Place That Labour Face
Thirty nine academics from the Political Studies Association placed the Labour leaders as follows:
1. Clement Attlee, 1935-55
2. Tony Blair, 1994-2007
3. Harold Wilson, 1963-76
4. Hugh Gaitskell, 1955-63
5. Neil Kinnock, 1983-92
6. John Smith, 1992-94
7. Jim Callaghan, 1976-80
8. Gordon Brown, 2007-08
9. Michael Foot, 1980-83
So bad news for Gordon Brown, in eighth place, and a surprising showing for Hugh Gaitskell, who never served as PM or even won an election.
In our poll of well over 100 activists, Attlee again came top, and Foot was again bottom, but Gordon Brown did a lot better.
These rankings were:
1. Clement Attlee, 1935-55
2. Tony Blair, 1994-2007
3. Gordon Brown, 2007-08
4. Harold Wilson, 1963-76
5. John Smith, 1992-94
6. Neil Kinnock, 1983-92
7. Hugh Gaitskell, 1955-63
8. Jim Callaghan, 1976-80
9. Michael Foot, 1980-83
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 25th Sep 2008, leftieoddbod wrote:the landslide in 1945 that resulted in the NHS, the public ownership of the railways, transport and the public utilities was because the returning squaddies were not having any more of the garbage dealt to them in the thirties. How I wish we could have as much spine in the government of today. We are now to REWARD banks who have dealt from under the deck for years and knew it was worthless stock yet gave the impression it was all kosher. What frauds, and along with the bale out they will get city bonuses that would make your eyes water. How mad is that? At least the Republicans will demand a hefty accounts reference unlike here where banks will carry on with their eyewatering pensions....despite Gordon's speech. The Attlee government would be speechless with rage.
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