This July marks 80 years since the 1945 General Election, where Clement Attlee’s Labour Party won a majority of 146 seats, ousting Winston Churchill from power in one of the greatest shocks in British political history. The former Prime Minister’s tenure can teach the current government one valuable lesson: when necessary, it is acceptable to make unpopular decisions.

Despite being described as ‘dull’ and ‘unimpressive’, and lacking the public speaking skills of his predecessor, Attlee’s government revolutionised Britain. He oversaw the building of over one million new homes between 1945 and 1951, the nationalisation of approximately 20% of the economy to revive war-stricken industries and, most notably, the establishment of the National Health Service in 1948. These policies have consequently elevated Attlee to the top of countless Prime Minister ‘power rankings’. 

Attlee is often viewed as the epitome of political courage, and is used as a benchmark by historians and political scientists when discussing what makes a ‘good’ Prime Minister. Even Margaret Thatcher, who destroyed the post-war consensus which Attlee helped to establish and denounced the so-called ‘dependency culture’ which had risen from his welfare reforms, admitted in her 1995 memoir that she was an ‘admirer’ of his. 

And yet he was not adored the same way whilst in office. Economic struggles after 1948 – leading to the devaluation of the pound in 1949 – drew criticism and ultimately rejection at the ballot box. The 1950 election saw his majority drop significantly to 5 seats, and in 1951 he was ousted from power. Certainly, he was never ‘hated’ in the way that Johnson or Thatcher were by the time they left office, but it is evident that Attlee was relatively unpopular during large parts of his tenure, and his favorability has grown considerably since his premiership. 

The government of today has a starkly different policy agenda, and operates in a context poles apart from that of 1945 – however, it ought to take note of the case of Attlee.

The UK may not be two months fresh off the back of a world war, but Keir Starmer arguably faces a task as seismic as Attlee’s. Economic stagnation, the conflict in Ukraine, a housing crisis, outrage regarding increasing migration and the rapid rise of AI are amongst dozens of issues which need addressing. No short-term fix exists for any of these – that is simply not how politics works. 

Starmer’s government is bound to face considerable disapproval from the electorate as a result of its policies; this criticism appears to lead to a downward spiral in popularity. According to Starmer, Reform UK may be able to ‘fit in the back of a taxi’, but as things stand, the parties are polling neck-and-neck.

Attlee’s legacy exemplifies that unpopularity today can later give way to popularity. However, this is not to say the government is immune from criticism because they are destined to fix the country; those hit hardest by recent measures – such as pensioners and farmers – make very compelling arguments against this. However, in politics, a long-term mindset, which often involves making difficult decisions in the short term, will always be superior to the alternative, which often involves making easier, ‘sticking-plaster’ decisions. 

If Keir Starmer really wants to separate himself from the deeply disliked Prime Ministers of modern times, he must think of how he is to be perceived in multiple generations’ time, for a Prime Minister who has made an enduring impact is one that can truly be considered ‘great’.