Clement Attlee
1883 – 1967 British Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Labour prime minister whose 1945-51 government granted independence to India and began the empire's dismantling.
- Religion
- Church of England
- Affiliations
- Labour
Clement Attlee led the Labour government elected in 1945 that built the welfare state and began winding down the empire. His government granted independence to India and Pakistan in 1947, the largest single act of decolonisation, though partition brought mass violence. It also ended the British mandate in Palestine in 1948 and gave independence to Burma and Ceylon. Under Attlee Britain accepted, for the first time, that the empire in Asia could not be held.
Connections
- rival of Winston Churchill — His wartime deputy who defeated him in the 1945 election.
- successor of Winston Churchill — Served as his wartime deputy, then succeeded him as prime minister.
In the timeline
- 1947 Partition of India the prime minister
- 1947 Indian Independence and Partition the prime minister who granted independence
- 1948 The End of the Palestine Mandate the prime minister who ended the mandate