The Fall of the Attlee Government, 1951

Abstract

The Attlee Labour government of 1945–51 ended more with a whimper than with a bang. In contrast to the break-up of the MacDonald Labour government in 1931, there was no ‘bankers’ ramp’ or dramatic and overwhelming financial crisis. There was nothing like the self-destructive trade union protests and strikes of the 1979 ‘Winter of Discontent’ that fatally damaged Callaghan’s government. There was no electoral meltdown. Instead, a small shift of votes — an average swing of just 0.9 per cent from Labour to the Conservatives — was enough to tip Labour out of office in the general election held in October 1951. On a high turnout, Labour’s tally of votes had actually increased in absolute terms (to 13.9 million, compared with 13.2 million in the 1950 general election and 11.9 million in 1945) and it won 230,000 more votes (0.8 per cent) than the Conservatives, though the Conservatives came out ahead in seats, making 23 gains and ending up with a House of Commons majority of 17. It was a close-run defeat that seemed like a victory of sorts: the outgoing Labour leaders were relieved that it had not been worse (Hugh Dalton called the results ‘wonderful’), believed the Conservatives would quickly encounter economic and political problems, and thought (wrongly) they would be back in office sooner rather than later (Pimlott, 1986: 567).