Harold Wilson, Prime Minister, 1964-1970

[jamesjames793]

27. never voted because i'm waiting for some gruff northerner with a grey coat a pipe and a frown to run again.

[andy191266]

Like his mother, an incredibly intelligent person, sadly - which he knew - genetically predisposed to dementia - that's why he resigned. brilliant man.

[ToaJoe]

Harold Wilson is a legend. I'd say he's the 2nd best PM ever, after Attlee.

Let's look at his achievements:

- kept us out of Vietnam

- legalized abortion

- legalized homosexuality

- legalized abortion

What a brilliant PM. A million times better than Thatcher, a completely useless unemployment friendly failed economist.

[fericitchannel]

this is my favorite labour prime minister..though i do not support labour..he did represent cool britania in 60's.

[vulnerabledonkey]

Like so many PMs, he was a much better man than the media or popular culture would admit.

[lordhighexecutioner]

The UK's unemployment rate was under 3% for most of Wilson's time in office. It was Thatcher who made unemployment a tool of economic management under the neoliberal NAIRU theory. This remains so under the present regime.

[LairdKincavle]

The Labour Way of economic management does not work. Making the rich poorer does not make the poor more rich. Making people free, free from government, free to participate in popular capitalism is the way to increase wealth and prosperity.

[warriorprince1010]

Harold Wilson's tax rises caused 3 million unemployed which remains the figure even before the credit crunch, they just hid them on incapacity benefit. Wilsons tried to destroy the country with his high taxes like Brown is now. It never brings any money in merely causing unemployment.

[Kevinasp]

The millions hidden on incapacity benefit happened during the Thatcher/Major years as well. ...

[JuanMacready]

It happens now.

[dukeboys123]

Yes the right wing media will not report the fact that Labour inherited a dire economy from the conservatives back in 1964. In a vain attempt to win the '64 election the Conservatives tried to engineer a boom which left the incoming Labour Government with a sterling crisis. Labour had to cleaned up the tory mess only to loose the 1970 election. The economy was in a far better shape in 1970 than in 1964.

[atticana]

I agree that Harold Wilson was a good PM, who made Britain a more humane society. Perhaps his greatest achievement was to keep Britain out of the Vietnam war despite coming under a lot of pressure from the Americans to commit British forces there. Margaret Thatcher would almost certainly have sent British troops to fight in Vietnam if the Americans has asked her to. Come to think of it, so would Tony Blair!

[marcN19]

I could not have said it better myself x

[DNchap1417]

One of Labour's best Prime Ministers. TomthatiscalledTom says it best about his first period (1964-1970). However, his brief second term (1974-1976) is burdened by frequent strikes and economic recession inherited from Heath.

[coldatspot]

Hello. I am looking for a documentary, 'Rhe Plot Against Harold Wilson'. Or a torrent file of it wich I vcould download.

[TomthatiscalledTom]

Harold Wilson was a flawed prime minister in some respects, but he was immeasurably more honourable than Tony B-Liar. To his critics:

1) The economic crisis happened because the City organised a run on Sterling in the mid 1960s

2) He resisted LBJ's bribes/blackmails and did not send UK troops to Vietnam

3) He set up the Open University

4) Draconian and reactionary laws against homosexuality, abortion and free expression were abolished

[MIRMOOT]

Hi!! U seem to know the subject! well i have to write an essay about Wilsons first presidency but i dont really understand what people think about him..some hate him others say that he did well and til now ive only read positive things about his politics! so i donno can u help please?

[TheHonourableJLD]

economy*

[TheHonourableJLD]

Howard Wilson was a useless socialist. Ruined Britains economic (see the Mayfair Set) by trying to control it.

Second worst PM, Blair tops it.

[robertwilki]

Actually the economy was in an awful shape when Wilson inherited it. Thanks to Callaghan and Jenkins in the treasury by 1970 it was in a far stronger position. If you want to know who wrecked the economy in the 70s look no further than Anthony Barber, the chancellor under Ted Heath.

[CULAVE]

Last year I visited Huddersfield. There is a statue to Harold Wilson there but unfortunately my photo of it was ruined.

[Pitcairn2]

I never liked Harold Wilson. A bit of a self publicist, but then again thats what politicians do..

[LunarEcli]

@Pitcairn2 They have to in order to get elected, since most people vote on image rather than policy.

[atticana]

Harold Wilson was a decent and honourable man who loved his country. Although not a natural Labour supporter I respect his memory and salute his efforts to make Britain a more just and civilised society.

[lelvish1]

I totally agree. I am a Liberal and Wilson's government was the nearest thing to a Liberal government Britain had in the post-war era. Hugely underrated as Prime Minister.

[kickstimulation]

by comparison to the vast majority, he was a good prime minister, because of the introduction of a more permissive society. nonetheless, he still cooperated with the USA and would have done so more whole-heartedly if it wasn't for the more socialist members of his party and cabinet. often spoken of as a maverick due to his refusal to send troops to vietnam, however, he still allowed the SAS to go there, and trained jungle warfare to US troops in malaysia. not good.

[haldenver]

sat next to him for a lunch in 1982....a fun guy with a big ego.He was HW , i was 19!! Told me he hated Journalists and could not stand Maggie. Loved trains with a huge passion, and one of his sons is now a train driver!

[scotty686]

harold wilson <3

[rrmfg]

Ian Smith was a giant of a man and visionary on par with Thomas Paine, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. Mr. Smith also embodied the courageous indomitable spirit of Winston Churchill. Harold Wilson on the other hand was repulsive sniveling little troll that embodied all the spinelessness of Neville Chamberlain and the treachery King George III.

In a nutshell: a typical self righteous arrogant liberal! Good riddance to bad rubbish!!!

[StephenHP62]

Ian Smith on a par with Thomas Paine?? Paine was a democrat, a champion of equality, architect of the Rights of Man and Citizen! On a par with Hancock, Franklin and Adams?? These were men who affirmed as self-evident the proposition that all men are created equal. John Calhoun and the Confederate defenders of slavery are closer to the mark. As are George Wallace or David Duke. As for Churchill? I'd say Smith was more of an Oswald Mosley.

[robertwilki]

I agree, Smith was a bigoted little fascist. But then, the original poster doesn't know the difference between a liberal and a socialist so what can you expect?

[saacson]

this man betrayed the rhodesians, the people who fought for the british in ww1 and ww2 and as gratitude he puts sanctions on the country he was a fabian sociaist out to distroy what was left of the british empire no rhodesian is known as zimbabwe has is ruled by the worst communist dictator robert mugabe.

[Smegsworth]

But wasn't it the Rhodesians who chose to secede from Britian?

Anyway, it was during Margaret Thatcher's time in office that Mugabe was given power.

[mts1977]

Hi, I'm not a Labour supporter but I admire the fact he kep us out of Vietnam. This is presumably from when he quit in March 1976.

[AlbertWales]

"Rise by Grammar School to Jesus College Oxford", then he got rid of Grammar School. Bloody hypocrite.

[cjip1]

I am supportive of grammar schools but I think it would be wrong to say they benefit everyone. Labour did what they thought was right at the time. The debate still rages and maybe what Wilson did was more ideological than practical but the Tories had 18 years to reverse his changes and did not.

[densaner77]

Harold Wilson was not perfect but at least he was true to the roots of the Labour Party. He created the Open University, saw the wealth gap between rich and poor fall and kept us out of Vietnam. Above all else he made "Old Labour" electable after 13 wasted years. Blair and co. are nothing but tories and the party system today is like it was in the late 1800s with two parties who are only interested in catering to the well off in society.

[StephenHP62]

By the way, thanks for posting this video. Additional postings of Harold Wilson would be most welcome! E.g, Party Conference speeches, TV interviews (especially with Robin Day), or Wilson's lengendary exchanges with hecklers.

[t4change]

I will let you know if I post more...

James

[StephenHP62]

A timely reminder of a masterly Labour Party leader and Prime Minister. Unlike Blair, with whom he is often wrongly compared, Wilson made Labour electable without rubbishing its socialist and working-class traditions. And he kept Britain out of Vietnam, despite enormous pressure from LBJ. Finally, Wilson beat the Tories in 4 elections--still the best record of any Labour Party leader, bar none.

[MjoEm32]

Only technically - more elections were necessary because of the failure to win by very much in 1964 and February 1974. By any reasonable measure Blair is more successful electorally.

Furthermore, there are plenty of queries re. Wilson. Failure to devalue, failure to reform the unions in 1968-9, and overall a declining Labour vote. On a long term basis it's misleading to say he made Labour electable.