Sir Alec Douglas-Home interview after he lost the election

[Myndir]

Oh, and back in 1964 British Steel was taken seriously, before their workers were unnecessarily re-nationalised as a sacrificial hunk of red meat to extremists in the Labour party by Wilson.

[puddlesgypsy2]

Amazing to hear his statement on immigration when you consider this was 1964!

I quote "immigration is a problem and a very real problem in a number of districts... and it brings about most serious social and economic problems."

If he could only see the country today he wouldn't recognize it.

[300amazingfatboy300]

A man of great integrity, honesty, and political pow-wow. Makes a nice change from the All-Bluff-And-No-Balls nursery school we have for a parliament today.

Sir Alec, as a diehard Labour supporter, you have my respect.

[Atmosphereo]

Who are the two journalists interviewing him? I'd like to join the group who wishes people spoke like this these days. Instead it's Estuary that's gaining pace with each passing day. Such a shame.

[BassDudeBear]

"I thought we could have won."

Bull.Shit.

[MrRobertJameson]

@BassDudeBear Harold Wilson himself said the Conservatives would have won with Rad Butler as leader.

[BassDudeBear]

@MrRobertJameson exactly my point friend :). McMillan's resignation meant the Cons were going into the election year leaderless, and not to mention A-DH's poor leadership, he couldn't relate to the common man and he was a compromise leader from the party. But. like you quite rightly said, with Butler in charge, they probably would have won.

[Myndir]

@BassDudeBear The Conservatives and Unionists were 1% behind Labour in the final result and Labour were only up by about 0.3% from 1959. Had the election been in June (before the overheating of the economy became apparent) and/or had Profumo kept his hands to himself, Home could have easily been PM after 1964.

Home: the last PM to preside over a strong pound, a non-nationalistic Britain and a Britain with ultra-low unemployment. This interview marks the end of an era.

[Fleshious]

Good old days.

[Zackybong1]

I love these historical clips. Imagine a PMQ with Douglas-Hume or Harold Wilson taking questions. A different world.

[ToaJoe]

@Zackybong1 According to most, the sessions in the 50s and 60s were just as lively as they are today.

[feliciter84]

A time when journalists asked sensible questions and allowed their interviewee to answer without constant interruption.

[LiterallyMad]

Sir Alec did a decent job in salvaging his party. The Tories were an absolute shambles when he took over in 1963. Wilson had leads of around 20 points. Yet Sir Alec fought back and the Tories were only a few thousand votes short of staying in office.

[3NUNS]

Oh for back to the 1960s before the Western World was de-Westernised by multiculturalism.

[zinctrumpeter]

I suspect Mr Bregowald, Sir Alec had more Integrity, decency and thought for his fellow mankind in his left hand testicle than you could ever hope to possess. Your pathetic rant just exposes what an ill educated half-wit you really are.

[Bregowald]

An evil white piece of shit.

[ToffeeNosedGit]

I wish people nowadays could speak properly like these men.

[UKSazzy67]

@ToffeeNosedGit Yes, absolutely. Proper English has gone out of the window these days. I speak as someone from Lincolnshire who doesn't always speak "proper", so I don't always set the best example. However, I think that correct English is something that should be preserved and taught to future generations.

[MrJasonSmarts]

@UKSazzy67 yes i completly agree. There are far to many accents in England, i mean, there is six in London alone. If you travel five minutes down the road from me, there is a completly different accent!! Its stupid, and it can make communication difficult.

We just need one accent across the country that should be taught from birth, and that is Recieved Pronunication.

[msynman]

Is his surname pronounced 'Home' or 'Hume'?

[Medeasbiggestfan]

It's 'Hume' for some reason.

[msynman]

Probably a traditional Scottish name.

[3NUNS]

the Scots way

[shahideurope]

@Medeasbiggestfan he's Scottish, that's why.

[3NUNS]

Either

[zinctrumpeter]

What an excellent dignified politician, answering questions put with a simple yes or no and short explanation. Unlike interviewing todays bullshitting sleazeballs who would sell their soul grubbing about for a few votes. Sir Alec comes across as a very likeable and honourable man. If as a country we were having a bust-up with jonnie foreigner, i'm quite convinced the late Sir Alec would calm the waters in a way that the present foreign office incumbent Millipede could only dream of.

[TheEastFifeLoon]

What a wonderfully polite and dignified interview this is. Today's interviewers probably couldn't even spell the word Manners. Apart from once or twice, the interviewer in this clip does not barge in, insult Sir Douglas Home or abrasively talk over him. The former PM also behaves in this decent way. This is a fascinating snapshot of an age long gone.

[linatina123]

Theres not much proof in the pudding in him expressing his anti-racialist beliefs since he's so convinved of the problems. Perhaps its nothing.

[Zushoo]

well he and macmillan were very publicly anti apartheid and colonialism, so I guess thats proof of their anti-racism

[bronzetax]

Will Gordon Brown give such a gracious interview when he gets beat , or will it be everyone else's fault except his ! Brown is a joker who lives in cuckoo land and suffers from self delusion !

[lelvish1]

Do you have the BBC interview with Jo Grimond which was part of the '64 election coverage?

[lelvish1]

Thanks for uploading this. Ivenever heard him interviewes before. He was remarkably like John Major (ie. somewhat reserved, honest, dignified.)

[jacktindale]

Aside the fact that he didn't have affairs and lead his Party into massive infighting.

[flametaledfox]

Sir Alec was the last true Conservative Prime Minister, dispite the fact that he never wanted to be Prime Minister. He was a true gentleman and an anachronisum with post war politics.

[theredraven]

By "last true Conservative PM" do you mean in the sense he was from the aristocricy and such?

I liked him, but he didn't make that much of an impact sadly. Shame his successor (Heath) wasn't cut out for the job and it took until 79 to get back a Conservative government that wasn't paralysed by Labour and their supporters such as the strikers and such. I bet Alec would turn in his grave seeing what Labour has done to this country.

[flametaledfox]

Yes, the fact that he was arisocrat in power, and that he was the last before Thatcherisum (Heath was a light Thatcherite) which now the Conservative Party is always referd too. If he had never called the election in 1964, then I am sure that he would have made a true impact. In much aspect it was because he never was fond of being Primie Minister, he found it a great interference into his private life. It was a shame that he lost.

[theredraven]

Ahhh but sadly they were at the five year limit and had to call it.

Still, at least they fought a close fight. it's not like the Soviet Spy beat them by a landslide.

[flametaledfox]

Ha ha, Soviet Spy! It was a firm test for Wilson to win. Like all elections, I wonder what would have happened (or what Sir Alec would have done) if he won... ?

[Wolverhampton1]

Well Fox, Home DID NOT win, Wilson went on to beat the Tories a further 3 times, and had Wilson survived till 1979 there is no way Thatcher would have ever won.

Now that WOULD have been a good outcome!

[theredraven]

COnsidering he was suffering from Alzheimers and the economy was ruined, I think she would havr ran him over.

Not that would have been even better than running over that incompetant twat Callaghan.

[flametaledfox]

Err, Wilson won four elections - 1964, 1968, February 1974 and October 1974. Afterall, If Heath was more powerful and confident, then he would not have lost the leadership election in 1975 to Thatcher, then she may not have gained power, however the nation at the time of the 1970s was being ripped apart by over enthusiastic Union leaders - therefore the public began to misstrust the left. Nethertheless Im sure that Home woulod have been as good as Wilson if he won the 1964 election.

[Wolverhampton1]

You have no evidence whatsoever that Wilson was a Soviet Spy.

And anyway, he beat your tory arses 4 times! Ha ha ha!

[theredraven]

You should see what he did the British aircraft industry. That was pretty treasonous.

TSR2 comes to mind. It's funny how everything Labour touches turns to shit. Remember when before 1948 the railways actually worked? Thanks a lot Clem. EVen the NHS didn't work properly (and never has. Nowawdays it's even worse. You're likely to die in hospital of something you didn't have when you went in).

[MjoEm32]

I see, the health service worked brilliantly well in the 1930s did it? And no doubt rail privatization has benefited the trains?

And what is this "Soviet spy" nonsense: only a few MI5 nutcases ever believed this rubbish.

[theredraven]

Passenger levels have only just peaked again, the first time since the 1950's.

So yeah privitisation has helped, even if it was soooooo messy. Of course Labour could have chosen not to nationalise them in the first place and we might not be having this conversation. I believe the NHS is the only Labour idea worth anything.

Considering what Wilson & Healey did to the aircraft idustry in this countrym it wouldn't shock me if he was in cahoots with the Russians or Americans.

[MjoEm32]

I see: there are no other problems with rail privatization eh, in terms of safety or co-ordination? And as for "peaked", that's ambiguous at best: in terms of absolute number, or against road travel?

The Wilson and Healey comment is just silly. Where's the evidence?

[jammythedodger]

Only Twice actuallity... in both the 1974 elections the Tories got more votes (even if in Wilson got more seats). Ted Heath technically beat Wilson 3 times...

[dion82]

Not true. In october 1974 Wilson polled the most votes.

[jammythedodger]

yeah... looking back I dont know why I said "both 1974 elections" =S