What did clement attlee do

1. Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee
2. Early Life and Career
3. Military Service and Political Career
4. Rise in the Labour Party
5. World War II and Government
6. Post-War Reforms
7. Foreign Policy and Legacy

Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee

Clement Richard Attlee (1883-1967) was a British statesman and leader of the Labour Party who served as Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951.

Early Life and Career

Born in London in 1883, Attlee graduated from Oxford University and became a barrister in 1905. He served as a lecturer in social science at the London School of Economics and Political Science from 1913 to 1923.

Military Service and Political Career

During World War I, Attlee served in the Tank Corps, reaching the rank of major. In 1919, he was elected Mayor of Stepney and served as an Alderman from 1919 to 1927. In 1922, he entered Parliament as the Labour MP for Limehouse, Stepney.

Rise in the Labour Party

Attlee became Deputy Secretary of State for War in 1924. In 1927, he was appointed to the Indian Statutory Commission chaired by Sir John Simon. He served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1929-1931) and Postmaster General (1931). He broke with Ramsay MacDonald in 1931 when the latter formed a coalition government. In 1935, Attlee succeeded John Lansbury as Parliamentary Leader of the Labour Party.

World War II and Government

Attlee joined Winston Churchill's coalition cabinet as Lord Privy Seal in 1940 and became Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister in 1942. Following the Labour Party's victory in the July 1945 election, Attlee became Prime Minister.

Post-War Reforms

Attlee's government nationalized the Bank of England, the coal industry, iron and steel production, communications, and gas and electricity. It introduced a comprehensive social insurance system on 5 July 1948. The National Health Service Act was also passed, providing free medical care and nationalizing hospitals. India, Pakistan, and Ceylon were granted independence and dominion status within the Commonwealth.

Foreign Policy and Legacy

Attlee endorsed the 17 March 1948 agreement between the Benelux countries, France, and the UK, and the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Labour Party was defeated in the October 1951 election, and Attlee was succeeded by Winston Churchill as Prime Minister. In December 1955, Attlee was made an Earl and retired as Leader of the Labour Party. He died in London in 1967.