Clement Attlee was the Labour leader from 1935 to 1955, and the only War Cabinet member other than Churchill to serve for the full wartime coalition. He was Prime Minister of the first majority Labour governments in the postwar years from 1945 to 1951. A such he played a central role on the conduct of the war and in creating the peacetime Welfare State. His achievements in this period are still subject to debate. Some argue that he wasted the fruits of victory, while others claim he was a truly great prime minister. This study examines the man behind the stern exterior, finding ambition and indecision, and a moral vision.
Reviews
"Robert Pearce's contribution approaches Attlee with rigour and a laudable lack of reverence. His brisk and concise treatment accorded Attlee in this work well suits the subject and will prove of much interest to students of 20th century British history." "Imperial and Commonwealth history"
