Labour Leaders

WHO WAS THE GREATEST/ WORST ALL TIME LABOUR LEADER? 

SATURDAY 28TH JUNE 2014, UEA LONDON

Who was the most successful Labour party leader of all time? And who was the worst? If we were to just count general election victories Harold Wilson comes top with four victories. But does this tell the whole story?
The University of East Anglia, Queen Mary University of London and the PSA Political Leadership group are hosting an event to address these questions. The conference will involve leading biographers and experts on each of the Labour party leaders speaking at an event held at the University of East Anglia’s London Campus near Liverpool Street on Saturday 28th June 2014.
 To kick-off the discussion Toby James will give an introductory talk setting out a framework for evaluating leaders. Rt. Hon Charles Clarke has undertaken a simple statistical analysis of general election performance of the Labour leaders since Keir Hardie and he will present the conclusions in the form of a ‘league table’. Baroness Patricia Hollis will chair some of the sessions and provide the closing remarks for the day. The author of the biography of each Labour Leader to have fought a general election will then present their analysis.

THE SPEAKERS

  Gordon Brown - Steve Richards. Columnist for The Independent, presenter of BBC’s Week in Westminster and author of Whatever it takes The definitive account of New Labour’s rise and fall.
  Tony Blair - John Rentoul. Chief political commentator for The Independent on Sunday, visiting fellow at Queen Mary, University of London, and author of Tony Blair: Prime Minister.
 Neil Kinnock - Martin Westlake. Visiting Fellow, European Institute, London School of Economics and author of Kinnock.
 Michael Foot - Ken Morgan. Historian and broadcaster. Author of Michael Foot: A Life.
 Jim Callaghan - Peter Kellner. President of YouGov and co-author of Callaghan: The Road to Number Ten.
 Harold Wilson - Thomas Hennessy. Professor of Modern British and Irish History at Canterbury Christ Church University, and author of Optimist in a Raincoat: Harold Wilson, 1964-70.
 Hugh Gaitskell - Brian Brivati. Professor of contemporary history at Kingston University and author of Hugh Gaitskell.
 Clement Attlee - Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds. Author of Attlee: A Life in Politics.
 Arthur Henderson – Chris Wrigley. Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Nottingham and author of Arthur Henderson.
  Ramsay MacDonald – David Howell. Professor of Politics at the University of York and author of MacDonald’s Party.
 John Clynes - Phil Woolas. Former Home Office Minister, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, and author of J.R. Clynes in The Prime Ministers that Never Were.
  William Adamson - Bill Knox. Senior Lecturer, University of St. Andrews and author of many works including Scottish Labour Leaders 1918-1939.
  George Barnes - Bill Knox. Senior Lecturer, University of St. Andrews and author of many works including Scottish Labour Leaders 1918-1939.
 Keir Hardie - Ken Morgan. Historian and broadcaster. Author of Keir Hardie: Radical and Socialist.

 REGISTRATION

Book your place here: http://politicalleadership.org/events/labour-party-leaders/. Registration costs £40, with a discounted rate of £25 for students/unwaged (plus booking fee). This includes a light buffet lunch, refreshments during the day and a drinks reception. Registration will begin at 9.00 and the event at 9.30. The event will close at 6.00pm and will be followed by a drinks reception.

 A second event on Conservative Leaders will follow later in the year