Clement Richard Attlee Biography

Birth of Clement Richard Attlee in Putney, London

From 1906 to 1909 Attlee works as a manager of Haileybury House, a charitable club for working-class boys

Joins the Independent Labour Party

Works as secretary for Toynbee Hall

Tours the country as an official explainer for David Lloyd George's National Insurance Act

Tours Britain explaining the new National Insurance Act.

Builds political experience through public lectures on social reform.

Appointed Lecturer in social science at the London School of Economics

Begins lecturing in social science at the London School of Economics.

Combines academic teaching with social work and Labour politics.

During World War I, Attlee was given the rank of captain and served with the South Lancashire Regiment in the Gallipoli Campaign in Turkey

During World War I, Attlee was given the rank of captain and served with the South Lancashire Regiment in the Gallipoli Campaign in Turkey

Appointed the rank of Major, and continued to be known as "Major Attlee" for much of the inter-war period

Appointed the rank of Major, and continued to be known as "Major Attlee" for much of the inter-war period

Attlee returns to local politics becoming Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney

Writes his first book, "The Social Worker", sets out many of the principles of his political philosophy

Elected Member of Parliament for Limehouse in Stepney

Elected Member of Parliament for Limehouse in Stepney

Elected Member of Parliament for Limehouse in Stepney

Serves as Ramsay MacDonald's Parliamentary Private Secretary for the 1922 Parliament

Appointed Under Secretary of State for War

Attlee opposes the 1926 General Strike, believing that strike action should not be used as a political weapon

Appointed a member of the multi-party Simon Commission, a Royal Commission set up to examine the possibility of granting self-rule to India

Appointed a member of the multi-party Simon Commission, a Royal Commission set up to examine the possibility of granting self-rule to India

Appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

George Lansbury and Attlee were among the few surviving Labour MPs who had served in Government

Attlee served as acting leader for nine months from December 1933, after Lansbury fractured his thigh in an accident

Attlee came first in both the first and second ballots and retains the leadership

Appointed Leader of the Opposition

Moves that increased arms budgets are at variance with the League of Nations

Attlee is opposed by Herbert Morrison and Arthur Greenwood. With a general election looming, the Parliamentary Labour Party appoints Attlee as interim leader with a leadership election after the general election

Attlee led Labour through the 1935 general election, which saw the party stage a partial recovery from its disastrous performance in 1931, gaining over one hundred seats

In the post-election leadership contest held in November 1935, Attlee was opposed by Herbert Morrison and Arthur Greenwood

George Lansbury, a convinced pacifist, resigned as leader at the 1935 Labour Party conference, after the party voted in favour of sanctions against Italy for its aggression against Abyssinia

George Lansbury, a convinced pacifist, resigned as leader at the 1935 Labour Party conference, after the party voted in favour of sanctions against Italy for its aggression against Abyssinia

Attlee criticized the government's policy and the sacrifice of Czechoslovakia during the Commons debate.

Appointed Lord Privy Seal

Sends a letter to Chamberlain saying Labour will not serve under Chamberlain

Appointed Member of War Cabinet

Appointed Deputy Prime Minister, serves under Winston Churchill

Appointed Dominions Secretary

Appointed Lord President of the Council

The Labour Party wins 48% of votes cast and 393 MPs

Labour win 393 seats, the Conservatives win 210 seats. 259 new Labour MPs are elected

Continues as Leader of the Labour Party

Supplies and Services Transitional Powers Act 1945 continues wartime controls during postwar reconstruction

Rejects Churchill's offer to continue the Coalition Government

The Government resigns

Attlee and Truman meet at Potsdam while Allied policy for postwar Germany and war crimes trials is discussed

Leads Labour to a landslide general election victory.

Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1st term

Attlee's government inherits Britain's obligations as a founding member of the United Nations after the UN Charter is signed in 1945

Attlee's government inherits Britain's obligations as a founding member of the United Nations after the UN Charter is signed in 1945

Promises India independence

Promises India independence

Concludes a secret agreement on intelligence collaboration with the USA

Ministers of the Crown Act 1946 reorganises ministerial offices and salaries for modern government

Russia, Britain, the USA and France recognise Austria with its 1937 boundaries

The coal industry is nationalised

The American and British occupation zones in Germany are economically joined together

Agrees to grant Indian independence no later than 1948

Agrees to grant Indian independence no later than 1948

Informs the US Britain cannot afford to keep troops in Greece and will withdraw by April

Founds the Central Economic Planning Staff

A treaty of alliance, the Treaty of Dunkirk, is signed with France

A treaty of alliance, the Treaty of Dunkirk, is signed with France

Grants independence to Pakistan

Grants independence to Pakistan

Informs the Cabinet Defence Committee the USA will be the major partner in conflicts

Western powers answer the blockade by supplying Berlin from the air while governments prepare for possible escalation.

The Russians blockade Berlin and the West responds with an airlift; during the Berlin crisis the government makes contingency plans for war

Informs the Cabinet Defence Committee the USA will be the major partner in conflicts. Concludes a further secret agreement on intelligence collaboration with the USA

House of Commons Members Fund Act 1948 alters arrangements for assistance to former members and dependants

The Civil Defence Act is passed

The railways are nationalised

Burma becomes an independent republic

Burma becomes an independent republic

Britain surrenders its mandate over Palestine

The London Recommendations call on German Laender premiers to convene a Constituent Assembly

First day of the Berlin Airlift

Attlee's government demands restoration of access to Berlin and rejects Soviet pressure on the Western sectors.

Demands that Russia lift its blockade of Berlin

Ireland ceases to have Dominion status and leaves the Commonwealth; Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom unless its Parliament consents otherwise

Creates a secret group of ministers to approve subversion behind the Iron Curtain. Completes the plans for a World War III British state

Parliament Act 1949 reduces the House of Lords delaying power over public bills

The lifting of restrictions ends the prolonged confrontation while Western air supply has kept the city functioning.

The Berlin blockade ends after 327 days

Agrees to increase the defence budget from 3,400 million pounds to 4,700 million pounds under pressure from the US

Elected Member of Parliament for West Walthamstow

Completes detailed procedures for an atomic World War III

Britain recognises Communist China

Announces a general election will be held February 23rd

Announces a general election will be held February 23rd

Britain signs a treaty with Norway, Denmark and Sweden for more economic cooperation

A swing of 3.3% from Labour to Conservative produces a Labour majority of 6

Reduced Labour majority: Labour 315, Conservatives 298, Liberals 9 and others 8. Labour polls a popular vote not exceeded by any political party until 1992

The Labour Party wins 48.8% of votes cast, a record, and 315 MPs

Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain, 2nd term

Great Britain recognises Israel

Monnet invites Britain to join the European Coal and Steel Community, the British refuse

Rejects France's demand for Britain to join the European Coal and Steel Community

The British appeal to Moscow to ask North Korea to stop the war, Russia declines

Proclaims in the Commons that "aggression should be halted at the outset"

Measures are passed in the House of Commons for more British participation in the war

British troops take up their position near Taegu

National Service is extended to two years

Legal Aid comes into force

Festival of Britain Supplementary Provisions Act 1951 supports legal arrangements for the Festival of Britain

Britain submits Iranian oil nationalization to the International Court of Justice

Britain submits Iranian oil nationalization to the International Court of Justice

Britain submits Iranian oil nationalization to the International Court of Justice

Iran rejects an interim order by the International Court of Justice

Iran rejects an interim order by the International Court of Justice

Visits George VI with a request to dissolve Parliament

Calls for dissolution after Labour's introduction of prescription charges

Britain's oil dispute with Iran is placed before the United Nations Security Council

The Labour Party wins 48.8% of votes cast and 295 MPs

Attlee hands in his resignation as Prime Minister to George VI

Labour conference criticises the Bevanite group as a party within a party.

Gets the Parliamentary Labour Party to support German rearmament

Bevan resigns over the Labour Party leadership's support for German rearmament

The Conservatives win 344 seats, Labour 277, Liberals 6 and Sinn Fein 2

Supports the debate in Parliament for investing in a British hydrogen bomb

Resigns as Party Leader of the Labour Party after losing two general elections

Resigns as Party Leader of the Labour Party after losing two general elections

Created Earl Attlee and Viscount Prestwood

Death of Clement Richard Attlee

Death of Clement Attlee