Clement Attlee 

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As Tony Benn said, Attlee's government thought that if they could spend so much for the war effort, then why shouldn't they be able to spend so much on making people's lives better. Thank you Mr. Attlee, for our wonderful NHS.

Born post-war, single-parent family on benefit, university, good career, now only in retirement do I understand what I owe to the 1945 government. They gave me a chance. Thankyou.

The improbable Mr Attlee was one of the UK's most innovative prime ministers whom history often overlooks

In a functional democracy, public health, public education, and public accountability, are indispensable preconditions.

While I would not say I am a Labour voter, I have to say Clement Atlee is criminally underrated and unkown as a prime minister. Looking at the challenge and difficulty his government had to face makes today look like paradise.

Instead of far off imperial assets that benefited the few. Atlee's Labour government invested in people. He made modern Britain. A wealthy modern country.

One has to admire both Truman and Attlee who followed in the footsteps of giants. But their low-key, belied an internal strength and power.

This is a PM that rebuilt & created big projects that improved normal people's lives immeasurably after the greatest of conflicts. This is the UK's greatest PM.

A modest man who is the best peacetime prime minister of the united kingdom and Churchill's deputy through the war, a political giant

To anyone interested in finding out more about Attlee I thoroughly recommend “Citizen Clem” by John Bew . I just finished reading it, and my already great appreciation for Clem has been heightened even more. An inspiring, moving and outstanding read for anyone, regardless of political opinion

his government did make mistakes, particularly over korea, but on the whole he achieved more in 6 1/2 years than any other government before or since (even Asquith and Thatcher). Sadly, a man like Attlee wouldn't make it in politics today, socially awkward, uncharismatic and unflamboyant.

The song starting at 26:28 ("The Wind on the Lake") is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. This is a wonderful documentary for so many (admittedly more important) reasons, but this song gives "The Improbable Mr Attlee" a special place in my heart. Thank you so much for posting this.

Thanks for the upload, never learnt about Attlee in our History GCSE course

BBC documentaries are the best by a country mile. Thanks for sharing; Dr Alan Brown.

Can't help seeing Patrick Stewart in a biopic of Atlee if ever one were to be made.......................and I think it's about time one was.

although I've been a professional musician since the age of 12, I studied history in college and have remained a devoted lover of history most of my life. Dr Brown has given us so many excellent videos, that history remains a vibrant topic!

The greatest prime minister or politician ever. A true great.

THank you very much for having so many gems like these on your Channel

Good documentary Alan. It,s me again Andreas from Cyprus. My father served Clement Atlee when Atlee was pm. Dad you used to work in Regent Palace Hotel, Lodon. My father commented that Atlee was a very kind man, and simple in his behaviour, and even made way for the waiters to serve him. That surprised my father, who was 19 yrs old, as they looked upon Atlee not only as British pm but also a reformer.

David Reynolds is the Wayne Gretzky of 20th century history documentaries. He always makes a beautiful goal. Thanks for uploading this too!

Best prime minister in british history

Probably one of the best ends to any documentary with that limerick and the look of joy on Reynolds' face :-)

Fascinating! Thanks so much for posting it.

Fascinating. Thank you so much...

These are trully wonderful documentaries. Thanks so very much. Garry Harriman, South Carolina, USA and a very grateful British ex pat.

Probably the era I have the most respect for! Despite all its problems, financial and internal, one can't deny that the labour party under Attlee did give Britain a state that benefited everyone, and continues to do so all these years later. Despite all the changes and inefficiencies attached to it, the basic access to human welfare and care, to which I believe everyone is entitled, is still there. Why we don't hear more about this age and its lessons and yet we have the era of Thatcherism rammed down our throats as if it was so wonderful is a mystery to me and I think reflects the unfortunate change in society as a result of the Thatcher era and it reflects certain upper 'agendas'.

This is a great channel. Right or wrong, as an American I've always seen British history as my own, no different than, say, the American Civil War, and my interest cannot end with the Revolutionary War or the First Continental Congress.

I simply love this channel. So educational and entertaining at the same time.

Can't Thank You enough for sharing these video's

Thanks for all the videos

Hard to believe Tony Blair came from the same party.

I hope the Labour candidates and party are watching this documentary.

Good documentary. This professor is a good presentOR!

I really enjoy the documentaries presented by Professor David Reynolds - his knowledge and passion for his topics draws you in. He presents an excellent documentary on Stalin which is also on RU-vid.

Love your channel. Keep up the good work and thanks for the uploads

America should have hung it's head in shame over the loans interest, it almost crippled the UK for decades. It says something for Atlees' government that the UK still managed to bring in the NHS, build much needed housing etc even with this millstone around its neck. The sum borrowed was paltry when viewed in light of the USA's wealth at the time. I well remember post war shortages and deprivation. Rationing only finally finished in 1953 and we went without so much to fund this debt. I can see my poor widowed mother bursting into tears when it was announced that bread was to be rationed in the late 40's. It was the staple food along with potatoes that kept us from severe hunger.

Coming from a Labour background I was brought up on The Spirit of 1945, the great social interventions have been undermined by The Conservatives ... "Its time for Labour" to come back into government and renew those social economic structures and renew The Spirit Of 1945.

Clement Atlee, Churchill, MacMillan and Wilson - what a superb set of PMs

Thanks for the upload!!

This documentary is so heavy on Shostakovitch. I love it!

CR Attlee headed the first post war Labour Government and the achievements of that Government were remarkable and set the tone for years ahead -witness the achievements of the NHS still highly regarded 70 years on. Indeed to this day the reforms of then hold good and set the tone right up to this day..

I may not be Brittish, but after watching the documentary, observing all the information implied, I recognize Attlee's achievements.

Thanks for the upload, it's a boon for anyone interested in History's improbable characters,

Clement Attlee is undoubtedly the best British Prime Minister ever, the only one where I can say I supported his major politics

He's an anathema for neoliberals and conservative cranks, that's why he's next to unknown today. He's at odds with the current ideological orthodoxy.

one of the best Prime Ministers ever that everyone ignores simply because he's not Churchill and a Tory

A wonderful prime minister who genuinely cared for his people and there lives we need his like back again

Oh, if only my country, the United States had something like the National Health, we'd all be better off health wise that is.

Unfortunately for Britain they could never rise above their past, always wanting to live in the "glory" of its ancient history. Still does.

A man who truly worked for the people and protected the working class, we’ll never again have politicians of this calibre. Keir Starmer is worthless. Labour has lost its way.

During WW2 Britain had made striking advances in the theoretical development of a nuclear weapon - to the astonishment of the visiting American scientific deputation - but were unable (because of military and economic pressures) to fund the necessary building of the infrastructure to create a bomb. So, we freely handed over our atomic secrets to the USA, on the understanding that Britain would be given all the details of the advances made in the Manhattan Project. Unhappily, America reneged on the deal causing profound anger within the Labour Government, giving them a powerful incentive to unilaterally develop a British bomb, which they did (successfully) but at great cost, at a time when Great Britain was still struggling with the aftermath of a war which had almost bankrupted the country. (UK)

People say Churchill is as the greatest prime minister in British history but they forget Atlee’s role in the Second World War, his creation of the modern welfare state, and the establishment of the NHS. He is also commended for continuing the 'Special Relationship' with the US and active involvement in NATO.

While Churchill was flamboyant and travelled around, Attlee DID the spade work.

Another Gooden. Thanks Dr Brown.

I love Reynolds' clipped delivery!

Professor Reynolds is a consummate actor. Bravo! 👏

How things might have been without the financial contingencies of two world wars, the worst winter of the centuries and a new war in Korea.

what's the music that starts at 20:35?

Fascinating! Much stuff new to me: thanks.

Very interesting ; Here we have a man who thought and more and said less as David REYNOLDS says the complete ooposite of Churchills, description . A man who was more that meets the eye . His government probably acheived more socially in 5 years than 100 years previosly . That done in post war austerity . No future government would acheive as much . Perhaps the National unity created by the war ; was a major factor in all this social change . It was not long before prosperity in the 50s and a long reign of tory government s Macmillan 's phrase You've Never Had It So good was not due to him , for the ordinary person , All the major social and economic reforms were made by Atllee's government .

Thanks very interesting.

Thanks Dr Brown!

Here in the USA we're always beat over the head with Churchill vs Chamberlain appeasement etc, etc. - a heroic template for a very specific situation abused for stupid incursions ever since. you have to go out of your way to find out about the greatest British PM of the 20th century. Attlee was amazing - his values, his agility, his ability to pick strong leaders like Bevan and Bevin and Cripps, his courage to stand alone, his anti-pomposity. He is one of my heroes, try finding another like him. When we think of those controversial/disastrous/over-hasty disengagements of 47, we should always remember that Britain was bankrupt and going it alone. I wonder , though, if US help would have been welcomed in Palestine at that time....

How many the times has the support for Americans cost us independence, reputation and dire economic consequences. Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan. Wilson did such an amazing job to keep Britain out of Vietnam. If the Labour Government had taken advantage of the economic upturn by staying out of Korea, who knows what may have happened. Hugh Gatskill was a disaster, both as Chancellor and astonishingly he lost the 1959 election. Morisson should have be made Chancellor and younger MPs brought into the Government. Atlee was a great person. Lovely Limerick at the end

The UK’s greatest ever PM

Britain's greatest Prime Minister.

Classical music buffs: could somebody tell me what the very first piece is? Ominous, sounds like a march. Could be Shostakovich or Stravinsky.

Yes,the good old days,when everyone had bugger all

3:36 That catchy instrumental is from Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony.

Fantastic documentary. Can anyone please tell me the name of the classical music played between 1:43 and 2:50 at the start.

im just really diggin the narrator's impersonations.

Great documentary. I also went to Haileybury and I think he’s by far our best old boy although to be honest I only really discovered that after I left the school. I remember a week before Labour’s landslide victory of May 1997, we had a mock election complete with guest speaker Michael Portillo! The Tories won with 70% of vote, 20% for the Lib Dems and just 10% for Labour. I’m glad to say it’s the only time I voted for the Tories.

John Osborne's (Look Back in Anger author) mother would threaten her son: " If you don't eat up your dinner, you will grow-up looking like Clement Attlee." Attlee wasn't taken in by the cant of drawing room socialism, communism, capitalism, the markets, or any other "ism." He was also a realist who gave the UK its independent nuclear deterrent after the Yanks withheld it, despite Britain's contribution to the Manhattan Project, probably costing more than the NHS to produce, despite Britain's huge wartime debt, described by Keynes as a financial Dunkirk. He was a superb cabinet manager overseeing 347 Acts of Parliament, nationalization of key industries and a huge loan from the US. Bevan I and Bevan II were inspired choices for getting the NHS and nationalisation rolling and getting the UK out of India. Attlee knew that keeping them in the tent pissing out, was much safer than having them outside pissing in. The currency crises of 1947 ended convertibility and reintroduced exchange controls. A palace coup to defenestrate Clem was deftly deflected by getting rid of Dalton and appointing another plotter, Cripps as Economics Minister and no. 2 to Clem and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Cripps introduced wage and import freezing and calorie intake was lower than in the last year of the war. However, Cripps was a productivity man who managed to get industry going again, reducing some of the austere rationing. Further positivity was experienced by the Marshall Plan which enriched Britain to the tune of nearly $3.25 billion. Bevan was also instrumental in the creation of NATO thereby uniting the democracies against the Soviet threat. 1949 however, saw the collapse of the Pound with Cripps resigning and Attlee taking charge at the Treasury. Labour devalued the Pound by 30%. 1950 saw an election Labour scraping home by 5 seats. An exhausted Labour now even saw a balance of payments surplus for the first time. However, the Korean War in 1950 threw another spanner in the works with an unaffordable war budget that split the cabinet and forced the resignation of Nye Bevan. Ernest Bevan had already departed due to ill health. Britain owes a huge debt to Clem and his mates. Churchill may have won the War but Clem and co. won the peace. However, the British people were eventually tired of austerity and post war rationing and kicked Clem out and brought back Winston and 13 years of Tory rule. Apart from the period between 1973 and today, during EU membership, Britain has been a mess and looks like it is reverting to same under a new generation of Tories. Incidentally, Attlee was a highly enthusiastic Terpsichore-an apparently. Put that in your cabbage and boil it, Mrs Osborne. Well done Prof. Reynolds. Wonderful programme.

A much underestimated man what he created in his 1945 government transformed society and the consensus held for 35 years. Rest in peace Clement Attlee thank you for all you gave us

What is the name of the 14:20 song?

when I first entered Britain in 1959, I believe I saw WW2 ruins still in view. I also found currency controls in the UK while in Turkey and Germany and Greece we had no controls. Attlee would have made a good cryptographer at Bletcheley :)

Clem attlee is my great hero. I named my teddy bear after Clem attlee. I have had my teddy for 56years.

politics never changes does it, great documentary

Incredible good documentary. good humor, gets across the importance of what happened, in the time when the US managed to establish the shackles of US unipolarity.

I can see Sir Ben Kingsley playing Attlee in a biopic, you heard it here first folks

its a real shame Atlee has no role in The Crown

Thank you Sir Attlee for your role during the ww2. Your valued contribution is so overlooked! The media gives whole the credit to Winston Churchill. That’s is not history but partisanship.

Churchill speaks to R.V. Jones late 1946 Jones - "I told him that I did not like the way the country was going, with strikes and the clamour for a 40-hour week..." Churchill - "I could have given them a 40-hour week - if they would work for 40 hours!" pg. 522 "Most Secret War" R.V. Jones (C) 1978 Not a man for the post war period, not then anyway.

Clement Attlee set up our most vital and long lasting cherished services. He accomplished so much.

I'm a huge fan of David Reynolds, and he is having a ball here!

This is so helpful for my A level history course, thank you! Do you know of any docs on the Conservative ascendancy that ensued after?

Well done Proff David Reynolds. and a Bristol accent to do Ernie Bevin prowd

He is a True Hero!! Best PM ever!!! Amazing Social Reforms in times of Austerity! Inspirational!! Britain needs Jeremy Corbyn now!! Many Similarities!!! 2 very Clever Men! We need more of them!!

A great upload, though I don't think Clem wanted to bring in 'large scale socialism', a lot of social and some economic reform, with dollops of socialism. But in a pragmatic sense, not really idealogically. Never for the sake of it.

Was Morrison on the right or left of the Party?

Love Prokoviev Romeo and Juliet in the background.

Interesting documentary. So have I got this right ? Near the end of the programme it's stated that the Labour government, although had fought many economic woes, actually laid the foundation for a better economic future for the UK that was enjoyed by many of the Conservative years ( 1951- 1964) ?

Atlee had a quiet manner unlike many of the loud mouthed treacherous AH's that were to follow. Well done Mr. Atlee, well done.

23:00 Actually the US did share its nuclear secrets with the Soviet Union, but that was through espionage.

4.41 Spitting image of Captain Mainwaring!

It looks good in retrospect, but as one who lived through that period after the war, it was hell - awful weather, rationing, and austerity.

The Leningrad and Stalingrad symphonies?

@51:54 Anyone else thinks Patrick Stewart looks a lot like Atlee did? It's in the profile.

I had understood that Attlee had given Stalin jet engines - am I in error?