Clement Attlee

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The Rt Hon. Clement Attlee
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office
27 July 1945 – 26 October 1951
Deputy Herbert Morrison
Preceded by Winston Churchill
Succeeded by Winston Churchill
Personal details
Born 3 January 1883(1883-01-03)
Putney, Surrey, England
London, England
Political party Labour

Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC (3 January 1883 - 8 October 1967) was a British politician. He was the first Labour prime minister with a majority in government, and was very important in the setting up of the welfare state. He was prime minister from 1945 to 1951. He was made a member of the House of Lords after he retired, and became the first Earl Attlee.

Attlee died of pneumonia in 1967. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Early life and education[change | change source]

Attlee was born in Putney. Attlee was educated at Haileybury College. He graduated from University College, Oxford with a Second Class Honours BA in Modern History in 1904.

Career[change | change source]

Attlee began a career as a barrister after graduating from Oxford. This lasted for two years. He then worked as manager of Haileybury House in East London. Attlee's work at the House inspired him to become a socialist. In 1907 he joined the Fabian Society. In 1908 he joined the Independent Labour Party. In 1911, he was employed by the UK Government. In 1919 Attlee became Mayor of Stepney. He was elected to Parliament in 1922 as the MP for Limehouse., In 1935 he was elected leader of the Labour Party. From 1942 to 1945 he was deputy prime minister. Attlee resigned as party leader after Labour lost the 1955 election. He was made a member of the Order of Merit in 1951 and a Knight of the Garter in 1956. In 1958 he started the Homosexual Reform Society with Bertrand Russell.