With the support of the Miners' Federation, the case was judged as one of victimisation and the company was forced to re-employ him. [1] The town was situated in the South Wales Valleys and was on the northern edge of the South Wales coalfield. Bevan believed that the key to the war was the involvement of Russia and considered Churchill was too focused on the intervention of the United States. [8][9] He and his brother Billy did eventually leave Ty-Tryst and worked at the Bedwellty pit, but were forced to move again after a disagreement with the site's deputy manager over Bevan reporting information to the miner's inspector. [42] He emphasised that the government had no arguments to persuade young men to fight "except merely in another squalid attempt to defend themselves against the redistribution of international swag". It was during this period that he became convinced by the ideas of socialism. Pronunciation of Aneurin Bevan: Learn how to pronounce the word Aneurin Bevan.Definition and meaning can be found here: https://www.google.com/search?q=defin. You cannot collaborate, you cannot accept the logic of collaboration on a first class issue like rearmament, and at the same time evade the implications of collaboration all along the line when the occasion demands it.[38]. [88][89] Two other ministers, John Freeman and Harold Wilson, resigned at the same time. He was not a cold-blooded rationalist. He knelt reverently in respect to a friend or friend's faith, but he never pretended to be anything other than what he was, a humanist. Find out more about how the BBC is covering the. Student Activities. [45] Clement Attlee expressed his support that Bevan should have been the leader of the Labour Party during his lifetime but was held back by his demeanour, stating "he wants to be two things simultaneously, rebel and official leader, and you can't be both". He would be studying economics, history, and politics for the next two years while in that school. Use the tabs aboveto learn about Nye Bevans life, work and ideas, as well as the history of the NHS. Bevan was not good academically and was at a time repeated for a year in school. Portrait of Aneurin Bevan. After the landslide Labour victory in the 1945 general election, Bevan was appointed minister of health, responsible for establishing the National Health Service. There he earned around ten shillings per week with most going to his parents to help support the family. [112] Speaking at the 1957 Labour Party conference, he decried unilateral nuclear disarmament, saying "It would send a British Foreign Secretary naked into the conference-chamber". They condemned millions of first-class people to semi-starvation. [104] The Parliamentary Labour Party voted 141 to 113 to withdraw the whip from him, but it was restored within a month, due to his popularity. [110] He was a vocal critic of the Conservative government's actions in the Suez Crisis, noticeably delivering high-profile speeches at a protest rally in Trafalgar Square on 4 November 1956, and criticising the government's actions and arguments in the Commons on 5 December 1956. He went on to serve as shadow foreign secretary from 1956-59 and deputy leader of the Labour party from 1959-60. Aneurin Bevan - Spartacus Educational [102], In March 1955, when Britain was preparing for Operation Grapple, the testing of its first hydrogen bomb, Bevan led a revolt of 57 Labour MPs and abstained on a key vote. In its early stages this proved true, as the service went vastly over budget in its inaugural year, and Attlee was forced to make a radio address to the nation in an attempt to limit the strain on the system. Get out! [36] He was a strong critic of Chamberlain, arguing that his old rival Winston Churchill should become prime minister. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aneurin-Bevan, British Broadcasting Corporation - Biography of Aneurin Bevan, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Aneurin Bevan. No falsity must touch him once he is no longer available to defend his views. [60] He earned a rebuke from Attlee, but Bevan contended that his Welsh mining constituency did not send him to Parliament to "dress up", and he declined to wear formal attire at further Buckingham Palace functions. Aneurin had a stammer as a child which he would later overcome and be recognised as a great public speaker. "[83], Bevan was instead appointed Minister of Labour in January 1951 in place of George Isaacs. NHS: Tredegar building to tell story of Aneurin Bevan's inspiration Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Though described as an outstanding back-bench critic and an excellent debater, Bevan had long clashed with Attlee, even before being in his cabinet, because he thought he hadnt held the Tory party to account properly throughout World War Two. In his biography of Bevan, John Campbell wrote, "Bevan's impetuous temperament, undiplomatic tone and reputation as an extreme left-winger combined to make the Foreign Office seem the last place a prudent Prime Minister would think of putting him at any time. However, Attlee commented that Bevan was "starting with me with a clean sheet" following his appointment. Inspired by the Tredger Medical Aid Society of South Wales, Bevan initiated the National Health Service (NHS), which was managed with public funds and aimed to provide free medical . [86] However, three months after his appointment, Hugh Gaitskell introduced a proposal of prescription charges for dental care and spectaclescreated to save a potential 25m to meet the financial demands imposed by the Korean War. Aneurin Bevan was born on 15 November 1897 at 32 Charles Street in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, a working-class mining town, where an estimated 90 per cent of the town's inhabitants relied on the local mines for employment. His creation of the National Health Service in 1948 remains Labour's most enduring legacy to the people of the United Kingdom.During the war years he was virtually a one-man opposition to Churchill and had . On his return to South Wales he struggled to find work, remaining unemployed for nearly three years before gaining employment as a union official, which led to him becoming a leading figure in the 1926 general strike. Corrections? My history hero: Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan (1897-1960) [80], At a party rally in 1948, during a speech, Bevan stated: "That is why no amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party that inflicted those bitter experiences on me. Bevan died from stomach cancer in 1960 at the age of 62. 'Nye is asleep next door. But the lowest paid a tax rate of 1%, up from 0.2% in 1938, the middle income brackets paid 14% to 26%, up from 10% to 18% in 1938, the higher earners paid 42%, up from 29%, and the top earners 77%, up from 58% in 1938. multi-national defence organisation in Asia and the Pacific, subsequent Anglo-French military response, Political history of the United Kingdom (1945present), "Aneurin Bevan, stormy petrel of the Labour left", "Dying father inspired Nye Bevan's NHS dream", "Britain's near-brush with Fascism: The politician who rooted for Hitler", "Play tells the inspiring story of political couple Aneurin Bevan and Jennie Lee", "How Jennie Lee helped Aneurin Bevan shape political change", "70 years of the NHS: How Aneurin Bevan created our beloved health service", "Let Us Face the Future: A Declaration of Labour Policy for the Consideration of the Nation", "NHS 70: Aneurin Bevan Day celebrations in Tredegar", "Housing owned by the people for the people Nye would have approved", "Bevan's speech to the Manchester Labour rally", "Major John Freeman: Soldier who became an MP, diplomat and broadcaster best known for his series of interviews, Face to Face", "In Place of Fear A Free Health Service 1952", "Mr. Bevan and Others Awarded 2,500 Each", "Did you know NHS founder Aneurin Bevan lived in Bucks? Aneurin Bevan Facts: Aneurin Bevan was a Welsh Labour politician widely considered the architect of the National Health Service. His autobiography, In Place of Fear, appeared in 1952, Aneurin Bevan. The club intended to break the hold that the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company had on the town by becoming members of pivotal groups in the community. In the coming decade, his support grew, particularly through the Great Depression. [31] In 1936 he joined the board of the new socialist newspaper Tribune. [59] Bevan had clashed frequently with Attlee during his time as an MP, believing that the Labour leader failed to apply enough pressure on the Tory government during the war. If nations more powerful than ourselves accept the absence of principle, the anarchistic attitude of Eden and launch bombs on London, what answer have we got, what complaint have we got? His father was a miner and the poor working class family in which Bevan grew up gave him first-hand experience of the problems. [90] Bevan received unanimous support for his actions from his local Labour constituency leaders. History Hit brings you the stories that shaped the world through our award winning podcast network and an online history channel. During World War Two, Bevan was one of the leaders of the left in the House of Commons. After General Neil Ritchie's retreat across Cyrenaica early in 1942 and his disastrous defeat by General Erwin Rommel at Gazala, Bevan made one of his most memorable speeches in the Commons in support of a motion of censure against the Churchill government. Tomorrow he will be cremated in keeping with his known views. [46] Historian Max Hastings described Bevan's role in Parliament during the war as "his figures were accurate but his scorn was at odds with the spirit of the momentfull of gratitude, as was the prime minister". At the start of World War Two the government realised that, if it was to cope with the huge number of anticipated . The True Tale of Wales Legendary Hay Castle, 8 Formidable Fighters of the Hellenistic Period, Operation Unthinkable: Churchills Postwar Contingency Plan, The Pirates Code: Laws and Life Aboard Ship, How the Island of Rhodes Overcame a Superpower, Historical Trips - Book your next historical adventure, 10 Must-See Medieval Landmarks in England, Join Dan Snow for the Anniversary of the D-Day Landings, Lost Literature: Why Most English Texts Didnt Survive the Middle Ages, The Legacy of Hal 9000: How Science Fiction Depictions of AI Have Changed Over Time. When Bevan was made a minister in 1945, he envisaged the social housing sector as a housing service similar to the National Health Service, ensuring that everyone had access to decent and affordable homes, with people still having the option to live in owner occupation or the private sector if they so chose (with grants made available to owner-occupiers and private landlords to bring dwellings up to decent standards). [99] For the next five years, he was the leader of the left wing of the Labour Party, who became known as Bevanites. As minister of health in Clement Attlees Labour government of 1945, he was responsible for developing housing programs and for establishing the National Health Service. KidzSearch Safe Wikipedia for Kids. Bevan was a great personal charm but was sometimes so rude to opponents that Churchill once called him a merchant of discourtesy. At an early age of only 19 years, he became a trade union activist and headed the local miners lodge after joining the Tredegar branch of the South Wales Miner Federation. His contribution to the Welfare State has been immense. [105] After the 1955 general election, Attlee retired as Labour leader. [41] The Military Training Act 1939 reintroduced conscription six months later, and Bevan joined the rest of the Labour Party in opposing it, calling it "the complete abandonment of any hope of a successful struggle against the weight of wealth in Great Britain". [115] Crossman later acknowledged that they had perjured themselves to do so.[116]. Bevan opposed the heavy censorship imposed on radio and newspapers and wartime Defence Regulation 18B, which gave the Home Secretary the powers to intern citizens. Bevan's reputation as a hard-line socialist typically preceded him: Sir William Douglas, who served as Bevan's deputy in the Ministry of Health, had initially stated that he would "never work with a man like that". It was Aneurin Bevan, the Minister of Health in the UK from 1945 to 1951, who started the NHS in 1948. [125] Jennie Lee explained in a letter to Michael Foot that Bevan had specifically chosen to have a non-religious funeral and not a Christian service, because he was a firm humanist. His "vermin" speech still resonated: imagination shuddered at a repetition of that on the international stage. [70][71] The aim was to create new homes and communities with a place for all sections of society: We should try to introduce in our modern villages and towns what was always the lovely feature of English and Welsh villages, where the doctor, the grocer, the butcher and the farm labourer all lived in the same street. [123][124] An open-air service was held in his constituency of Ebbw Vale and was presided over by Donald Soper. From 1940 to 1945 he was editor of the independent Socialist Tribune. Bevan and Cripps had previously been threatened with disciplinary action by the party for sharing a stage with a Communist speaker, and all party members were threatened with expulsion if they were associated with the Popular Front. His opposition to the Labour leadership's approach was partly based on his view that the leadership of the Labour Party was not demanding assurances from the Government on its foreign policy as a price for the party's support for re-armament as expressed in his speech to the Bournemouth Conference of that year: we should say to the country we are prepared to make whatever sacrifices are necessary, to give whatever arms are necessary to fight Fascist powers and in order to consolidate world peace[39]. Aneurin "Nye" Bevan was a Welsh politician born on November 15, 1897. [4] Aneurin Bevan attended Sirhowy Elementary School, where he achieved little. Photo by Howard Coster Wikimedia Commons. Aneurin Bevan was born on 15 November 1897 in Tredegar in Wales. Aneurin Bevan | Encyclopedia.com [107] He instead stood again for the role of party treasurer and was duly elected, beating George Brown.[108]. In addition, he is known for his wider contribution to the founding of the British welfare state. He became a trades union activist and won a scholarship to study in London. [27] Mosley broke from the Labour Party in early 1931 to form the New Party, but Bevan refused to defect and instead announced that he had no intention of leaving the Labour Party. After a Labour landslide victory in 1945, Clement Attlee appointed Bevan Minister of Health, with a remit that also covered housing, given the severe post-war shortage. Confrontation with the British Medical Association (BMA) was led by Charles Hill, who published a letter in the British Medical Journal describing Bevan as "a complete and uncontrolled dictator". Aneurin Bevan. This statement is often misconstrued: Bevan argued that unilateralism would result in Britain's loss of allies, and one interpretation of his metaphor is that nakedness would come from the lack of allies, not the lack of weapons. Aneurin Bevan was born on 15 November 1897 at 32 Charles Street in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, a working-class mining town, where an estimated 90 per cent of the town's inhabitants relied on the local mines for employment. He was no calculating machine. His autobiography, In Place of Fear, appeared in 1952. [51] He also voiced criticism of trade union leaders, which drew complaints from both the Miners' Federation and the Trades Union Congress. [62] This system proved so popular that 20,000 people supported the organisation during the 1930s. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. After his resignation, Bevan served as Shadow Foreign Secretary from 1955 to 1959. The statue of Aneurin Bevan (1897-1960) by the late Robert Thomas on Queen Street Cardiff. Although he was defeated, he gained attention from his peers and he won a scholarship to the Central Labour College in London, sponsored by the South Wales Miners' Federation. Updates? ", "The NHS: even more cherished than the monarchy and the army", "Aneurin Bevan / 100 Welsh Heroes / 100 Arwyr Cymru", "Hospital named after Aneurin Bevan opens in Ebbw Vale", contributions in Parliament by Aneurin Bevan, Aneurin Bevan and the foundation of the NHS: Socialist Health Association website. In February 1925, his father died of pneumoconiosis, an illness caused by the inhalation of coal dust. [10] The Query club started in 1920 or 1921 and they met in Tredegar. However, the. Bevan's death in 1960 led to "an outpouring of national mourning". Aneurin Bevan Aneurin Bevan was a founding member of the Query Club in 1920 alongside his brother. Bevan had said "I would rather be kept alive in the efficient if cold altruism of a large hospital than expire in a gush of warm sympathy in a small one". [22], Soon after Bevan entered Parliament, he was briefly attracted to Smethwick Labour MP Oswald Mosley's arguments,[24] becoming one of the 17 signatories of the Mosley Memorandum in the context of the MacDonald government's repeated economic crises,[25] including the doubling of unemployment levels. Former Conservative Prime Minister Harold Macmillan ended his Prime Ministers Questions two days after Bevans death with a tribute to him, describing him as a great personality and a great national figure. Did the Wars of the Roses End at the Battle of Tewkesbury? 105 Facts About Aneurin Bevan | FactSnippet They criticised the right-wing "Gaitskellites" high defence expenditure (especially for nuclear weapons), called for better relations with the Soviet Union, and opposed the party leader, Clement Attlee, on most issues. A powerful speaker, debater and champion of the working class, Bevan was voted number one in the 100 Welsh Heroes poll, a response to find the publics favourite Welsh people of all time. When the strike started on 3 May 1926, Bevan soon emerged as one of the leaders of the South Wales miners. Bevan was largely responsible for the distribution of strike pay in Tredegar and the formation of the Council of Action, an organisation that helped to raise money and provide food for the miners. Aneurin Bevan was a reversed and famous Wales Labour politician who championed social justice, the right of workers, and democratic socialism. [117] His last speech in the House of Commons, in the debate of 3 November 1959 on the Queen's Speech,[118] referred to the difficulties of persuading the electorate to support a policy which would make them less well-off in the short term, but more prosperous in the long term. In 2004, more than 44 years after his death, he was voted first in a list of 100 Welsh Heroes, having been credited for his contribution to the founding of the welfare state in the UK. He was Chief of Staff in Spain, he won the Battle of the Ebro, and he is a sergeant. Bevan's maternal grandfather John was a blacksmith who had moved to Tredegar from Hay-on-Wye to work in the Bedwellty mines. Along that road is endless retreat, and at the end of it a voluntary totalitarian State with ourselves erecting the barbed wire around.