Labour Movement Plans Mass Antiwar Gathering
Aneurin Bevan joined the Labour movement's opposition to intervention as organizers prepared a large Trafalgar Square protest.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1956 in Great Britain — Page 6
Explore 627 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1956.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1956
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 627 unique records.
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November
Naval Advice
Advises against continuing the operation as diplomatic and political costs increase
Opposition to Suez
Attacks the Government in Parliament over the invasion of Egypt
Supply Minister Defends Government War Policy
Reginald Maudling remained part of the governing team as ministers faced domestic questions about the intervention.
War and Oil Disruption Intensify Payment Pressures
The closure of the canal and disturbances in regional oil transport compounded pressure on sterling and Britain's external reserves.
Allied Fleet Prepares Coastal Assault
Robin Durnford-Slater organized British naval forces needed to cover the landing ships, escort the convoy, and support troops coming ashore.
Assault Date Confirmed
Keightley confirms final preparations for the airborne and amphibious assault on the canal zone.
Blocked Canal Undermines British Strategic Objective
The interruption of shipping defeated the immediate aim of ensuring transit even as Anglo French military operations continued.
Cabinet Management
Helps manage Commons business as the crisis produces deep political division
Cabinet Support
Supports the Government line as ministers defend the Suez operation in Parliament
Capture of Gaza
Gaza falls to the British forces
Government Confronts Pressure on Foreign Reserves
Anthony Eden's cabinet faced rapid reserve losses and growing concerns about sustaining the pound during the Anglo French operation.
Labour Speakers Prepare Trafalgar Square Protest
Anthony Greenwood was among the Labour figures associated with the public mobilization against the government's Suez policy.
National Council of Labour Organizes Demonstration
Hugh Gaitskell's party participated in a wider Labour movement effort to organize a mass protest against the Suez intervention.
Opposition to Suez
Warns Eden that the invasion should be stopped before troops land in the canal zone
Political Risks Repeated to Ministers
Mountbatten renews warnings about the political and strategic risks of continuing the operation.
Port Said Landing Sequence Confirmed
Charles Keightley's command prepared an airborne seizure of access points near Port Said ahead of the main amphibious landing.
Senior Ministers Face Parliamentary Opposition
Richard Austen Butler and his colleagues encountered growing criticism of the government's decision to attack Egypt.
Third Parachute Battalion Briefed on Airfield Objective
Paul Crook's Third Battalion of the Parachute Regiment prepared to seize El Gamil and hold the site against Egyptian counterattacks.
UN Emergency Session
Faces growing United Nations opposition as emergency sessions condemn the invasion
Chancellor Reports Mounting Sterling Weakness
Harold Macmillan alerted ministers that financial pressures were undermining Britain's capacity to continue the Suez military intervention.
Gaitskell Challenges Government Case for War
Hugh Gaitskell criticized the official justification for intervention as the Labour opposition sought to mobilize public dissent.
Naval Air Support Integrated With El Gamil Plan
Robin Durnford-Slater's naval command supported preparations for the airborne assault by coordinating carrier aircraft with the wider operation.
Naval Force Assembles Off Egyptian Coast
Robin Durnford Slater's naval command prepared ships and supporting fire for the planned northern canal assault.
Opposition Protest Builds Before Sunday Rally
Aneurin Bevan prepared to address demonstrators opposing the British military action in Egypt at Trafalgar Square.
Prime Minister Faces Divisions Over Suez
Anthony Eden struggled to sustain political agreement as public opposition and foreign pressure challenged the invasion.
Public Opposition
Explains his resignation as opposition grows to Britain's use of force
Reconnaissance Surveys Port Said Defenses
Denis Barnett's air forces helped identify Egyptian antiaircraft guns, armored vehicles, and other defensive positions near the planned landing area.
Anti-War Speech
Denounces the intervention before a mass anti-war crowd.
Antiwar March Highlights Domestic Divisions
Aneurin Bevan's supporters clashed politically with the government's Suez policy as the protest moved from speeches to a public march.
Antiwar Protest Draws Trade Union Participation
Aneurin Bevan addressed a protest organized by Labour bodies in cooperation with trade union and cooperative movement representatives.
Bevan Addresses Tens of Thousands in London
Aneurin Bevan spoke at a demonstration reported by contemporary newspapers to have drawn approximately twenty thousand participants.
Broadcast
Makes a TV broadcast to the nation appealing for national unity
Crook Finalizes Battalion Landing Preparations
Paul Crook prepared his battalion for an assault in which securing the runway would enable reinforcement and a move toward Port Said.
Crowd Takes Up Eden Must Go Chant
Aneurin Bevan's denunciation of the prime minister prompted demonstrators to chant for Anthony Eden's resignation.
Demonstrations
Anti-Suez demonstrators advance from Trafalgar Square toward Downing Street.
Demonstrators March From Square Toward Whitehall
Aneurin Bevan's rally was followed by a march toward the center of government as protesters carried their opposition beyond Trafalgar Square.
El Gamil Assault Scheduled for First Light
Charles Keightley confirmed the plan to drop British paratroopers at El Gamil on the morning of 5 November.
Families Join Protest Against Suez War
Aneurin Bevan's rally drew a broad public audience that included children and families protesting Britain's military intervention.
First Aid Workers Assist Protest Attendees
Aneurin Bevan's demonstration drew such a large crowd that first aid workers attended to people who fainted during the gathering.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.