2. Hugh Gaitskell

2025-07-15

Hugh Gaitskell was the leader of the Labour Party from December 1955 until January 1963. He was the original 'moderniser' and believed that Labour could only win by pursuing the middle ground. He's a less well remembered leader, but he played a huge part in the fierce infighting seen in the Labour Party in the 50s, between his 'Gaitskellites' and Aneurin Bevan's 'Bevanites.' With amazing guests: David Owen, Briain Brivati, Scott Kelly, Kevin Hickson, Alan Johnson, Stephen Wall and Edmund Fawcett - this episode explores Gaitskell's background, leadership, and legacy.

Hugh Gaitskell was the leader of the Labour Party from December 1955 until January 1963.

He was the original 'moderniser' and believed that Labour could only win by pursuing the middle ground.

He's a less well remembered leader, but he played a huge part in the fierce infighting seen in the Labour Party in the 50s, between his 'Gaitskellites' and Aneurin Bevan's 'Bevanites.'

With amazing guests: David Owen, Briain Brivati, Scott Kelly, Kevin Hickson, Alan Johnson, Stephen Wall and Edmund Fawcett - this episode explores Gaitskell's background, leadership, and legacy.

Leading Labour is researched, presented and produced by Izzy Conn - find me on:

LinkedIn: Izzy Conn

X/Twitter: @izzy_conn_

Edited by Will Barber-Taylor, host of the Debated Podcast.

LinkedIn: Will Barber-Taylor

X/Twitter: @WBarberTaylor

Artwork by Izzy Conn.

Music by Rykard From.

Find out more about the Institute of Historical Research here.

LINKS

Brian Brivati, Executive Director of Britain Palestine Project, and author of Hugh Gaitskell: A Biography (1996).

- https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/hugh-gaitskell-book-brian-brivati-9781842751862

Scott Kelly, British Politics lecturer, NYU London, and author of The Myth of Mr. Butskell: The Politics of British Economic Policy (2002).

- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Myth-Mr-Butskell-Politics-British-Economic/dp/075460604X

Kevin Hickson, Senior Lecturer in British Political History at Liverpool University, and author of Peter Shore: Labour's Forgotten Patriot (2020).

- https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/peter-shore-labours-forgotten-patriot.

Alan Johnson, former Home Secretary, Labour MP 1997 - 2017, and author of Harold Wilson (2024).

- https://swiftpress.com/book/harold-wilson/

Stephen Wall, Former Ambassador, Political Expert and Historian, and author of Reluctant European: Britain and the European Union from 1945 to Brexit (2020).

- https://global.oup.com/academic/product/reluctant-european-9780198840671?cc=gb&lang=en&

Edmund Fawcett, author and journalist, and author of Conservatism: the Fight for a Tradition (2020).

- https://www.waterstones.com/book/conservatism/edmund-fawcett/9780691233994

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