Victory and Reform: Labour in Power: 1945-48

The End of the Coalition

German armies surrendered on May 7th 1945
Churchill, Attlee and Bevin favoured keeping the coalition until Japan surrendered
On 21 May 1945 Attlee telephoned Churchill regarding the end of the coalition
Churchill decided it was better to end and have another election quicker as it was better for the Conservatives
Attlee was not optimistic - just hoped that the Conservatives would have a reduced minority
Coalition came to an end on 23 May 1945 - Churchill formed a 'caretaker' cabinet until an election could be held
During the coalition, bonds had been made - Labour MPs had served with Conservative MPs during the war - Churchill was fond of Attlee and Bevin - Attlee and Eden got on well
Both front benches essentially agreed on foreign policy and of their relationship with the USA and that welfare was priority at home
Churchill's 'caretaker' government introduced child allowances
Butler education act of 1944 raised school leaving age to 14

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Consistantly ahead in the opinion polls
fear that unemployment would return under the Conservatives
'sins of the past' were heaped onto the Tory party
circulation of the Daily Mirror - which had shifted it's allegance to Labout just before the war
Labour were far better organised than the Conservatives - maybe because they were not expecting to win?
Labour campaign was more professional
mood change - most believed that the state could provide a fairer nation
Attlee highlighted that the Conservatives were a 'class party' representing 'property and priviledge'
Conservatives seemed old-fashioned
Churchill used scare tactics - Gestapo speech - to try and gain votes but failed - this was insulting to the supporters of socialism
Laski tried to convince Attlee to resign but failed

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In almost every region, Labour did well
convincing majority in London
slight majority in the South - usually Tory
In the North, Midlands and Wales - Labour were comfortably ahead
Scotland was closer than expected (Conservatives were nearly eliminated in the 21st century!)
Labour's programme could therefore be carried out, if the British economy allowed it

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Attlee and Churchill were both very surprised with the result
Attlee immediately faced a plot to replace him - led by Herbert Morrison - suggested an election among the MPs - which he expected to win as Attlee had risen to be PM by default - there was no better candidate in other words
Bevin supported Attlee - told him to go to the Palace before Morrison could organise anything
Received King's Commission to form a government
'Today we go into action. Today may rightly be regarded as D-Day in the battle for the New Britain' - John Freeman - new young labour MP

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