Leslie Hore-Belisha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Hore-Belisha
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Leslie Hore-Belisha
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| Secretary of State for War | |
| In office 28 May 1937 – 5 January 1940 |
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| Prime Minister | Neville Chamberlain |
| Preceded by | Duff Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Hon. Oliver Stanley |
| Minister of Transport | |
| In office 29 June 1934 – 28 May 1937 |
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| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Hon. Oliver Stanley |
| Succeeded by | Leslie Burgin |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 29 September 1932 – 29 June 1934 |
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| Prime Minister | Ramsay MacDonald |
| Preceded by | Walter Elliot |
| Succeeded by | Duff Cooper |
| Member of Parliament for Plymouth Devonport |
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| In office 6 December 1923 – 15 June 1945 |
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| Preceded by | Clement Kinloch-Cooke |
| Succeeded by | Michael Foot |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Isaac Leslie Belisha
7 September 1893 Hampstead, London, England |
| Died | 16 February 1957 (aged 63) Reims, France |
| Political party |
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| Spouse |
Cynthia Elliot
(m. 1944) |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Oxford |
Leslie Hore-Belisha (born Isaac Leslie Belisha; 7 September 1893 – 16 February 1957) was an important British politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) and a Cabinet Minister. He is best known for making big changes to Britain's roads when he was the Minister of Transport. He also served as the War Secretary, which meant he was in charge of the army.
People remember him for introducing the flashing amber lights called "Belisha beacons" at pedestrian crossings. These helped make roads much safer for everyone. He was a strong speaker and a determined leader who wanted to get things done.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Leslie Hore-Belisha was born in Hampstead, London, on 7 September 1893. His birth name was Isaac Leslie Belisha. He was the only son in his Jewish family.
His father passed away when Leslie was less than a year old. In 1912, his mother remarried a man named Adair Hore. Leslie then decided to use both names, becoming Hore-Belisha.
He went to Clifton College for school. After that, he studied in Paris and Heidelberg. He then attended St John's College, Oxford, where he was the president of the Oxford Union Society.
During World War I, he joined the British Army. He served in France, Flanders, and Salonika. He finished the war as a major in the Army Service Corps. After the war, he became a lawyer in 1923.
Starting His Political Journey
In 1922, Hore-Belisha tried to become a Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party. He didn't win that time. But in 1923, he won the seat for Plymouth Devonport. He quickly became known as a very good and lively speaker in Parliament.
He joined the National Government in 1931. This was a group of politicians from different parties working together. He became a junior minister and later the Financial Secretary to the Treasury. He showed a lot of intelligence and energy in government.
Making Roads Safer: Minister of Transport
In 1934, Leslie Hore-Belisha became the Minister of Transport. This was a very important job because more and more people were driving cars. At that time, there were no speed limits for cars in the UK. This led to many accidents.
In 1934, a record number of people were hurt or killed on the roads. There were 7,343 deaths and over 231,000 injuries. Most of these accidents happened in towns and cities. Half of the people hurt were pedestrians.
Shortly after starting his job, a car almost hit him while he was crossing a street. This made him even more determined to improve road safety.
The Famous Belisha Beacons
Hore-Belisha introduced two big changes that helped reduce road accidents. One was the Belisha beacon. These are the flashing amber lights you still see at pedestrian crossings today. They are named after him because he brought them in.
He also rewrote the Highway Code. This book gives rules and advice for everyone using the roads.
New Rules for Drivers
Another major change was bringing back speed limits. The Road Traffic Act 1934 set a 30 mph speed limit in built-up areas. Many drivers didn't like this new rule at first.
He also introduced the driving test. This meant that people had to prove they could drive safely before getting a license. These changes made a huge difference in making roads safer for everyone.
Leading the Army: Secretary of State for War
Because of his success with transport, Neville Chamberlain made him the Secretary of State for War in 1937. This meant he was in charge of the British Army. Some people in the Conservative Party didn't like that a Liberal National was given such a big job.
Challenges and Changes in the Army
Hore-Belisha wanted to modernize the army. He believed Britain should focus more on its air force. He also wanted to avoid sending a large army to fight on mainland Europe.
He faced disagreements with the top army generals. In 1937, he even removed some of the most senior officers. He then appointed Lord Gort as the new Chief of the Imperial General Staff. However, Hore-Belisha and Gort often disagreed.
As the threat of war grew, Hore-Belisha changed his mind. He realized Britain might need a larger army. In 1939, he managed to get more money for the army. He also doubled the size of the Territorial Army, which was a big surprise to the generals.
In May 1939, he helped pass the Military Training Act. This was the first time in peacetime that young men had to do military training in the UK. This law was replaced by the National Service Act when World War II began.
Why He Left Government
In January 1940, Prime Minister Chamberlain removed Hore-Belisha from his job as War Secretary. His relationship with the army's top leaders, especially Lord Gort, had become very difficult. They didn't trust each other.
Some generals thought Hore-Belisha was too much of a showman. There were also some unfair prejudices against him. These issues made it hard for him to work with the military leaders.
Chamberlain offered him a different job, but Hore-Belisha refused. He felt it was a step down and resigned from the government. Many people at the time were confused about why he was dismissed. They thought it was because he was trying to reform the old-fashioned army.
After Government
After leaving the government, Hore-Belisha tried to get back into a big role. But it was difficult. He left the National Liberals in 1942.
In 1945, he was briefly the Minister for National Insurance. However, he lost his seat in Parliament in the 1945 election to Michael Foot. After this, he joined the Conservative Party.
In 1954, he was given the title of Baron Hore-Belisha. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords.
Personal Life
In 1944, when he was 51, Leslie Hore-Belisha married Cynthia Elliot. They did not have any children.
In February 1957, he was in France leading a British group of politicians. He collapsed while giving a speech and died a few minutes later. He was 63 years old. The title of Baron Hore-Belisha ended with him because he had no children.
In Books and Stories
The writer H. G. Wells mentioned Hore-Belisha in his 1934 book, The Shape of Things to Come. In the story, Wells imagined a future World War II where Britain would try to stay out of the fighting. He wrote that Hore-Belisha would be one of the people giving "brilliant pacific speeches" to try and end the war.
