Clement Attlee is seen in popular myth as a small, unassuming and modest man (Churchill once said that he had 'plenty to be modest about'). In fact, he was a subtle and skilful political operator - swift, decisive, ruthless and cunning. Inspired by the squalor of the living conditions, he had seen in the East End of London, he determined to put an end to poverty - with the result that his government revolutionised British society. The welfare state and the National Health Service were created, and money was found to build new schools and expand higher education - even at a time just after the Second World War when Britain was virtually bankrupt. This book concentrates on his political career, but also gives ample coverage to his childhood and his family life.
Francis Beckett is a journalist and author. He has recently written a biography of Laurence Olivier and has co-written a biography of Aneurin Bevan. He writes regularly for the Guardian and the New Statesman.
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