Politician. He was a British politician who was the leader of the Labour Party during the 20th century. Born Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell, he was called "Sam." His father and later his stepfather were civil servants in Burma and associated with the Indian Army, while he attended boarding school in England. He attended New College at Oxford from 1924 to 1927, graduating with a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He became a socialist during the General Strike. In 1934, Gaitskell was in Vienna on a Rockefeller scholarship and was attached to the University of Vienna for the academic year of 1933. During World War II, he served as a civilian in the Ministry of Economic Warfare. Entering politics, he was elected to Parliament in 1945 and held office as Minister of Fuel and Power in 1947, then joined the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Exchequer from October 19, 1950 to October 26, 1951. Needing to increase military spending in 1951, he imposed National Health Service charges on dentures and spectacles. He won bitter leadership battles to become the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition in 1955. In 1956, he opposed the government's use of military force at the Suez Canal. He led the Labour Party to its third successive defeat at the 1959 general election. In the late 1950s, against opposition from the major trade unions, he attempted but failed to remove a clause of the Labour Party Constitution which committed Labour to the nationalization of all the means of production. He emphasized the ethical goals of liberty, social welfare, and above all, equality and argued that they could be achieved by fiscal and social policies within a mixed economy. He reversed an attempt to adopt unilateral nuclear disarmament as Labour Party policy and opposed the Prime Minister's attempt to lead the UK into the European Common Market. In 1957, he wrote the text "The Challenge of Co-existence." He remained in the House of Commons until he died suddenly in 1963. Many critics state he was on the pathway to being Prime Minister. The National Gallery has 29 portraits of him on display. He was buried in St John-at-Hampstead Churchyard and has a monument at Oxford.
Politician. He was a British politician who was the leader of the Labour Party during the 20th century. Born Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell, he was called "Sam." His father and later his stepfather were civil servants in Burma and associated with the Indian Army, while he attended boarding school in England. He attended New College at Oxford from 1924 to 1927, graduating with a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He became a socialist during the General Strike. In 1934, Gaitskell was in Vienna on a Rockefeller scholarship and was attached to the University of Vienna for the academic year of 1933. During World War II, he served as a civilian in the Ministry of Economic Warfare. Entering politics, he was elected to Parliament in 1945 and held office as Minister of Fuel and Power in 1947, then joined the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Exchequer from October 19, 1950 to October 26, 1951. Needing to increase military spending in 1951, he imposed National Health Service charges on dentures and spectacles. He won bitter leadership battles to become the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition in 1955. In 1956, he opposed the government's use of military force at the Suez Canal. He led the Labour Party to its third successive defeat at the 1959 general election. In the late 1950s, against opposition from the major trade unions, he attempted but failed to remove a clause of the Labour Party Constitution which committed Labour to the nationalization of all the means of production. He emphasized the ethical goals of liberty, social welfare, and above all, equality and argued that they could be achieved by fiscal and social policies within a mixed economy. He reversed an attempt to adopt unilateral nuclear disarmament as Labour Party policy and opposed the Prime Minister's attempt to lead the UK into the European Common Market. In 1957, he wrote the text "The Challenge of Co-existence." He remained in the House of Commons until he died suddenly in 1963. Many critics state he was on the pathway to being Prime Minister. The National Gallery has 29 portraits of him on display. He was buried in St John-at-Hampstead Churchyard and has a monument at Oxford.
Bio by: David Conway
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