Harold Wilson

This article is about the British politician. For the Olympic silver medallist, see Harold A. Wilson.

Prime Minister

In 1964, Wilson narrowly won the general election with a majority of five and became Prime Minister. This was not sufficient to last for a full term and, after a short period of competent government, in March 1966 he won re-election with a landslide majority of 99. He was soon a familiar figure, known for his pipe-smoking (he especially liked Tobacco grown in Rhodesia), his Gannex raincoat, and his habit of taking holidays in the Isles of Scilly. On 1 June 2005 files were released showing that Wilson was concerned that, while on the Isles of Scilly, he was being monitored by Russian ships disguised as trawlers. MI5 found no evidence of this, but told him not to use a walkie-talkie.

Related Topics:
1964 - Prime Minister - 1966 - Pipe-smoking - Gannex - Raincoat - Isles of Scilly - 1 June - 2005 - MI5 - Walkie-talkie

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As Prime Minister, his opponents accused him of deviousness, especially over the matter of devaluation of the pound in November 1967. Wilson had rejected devaluation for many years, yet in his broadcast had seemed to present it as a triumph.

Related Topics:
Pound - 1967

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During his first period of office, Wilson's government set up the Open University, which he would come to regard as his own greatest achievement.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Overseas, Wilson was troubled by crises in several of Britain's former colonies, especially Rhodesia and South Africa. Wilson gave diplomatic support but resisted pressure for military support to the United States in the Vietnam War. In addition to the damage done to its reputation by devaluation, Wilson's Government suffered from the perception that its response to industrial relations problems was inadequate. A six-week strike of members of the National Union of Seamen, which began shortly after Wilson' re-election in 1966, did much to reinforce this perception, along with Wilson's own sense of insecurity in office.

Related Topics:
Rhodesia - South Africa - United States - Vietnam War - National Union of Seamen

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1967, Wilson sued pop group The Move for libel after the band's manager published a promotional postcard for the single Flowers In The Rain, which featured a cartoon caricature that depicted Wilson in bed with his reputed mistress. Wilson won the case and all royalties from the song (composed by Roy Wood), were assigned to a charity of Wilson's choosing. Remarkably, this arrangement remains in place a decade after Wilson's death.

Related Topics:
1967 - The Move - Libel - Roy Wood

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By 1969 the Labour Party was suffering serious mid-term electoral reverses. In June 1970, Wilson responded to an apparent recovery in his government's popularity by calling a general election, but, to the surprise of almost all observers, was swept from power on a tide of anti-Labour feeling. Despite the shock defeat, Wilson survived as leader of the party and returned to 10 Downing Street in 1974, after his successor, Edward Heath, had failed to deal adequately with problems similar to those he had faced. He was elected in February 1974 in a minority Labour Government, gaining a majority in another election shortly afterwards, in October 1974. It was a manifesto pledge in the general election of February 1974 for a Labour government to re-negotiate better terms for Britain in the EEC, and then hold a referendum on whether Britain should stay in the EEC on the new terms. After the House of Commons voted in favour of retaining the Common Market on the renegotiated terms, a referendum was held on 5 June 1975. A majority were in favour of retaining the Common Market.

Related Topics:
1969 - 1970 - 10 Downing Street - 1974 - Edward Heath - February 1974 - October 1974 - Referendum

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wilson coined the term Selsdon man to refer to the anti-interventionist policies of the Conservative leader Edward Heath developed at the Selsdon Park Hotel in early 1970. This phrase, intended by Wilson to evoke the "primitive throwback" qualities of anthropological discoveries such as Piltdown Man and Swanscombe Man, was part of a British political tradition of referring to political trends by suffixing man (e.g. Essex man, Orpington man). Wilson's most famous attributed quote is 'A week is a long time in politics' around the time of the devaluation of the pound – this is taken to mean that a government doing badly at the beginning of a week may be doing well at the end and vice-versa. Other memorable phrases attributed to Wilson include the comment he made to attempt to reassure the British public after the 1967 devaluation of the pound: "This does not mean that the pound here in Britain — in your pocket or purse — is worth any less...", usually now quoted as "the pound in your pocket".

Related Topics:
Conservative - Edward Heath - Selsdon - 1970 - Piltdown Man - Swanscombe Man - Essex man - Orpington man

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In May 1974 he condemned the unionist-controlled Ulster Workers' Strike as a "sectarian strike" which was "being done for sectarian purposes having no relation to this century but only to the seventeenth century". However he refused to pressure a reluctant British Army to face down the loyalist paramilitaries who were intimidating utility workers. In a later television speech he referred to the "loyalist" strikers and their supporters as "spongers" who expected Britain to pay for their lifestyles. The strike was eventually successful in collapsing the power-sharing Northern Ireland executive, prompting Idi Amin to telegram Wilson, offering to host a peace conference in Uganda.

Related Topics:
Unionist - Ulster Workers' Strike - Sectarian - Seventeenth century - British Army - Loyalist - Northern Ireland - Idi Amin - Uganda

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In September 1971, Wilson outlined his plans to unite Ireland, in response to the worsening political situation there. He set a target of 1986 for the British withdrawal. However, on his return to power, he did not act on these plans.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~