WikipediaExtracts:Harold Wilson
Extracted from Wikipedia --
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx (11 March 1916 – 23 May 1995), was a British politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1976. He was Leader of the Labour Party from 1963 to 1976, Leader of the Opposition twice from 1963 to 1964 and again from 1970 to 1974, and a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1945 to 1983. Wilson is the only Labour leader to have formed a government after a general election four separate times.
Born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, to a politically active lower middle-class family, Wilson studied philosophy, politics and economics at Jesus College, Oxford. He was later an Economic History lecturer at New College, Oxford, and a research fellow at University College, Oxford. Elected to Parliament in 1945, Wilson was appointed to the Attlee government as a Parliamentary secretary; he became Secretary for Overseas Trade in 1947, and was elevated to the Cabinet shortly thereafter as President of the Board of Trade. Following Labour's defeat at the 1955 election, Wilson joined the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chancellor, and was moved to the role of Shadow Foreign Secretary in 1961. When Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell died in January 1963, Wilson won the leadership election to replace him, becoming Leader of the Opposition.
Wilson led Labour to victory twice over the next half a decade; first with a narrow victory in the 1964 election, followed by another with an increased majority in 1966. His first term as prime minister saw a period of low unemployment and economic prosperity that was hindered by significant problems with Britain's external balance of payments. His government oversaw significant societal changes, abolishing both capital punishment and theatre censorship, partially decriminalising male homosexuality in England and Wales, relaxing divorce laws, limiting immigration, outlawing racial discrimination, and liberalising birth control and abortion law. In response to the intensifying sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, he sent over British troops to contain the violence in 1969, which contributed to further escalation of the Troubles.
After unexpectedly losing the 1970 election to Edward Heath's Conservatives, Wilson remained as leader of the party, resuming the role of Leader of the Opposition for another four years before once again leading Labour to victory in the February 1974 election albeit with a hung parliament. He was appointed prime minister for a second time, calling a snap election eight months later, giving Labour a small majority. During his second term, he oversaw the referendum that confirmed the UK's membership of the European Communities, and his government set up the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention as an attempt to deal with constitutional issues surrounding Northern Ireland. Wilson resigned as prime minister in March 1976, citing his steadily worsening mental and physical health. He remained in the House of Commons until retiring in 1983, when he was elevated to the House of Lords as Lord Wilson of Rievaulx. Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, he would maintain a relatively low profile in his later years until his death in May 1995.
While seen by admirers as leading the Labour Party through difficult political issues with considerable skill, Wilson's reputation was low when he left office, and is still disputed in historiography. Some scholars praise his unprecedented electoral success for a Labour prime minister and holistic approach to governance, while others criticise his political style and handling of economic issues. Several key issues which he faced while prime minister included the role of public ownership, whether Britain should seek the membership of the European Communities, and British involvement in the Vietnam War. His stated ambitions of substantially improving Britain's long-term economic performance, applying technology more democratically, and reducing inequality were to some extent unfulfilled.
