Labour's War

Labour's War is the first scholarly history of the Labour Party during the Second World War, and offers a fresh look at British politics during the war years. Stephen Brooke examines the effect of war upon the party's ideology and policy, the experience in government of Labour leaders such as Clement Attlee and Hugh Dalton, and the tensions produced within the party by the circumstances of war.

Dr Brooke's extensively researched and original study calls into question the long-standing belief in an atmosphere of consensus among the political parties. His analysis uncovers the sharp ideological differences which persisted throughout the war years and after. He also demonstrates the impact of the war on the development of Labour's socialism.

The Labour victory in the 1945 election remains one of the most significant turning-points in modern British history, setting Britain on a new course, towards the welfare state and the managed economy. The book is an important contribution to our understanding of how this came about.