Harold Wilson

James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx (11 March 1916 – c. 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 governments following four general elections. 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 a narrow victory at the 1964 election. His first period as prime minister saw a period of low unemployment and economic prosperity; this was however 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 the divorce laws, limiting immigration, outlawing racial discrimination, and liberalising birth control and abortion law. In the midst of this programme, Wilson called a snap election in 1966, which Labour won with a much increased majority. His government armed Nigeria during the Biafran War. In 1969, he sent British troops to Northern Ireland. After unexpectedly losing the 1970 election to Edward Heath's Conservatives, Wilson chose to remain in the Labour leadership, and resumed the role of Leader of the Opposition for four years before leading Labour through the February 1974 election, which resulted in a hung parliament. Wilson was appointed prime minister for a second time; he called a snap election in October 1974, which gave Labour a small majority. During his second term as prime minister, Wilson oversaw the referendum that confirmed the UK's membership of the European Communities. In 1975, his government set up the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention as an attempt to deal with constitutional issues surrounding the status of Northern Ireland. While out of office in late 1971, Wilson had formulated a 15-year programme that was designed to pave the way for the unification of Ireland. In March 1976, Wilson suddenly resigned as prime minister. 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. 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.

Infobox

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Preceded by

Stephen King-Hall

Succeeded by

Constituency abolished

First Secretary

mw- George BrownMichael StewartBarbara Castle

Senior political offices

Senior political offices Leader of the Labour PartyIn office14 February 1963 – 5 April 1976DeputyGeorge BrownRoy JenkinsEdward ShortPreceded byHugh GaitskellSucceeded byJames CallaghanLeader of the OppositionIn office19 June 1970 – 4 March 1974MonarchElizabeth IIPrime MinisterEdward HeathPreceded byEdward HeathSucceeded byEdward HeathIn office14 February 1963 – 16 October 1964MonarchElizabeth IIPrime MinisterHarold MacmillanAlec Douglas-HomePreceded byGeorge BrownSucceeded byAlec Douglas-Home

Deputy

George BrownRoy JenkinsEdward Short

Prime Minister

Clement Attlee

Ministerial offices

Ministerial offices President of the Board of TradeIn office29 September 1947 – 23 April 1951Prime MinisterClement AttleePreceded byStafford CrippsSucceeded byHartley ShawcrossSecretary for Overseas TradeIn office10 July 1947 – 29 September 1947Prime MinisterClement AttleePreceded byHilary MarquandSucceeded byArthur BottomleyParliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of WorksIn office26 July 1945 – 10 July 1947Prime MinisterClement AttleeMinisterGeorge TomlinsonCharles KeyPreceded byReginald Manningham-BullerSucceeded byEvan Durbin

Minister

George TomlinsonCharles Key

Shadow cabinet offices

Shadow cabinet offices Shadow Foreign SecretaryIn office2 November 1961 – 14 February 1963LeaderHugh GaitskellGeorge BrownPreceded byDenis HealeySucceeded byPatrick Gordon WalkerShadow Chancellor of the ExchequerIn office14 December 1955 – 2 November 1961LeaderHugh GaitskellPreceded byHugh GaitskellSucceeded byJames Callaghan

Leader

Hugh Gaitskell

Constituency

Ormskirk (1945–1950)Huyton (1950–1983)

Born

James Harold Wilson(1916-03-11)11 March 1916Cowlersley, Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

Died

c. 23 May 1995(1995-05-23) (aged 79)[a]London, England

Resting place

St Mary's Old Church, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, England

Political party

Labour

Spouse

mw- Mary Baldwin (m. 1940)

Children

2, including Robin

Alma mater

Jesus College, Oxford

Occupation

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Profession

Civil servant

Party

Labour

Tables

Coat of arms of Harold Wilson · Arms

Notes As a Knight of the Garter, Wilson's arms were displayed on a stall plate at St George's Chapel, Windsor. Crest Upon a rock a lighthouse in front thereof a spade blade downwards and a quill point downwards in saltire all Proper. Escutcheon Argent an ancient ship Proper on a chief Gules a stag's head caboshed Or between two water bougets Argent. Supporters Dexter a winged lion Purpure charged on the wing with three roses Argent barbed and seeded Proper sinister a griffin Or charged on the wing with three roses Gules barbed and seeded Proper. Motto Tempus Rerum Imperator

· Scholastic honours

England

Location

England

Date

1977

School

University of Huddersfield

Position

Honorary Fellow

England

Location

England

Date

1966–1985

School

University of Bradford

Position

Chancellor

Location	Date	School	Position
England	1977	University of Huddersfield	Honorary Fellow
England	1966–1985	University of Bradford	Chancellor

· Scholastic honours

England

Location

England

Date

1964

School

Lancaster University

Degree

Doctor of Laws (LL.D)

England

Location

England

Date

1965

School

University of Liverpool

Degree

Doctor of Laws (LL.D)

England

Location

England

Date

1966

School

University of Sussex

Degree

Doctor of Laws (LL.D)

England

Location

England

Date

1966

School

University of Nottingham

Degree

Doctor of Laws (LL.D)

England

Location

England

Date

1967

School

University of Essex

Degree

Doctorate

England

Location

England

Date

18 May 1974

School

Open University

Degree

Doctor of the University (D.Univ)

Israel

Location

Israel

Date

1976

School

Bar-Ilan University

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)

Location	Date	School	Degree
England	1964	Lancaster University	Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
England	1965	University of Liverpool	Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
England	1966	University of Sussex	Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
England	1966	University of Nottingham	Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
England	1967	University of Essex	Doctorate
England	18 May 1974	Open University	Doctor of the University (D.Univ)
Israel	1976	Bar-Ilan University	Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)

· External links

Preceded byStephen King-Hall