Mr Churchill Takes Over (1951)

News Chronicle dated Saturday October 27th 1951

Click to Read

Click to Read

In the General Election in 1945 the British public had decided that Winston Churchill, who had led the Country to victory against the Nazis, was not the man to lead the Country into the post-War World, so elected a Labour Government under Clement Attlee by a huge majority. By 1950 Labour were struggling to retain the confidence of the Country and in the General Election of that year won by a slender margin of only 4 seats. Within a year Clement Attlee decided to 'go to the Country' and announced another General Election in 1951. This time the Conservatives under Winston Churchill won. 

The turnout of voters in the 1951 Election was 82.9% which remains the 2nd highest turnout since World War 2. The highest since 1951 was in 1974 with 78.8% and the lowest 2001 with just 59.4% of the electorate bothering to turn out.

Churchill was in his mid 70's in 1951 and his health was deteriorating, so in 1955 he retired and Anthony Eden took over as Prime Minister.