[92], Bevan's last decade saw his political position weaken year by year as he failed to find a winning issue that would make use of his skills. [4] Aneurin Bevan attended Sirhowy Elementary School, where he achieved little. Bevans role as Minister for Health was hugely important given Labours pledge to create a welfare state that included sick pay, unemployment benefits, pensions and free healthcare for all, irrespective of wealth or background. [125] Jennie Lee explained in a letter to Michael Foot that Bevan had specifically chosen to have a non-religious funeral and not a Christian service, because he was a firm humanist. [40] Bevan now called unsuccessfully for a Popular Front against fascism under the leadership of the Labour Party, including even anti-fascist Tories. [128], Bevan was particularly noted for his public speaking, being described by Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell, as "the greatest parliamentary speaker since Charles James Fox". His autobiography, In Place of Fear, appeared in 1952. [12] Harold Macmillan ended his Prime Minister's Questions session in Parliament two days after Bevan's death by paying tribute to the opposition MP, describing him as "a great personality and a great national figure". 2. With the support of the Miners' Federation, the case was judged as one of victimisation and the company was forced to re-employ him. Bevan argues that the percentage of tax from personal incomes rose from 9% in 1938 to 15% in 1949. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. He was not a cold-blooded rationalist. [96] In the opening page of the book, Bevan begins: "A young miner in a South Wales colliery, my concern was with the one practical question: Where does power lie in this particular state of Great Britain, and how can it be attained by the workers? Aneurin Bevan, byname Nye Bevan, (born November 15, 1897, Tredegar, Monmouthshire [now in Blaenau Gwent], Walesdied July 6, 1960, Chesham, Buckinghamshire), controversial figure in post-World War II British politics and one of the finest orators of the time. [101] He later said that he had resigned his position to "call attention to the fact that their movement was in grave crisis", and stated his belief that he would have been party chairman by the following year if he had remained. However, by the end of his tenure, he had declared Bevan as "the best minister we have had". In 1959, he was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and held the post for a year until his death from stomach cancer at the age of 62. [134][135] Numerous institutions bear Bevan's name, including the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, and Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan, a hospital located within his old Ebbw Vale constituency. In Parliament, he became a vocal critic of numerous other politicians from all parties, particularly Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George. [1], Both Bevan's parents were Nonconformists: his father was a Baptist and his mother a Methodist, although he became an atheist. After his studies in 1921, he returned home without work as the Tredegar Iron & Coal Company refused to re-engage him. When Attlee retired from the leadership in 1955, Bevan unsuccessfully contested the party leadership with Hugh Gaitskell, but was appointed Shadow Colonial Secretary and later Shadow Foreign Secretary. [95] According to The Times Literary Supplement, the book was a "dithyramb with meanderings into the many side-tracks of Mr Bevan's private and public experience". The three won their case, and obtained financial damages of 2,500 each. [72], Substantial bombing damage, with over 700,000 homes needing repair in London alone,[74] and the continued existence of pre-war slums in many parts of the country made the task of housing reform particularly challenging for Bevan. To achieve mastery as a speaker, he had first to overcome a speech impediment. As minister of health in Attlee's postwar government from 1945-51, he spearheaded the creation of the National Health Service in 1948. Bevanism was opposed by the Gaitskellites, moderate social democrats within the party. After a Labour landslide victory in 1945, Clement Attlee appointed Bevan Minister of Health, with a remit that also covered housing, given the severe post-war shortage. A poll in 2013 conducted on behalf of British Future found that the NHS was more popular then than at its creation, and was more popular than the monarchy, BBC and British Armed Forces. In 2004, more than 44 years after his death, he was voted first in a list of 100 Welsh Heroes, having been credited for his contribution to the founding of the welfare state in the UK. [54], He believed that the Second World War would give Britain the opportunity to create "a new society". [60] Bevan tested this newfound solidarity early on by arriving to a royal banquet at St James's Palace wearing a navy lounge suit. This made him join the Independent Labour Party. His dad was a miner and the poor working class family in which Bevan grew up gave him first-hand experience of the problems of . [12] In Parliament, he became noticed as a harsh critic of those he felt opposed the working man and woman. These numbers were reached by lowering the quality standards originally put forward by Bevan, with council houses featuring gardens being largely dropped in favour of tower blocks and flats. We enter this campaign at this general election, not merely to get rid of the Tory majority. Bevan also failed in a bid to become deputy leader, losing out to Jim Griffiths. Throughout World War II he was a vigorous critic of Winston Churchills coalition government but was equally critical of his own party. The former aimed to provide a uniform standard of consultant led care and expertise throughout the country and to replace the patchwork of voluntary and municipal hospitals which existed at that point. The manager of the colliery found an excuse to have him dismissed; however, with the support of the Miners Federation, Bevans case was judged to be one of victimisation and the company was forced to re-employ him. Image Credit: https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitLarge/mw58048/Aneurin-Bevan / Wikimedia Commons, The Road to the Crown - Elizabeth I's Coronation Procession, Built by a Giantess? His father died by pneumoconiosis (a lung condition caused by long term inhalation of coal dust) but no compensation was paid to him, as it was not classed as an industrial disease under the Workman's Compensation Act. When Winston Churchill said that the Labour Party should refrain from giving Adolf Hitler the impression that Britain was divided, Bevan rejected this as sinister: The fear of Hitler is to be used to frighten the workers of Britain into silence. There was a particularly large increase in marginal tax rates for wealthy business owners. Bevan died from stomach cancer in 1960 at the age of 62. Additionally, he was a brilliant spontaneous debater and a colorful public personality. Therefore I say to Anthony, I say to the British government, there is no count at all upon which they can be defended.They have besmirched the name of Britain. Bevan always stood up for the underdog, and was a voice for the unemployed in the period between the two world wars when joblessness was a major domestic political issue. Aneurin Bevan. I believe that is essential for the full life of citizen to see the living tapestry of a mixed community. Perhaps the greatest and certainly one of the most controversial of Labour Party politicians, Bevan was born in Tredegar, a miner's son in a dissenting family. Image Credit: Anenurin Bevan, Minister of Health, on the first day of the National Health Service, 5 July 1948 at Park Hospital, Davyhulme, near Manchester / Wikimedia Commons. Photo by Geoff Charles Wikimedia Commons. He is also known for his wider contribution to the founding of the British welfare state. [44] Churchill was a frequent target of Bevan's, who already held a dislike of him following his intervention in the Tonypandy riots and the 1926 United Kingdom general strike which Bevan considered heavy handed. He was elected head of his Miners' Lodge when aged 19, where he frequently railed against management. During the 1926 General Strike, Bevan emerged as one of the leaders of the South Wales miners. In January 1951, Bevan became Minister for Labour but resigned in protest just three months later after Hugh Gaitskell, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, proposed an introduction of prescription charges for dental care and spectacles in order to save a potential 25 million to meet the financial demands of the Korean War. An infuriated Bevan stated that he would never be a member of a government that imposed charges on the National Health Service. Bevan was the sort of principled politician we seem to lack these days. [68], Conservative opposition of the National Health Service scheme feared that the sudden access to free health care would be overrun. An estimated 125,000 nurses and 5,000 consultants were available to care for hospital patients. [13], Bevan was one of the founding members of the "Query Club" with his brother Billy and Walter Conway. [104] The Parliamentary Labour Party voted 141 to 113 to withdraw the whip from him, but it was restored within a month, due to his popularity. [123][124] An open-air service was held in his constituency of Ebbw Vale and was presided over by Donald Soper. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin. Indeed, he was increasingly critical of his own party, and from 1940 to 1945 was the editor of the independent Socialist Tribune. Confrontation with the British Medical Association (BMA) was led by Charles Hill, who published a letter in the British Medical Journal describing Bevan as "a complete and uncontrolled dictator". [117] His last speech in the House of Commons, in the debate of 3 November 1959 on the Queen's Speech,[118] referred to the difficulties of persuading the electorate to support a policy which would make them less well-off in the short term, but more prosperous in the long term. Historian Kenneth O. Morgan says, "Bevan alone kept the flag of left-wing socialism aloft throughoutwhich gave him a matchless authority amongst the constituency parties and in party conference". [12] Churchill would later label Bevan "a squalid nuisance". However, Attlee commented that Bevan was "starting with me with a clean sheet" following his appointment. Conway is in the middle of the picture. Updates? His remains were cremated at Gwent Crematorium in Croesyceiliog in a private family ceremony. He went on to serve as shadow foreign secretary from 1956-59 and deputy leader of the Labour party from 1959-60. [12] Bevan resigned from his position two weeks later, stating both the proposed changes and the increase in military expenditure that necessitated the need for such proposals. His National Health Service policy met great disapproval from the British Medical Association. Bevan is widely regarded as one of the most influential left-wing politicians in British history. History Hit brings you the stories that shaped the world through our award winning podcast network and an online history channel. He joined the Labour Party and attended Central Labour College in London. Pronunciation of Aneurin Bevan: Learn how to pronounce the word Aneurin Bevan.Definition and meaning can be found here: https://www.google.com/search?q=defin. The statue of Aneurin Bevan (1897-1960) by the late Robert Thomas on Queen Street Cardiff. [86] However, three months after his appointment, Hugh Gaitskell introduced a proposal of prescription charges for dental care and spectaclescreated to save a potential 25m to meet the financial demands imposed by the Korean War. Aneurin Bevan, Minister of Health, on the first day of the National Health Service, 5 July 1948 at Park Hospital, Davyhulme, near Manchester. The same year, Labour were defeated in the General Election. [2] He was a member of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion and wrote his own poems, one of which won an inter-chapel eisteddfod. Happy travels! He read Marxism at the college and was a brief follower of Noah Ablett,[11][12] developing his left-wing political outlook. [64] The scheme was achieved having overcome political opposition from both the Conservative Party and from within his own party. Bevan gained more than twice the votes of Liberal candidate William Griffiths, receiving 20,000 votes to Griffiths' 8,000. His autobiography, In Place of Fear, appeared in 1952, Aneurin Bevan. With his activism and exuberance, his employer Tredegar Iron Company saw him as a troublesome person but he amazingly became a popular local speaker. In 1959, Bevan was elected deputy leader of the Labour Party, although he was already suffering from terminal cancer. [43] Bevan was relieved that the country had united against Nazi Germany in the fight against fascism to provide a common enemy away from the working class. We may all come from different walks of life but we have one common passion - learning through travel. Aneurin "Nye" Bevan PC (/narn bvn/; Welsh:[an.rn]; 15 November 1897 6 July 1960) was a Welsh Labour Party politician, noted for tenure as Minister of Health in Clement Attlee's government in which he spearheaded the creation of the British National Health Service. Aneurin Bevan was born on 15 November 1897 at 32 Charles Street in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, a working-class mining town, where an estimated 90 per cent of the town's inhabitants relied on the local mines for employment. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [103] Although unsuccessful in his bid, he did celebrate 25 years as the MP for Ebbw Vale. [29][30] They were early supporters of the socialists in the Spanish Civil War, and Bevan visited the country in 1938. Aneurin Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who took up the portfolio of Health and Housing during Clement Attlee's government from 1945 to 1951. [99] For the next five years, he was the leader of the left wing of the Labour Party, who became known as Bevanites. Aneurin's name is pronounced 'uh-ny-rin'. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. His influence waned after his departure, although a left-wing group (not under his control) within the party became known as "Bevanites". They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [46] Historian Max Hastings described Bevan's role in Parliament during the war as "his figures were accurate but his scorn was at odds with the spirit of the momentfull of gratitude, as was the prime minister". Macmillan noted that despite being a "controversial figure" during his career, Bevan's death had seen an outpouring of genuine "admiration and affection". Aneurin Bevan was born on 15 November 1897 in Tredegar in Wales. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [22] Although described in The Times as "an outstanding back-bench critic" and "one of (Labour's) most brilliant members in debate", his appointment was regarded as a relative surprise, given his previous disciplinary issues. Aneurin Bevanwas selected as the Labour Partys parliamentary candidate for Ebbw Vale for the 1929 General Election. To support our blog and writers we put affiliate links and advertising on our page. In his political career, Bevan served as a minister of health in Clement Attlees Labor government of 1945, he was responsible for developing housing programs and for establishing the National Health Service. While this was not an insignificant achievement: the 850,000 homes built in the four years immediately after the war ended was the biggest housing programme ever introduced,[78] Bevan's rate of house-building was seen as less of an achievement than that of his Conservative (indirect) successor, Harold Macmillan, who was able to complete some 300,000 new homes a year as Minister for Housing in the 1950s. In 1928, Bevan won a seat on Monmouthshire County Council in the Tredegar Central Division. You can also find out more about the Bevan Society, our activities and programme of lectures. Some historians have questioned how influential the college was on his political development. He was the son of coal miner David Bevan and Phoebe (ne Prothero), a seamstress. This is often quoted as "I stuffed their mouths with gold". After an overwhelming victory for the Labour Party in the 1945 General Election,Aneurin Bevanwas appointed Minister for Health also responsible for housing by Prime Minister Clement Attlee. He was not, apparently, one of the most diligent students, and found it difficult to follow an organised routine, including arising early for breakfast. [1][3], The couple had ten children altogethersix boys and four girlsalthough four died in infancy and one died at the age of eight. Student Activities. [75][79] Macmillan was also able to concentrate full-time on the housing crisis, instead of being obliged, like Bevan, to combine his housing portfolio with that for Health (which for Bevan took the higher priority: he once stated tongue-in-cheek that he devoted "five minutes a week to housing"). Aneurin Bevan was one of the most important ministers of the post-war Labour government and the chief architect of the National Health Service. In 1929, Bevan was elected as the Labour member of parliament for Ebbw Vale. In its early stages this proved true, as the service went vastly over budget in its inaugural year, and Attlee was forced to make a radio address to the nation in an attempt to limit the strain on the system. His father was a miner and the poor working class family in which Bevan grew up gave him first-hand experience of the problems. Are we prepared to accept for ourselves the logic we are applying to Egypt? Raised in Monmouthshire by a Welsh working-class family, he was the son of a coal miner and left school at 14. [28], He married fellow Socialist MP Jennie Lee in 1934, after they met in London. With his posture, the manager of the colliery found reasons to lay him off but with support from the Miners Federation, he was re-employed by the company as his case was seen as victimization. Academically poor, young Bevan repeated a year of studies. He often quoted an 1855 passage from Karl Marx that was published in The New York Times in 1865: "The redeeming feature of war is that it puts a nation to the test. His agitations for a united socialist front of all parties of the left (including the Communist Party of Great Britain) led to his brief expulsion from the Labour Party from March to November 1939 (along with Stafford Cripps, C. P. Trevelyan and three others). Photo by Duncan from Leicestershire, UK Wikimedia Commons. We can't allow OUR NHS, built on the working class medical society model to fall to corporate greed. He wasn't cut out to be a leader, he was cut out to be a prophet". As minister of health in Clement Attlees Labour government of 1945, he was responsible for developing housing programs and for establishing the National Health Service. The Tredegar Query Club by friends including Aneurin Bevan and Walter Conway. A colourful public personality and a brilliant spontaneous debater, he had great personal charm but was sometimes so rude to opponents that Churchill once called him a merchant of discourtesy. After his defeat as party leader by Hugh Gaitskell (1955), he accepted his partys policies and became shadow foreign secretary. The son of a miner, Bevan became a colliers helper at age 13 but had to leave the mines in a few years because of eye disease. Plaque, Aneurin Bevan memorial stones, Tredegar. [80], At a party rally in 1948, during a speech, Bevan stated: "That is why no amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party that inflicted those bitter experiences on me. There he earned around ten shillings per week with most going to his parents to help support the family. Bevan was also limited due to his desire for new homes to be bigger and of better quality than the ones they were being built to replace, based on the recommendations of a 1943 report by the Dudley Committee, and a shortage of skilled workers to undertake the work. If we are going to appeal to force, if force is to be the arbiter to which we appeal, it would at least make common sense to try to make sure beforehand that we have got it, even if you accept that abysmal logic, that decadent point of view.We are in fact in the position today of having appealed to force in the case of a small nation, where if it is appealed to against us it will result in the destruction of Great Britain, not only as a nation, but as an island containing living men and women. He became a trades union activist and won a scholarship to study in London. In his 2014 biography, Nick Thomas-Symonds described "an outpouring of national mourning" that followed Bevan's death. The facts, figures and quotes that shaped the history of the National Health Service . [42], In August 1939 came the MolotovRibbentrop Pact, a non-aggression pact between the Nazi and Soviet governments that shocked democratic governments around the world. [Nye] was never a hypocrite. Bevan was a supporter of the Liberal Party as a child, but later converted to socialism and joined the Independent Labour Party. Bevan had been inspired by the Tredegar Medical Aid Society in his hometown, where residents would pay a subscription that would fund access for all of the town's inhabitants to have free access to medical services such as nursing or dental care. He was called up for service during the First World War, and was briefly arrested when his sister Blodwen burnt his conscription papers and he failed to report for duty. Get out! [102], In March 1955, when Britain was preparing for Operation Grapple, the testing of its first hydrogen bomb, Bevan led a revolt of 57 Labour MPs and abstained on a key vote. [10], 1919 saw the foundation of the Tredegar Labour Party and Bevan was selected as one of four Labour delegates to contest the West Ward in the Tredegar Urban District election. Number 10, The Circle, was home to the Tredegar Medical Aid Society, which was used as a blueprint by Aneurin Bevan when he set up the National Health Service for the UK in 1948. By 1932, Mosley's New Party had migrated from the left over to the far-right of British politics and was rebranded as the British Union of Fascists. After two years at Central Labour College, London, he entered politics and in 1929 was elected to the House of Commons as Labour member from Ebbw Vale. Bevan, Aneurin (1897-1960). Bevan called for the nationalisation of the coal industry and advocated the opening of a Second Front in Western Europe to help the Soviet Union in its fight with Germany. Aneurin Bevan - Powered by, Weapons for squalid and trivial ends House of Commons, December 5 1956, NHS 70th Anniversary and 2018 Annual Lecture, The 2017 Aneurin Bevan Memorial Lecture Professor John Bew. Portrait of Aneurin Bevan. Image Credit: http://www.cradleofnhs.org.uk/nye.htm / Wikimedia Commons. He was born to David Bevan a coal miner and Phoebe nee Prothero a seamstress as one of their ten children. He lost the seat in 1931, but regained it in 1932 before deciding against seeking re-election in 1934. [98], Out of office, Bevan soon exacerbated the split within the Labour Party between the right and the left which weakened the party in the 1950s.