Harold Wilson’s New Look

When Mr. Harold Wilson succeeded to the leadership of the British Labor Party, there was a general tendency to talk as though he were now automatically the next incumbent of No. 10 Downing Street. A Labor victory is by no means as inevitable as that; indeed Mr. Wilson’s accession has rendered it considerably less probable. Floating voters, who would have accepted Mr. Gaitskell, may jibe at him.

Rarely can a new party leader have been so deeply distrusted and disliked by so many of his own followers. Mr. Wilson has a shocking reputation for being slippery and disingenuous, nor has he been forgiven by the staunch Gaitskellites (who constitute the best element of the party) for having, as they see it, stabbed Mr. Gaitskell in the back during the great dispute over unilateral nuclear disarmament.

AL

About the Author

Anthony Lejeune

Featured Tags

When Mr. Harold Wilson succeeded to the leadership of the British Labor Party, there was a general tendency to talk as though he were now automatically the next incumbent of No. 10 Downing Street. A Labor victory is by no means as inevitable as that; indeed Mr. Wilson’s accession has rendered it considerably less probable. Floating voters, who would have accepted Mr. Gaitskell, may jibe at him.

Rarely can a new party leader have been so deeply distrusted and disliked by so many of his own followers. Mr. Wilson has a shocking reputation for being slippery and disingenuous, nor has he been forgiven by the staunch Gaitskellites (who constitute the best element of the party) for having, as they see it, stabbed Mr. Gaitskell in the back during the great dispute over unilateral nuclear disarmament.