were treated, focusing more on rehabilitation.
Workers' Rights and Safety
The government also improved conditions for workers. They extended sick leave and introduced sick pay schemes for many workers. Workers' compensation (money for injuries at work) was also made much better.
The National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1946 provided benefits for workers who were injured or became ill because of their jobs. A "Fair Wages Resolution" in 1946 made sure that companies working on government projects paid fair wages and respected workers' rights to join trade unions.
The government also brought in new safety rules for factories and mines to protect workers from dangerous conditions and harmful substances. For example, the use of sand containing harmful silica in blasting was banned.
Foreign Affairs
In international matters, the Attlee government was very active. They joined the United Nations and received a large loan from the United States and Canada to help rebuild Britain. They also eagerly joined the Marshall Plan in 1948, which was a US program to help rebuild Europe.
Britain could no longer afford to support the Greek government, so they encouraged the US to step in, leading to the Truman Doctrine in 1947. Britain also played a key role in forming NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) to work with the United States against Soviet Communism during the Cold War.
A major change was giving independence to India, Pakistan, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and Burma (now Myanmar). The government also worked to strengthen the British Commonwealth, a group of countries that used to be part of the British Empire.
The Post-War Consensus
Many historians believe that most of the Attlee government's main policies, like the welfare state and a mixed economy (where both government and private companies play a role), were widely agreed upon by different political parties. This agreement is called the "post-war consensus".
This idea suggests that from 1945 until the late 1970s, there was a general agreement among politicians on social and economic policies. This included supporting the welfare state, the NHS, better education, government regulation, and aiming for full employment. Even though there were debates, especially about nationalising some industries, these core ideas were largely accepted by the main political parties, businesses, and trade unions.
What Happened Next
In the February 1950 election, the Labour Party barely kept its majority, winning by only 5 seats. This made it hard to govern effectively. Attlee called another election in October 1951, hoping to win a bigger majority.
However, the Conservatives won, and Winston Churchill became Prime Minister again. The Labour Party then spent the next thirteen years out of power, until Harold Wilson became Prime Minister in 1964.
Images for kids
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Trafford General Hospital, known as the birthplace of the NHS
See Also
- List of nationalizations by country#United Kingdom
