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Politicians at WarHenry Buckton In Britain today the title ‘Politician’ is given far less respect by the general public than it was in former times. All too often the word is associated with sleaze, or corruption. This was not always the case and there was a long period after the Second World War when our representatives were perceived to be pillars of society, representing the greatness of our nation both at home and on the world stage. The great figures that our parents and grandparents once discussed with such vigour and respect had at least one common bond with much of the voting public, they had either served in the armed forces during World War II or experienced its horrors in some other way. In war, the hero generation of 1939-1945 did battle to rid the world of political regimes that perpetrated some of the cruellest inhumanities the world has ever known. In peace, while as politicians, they sought to make the world safe and free, and to endeavour as best they could to ensure that such wickedness could never happen again on such a grand scale. The book studies the military service during the Second World War, of many post-war Members of Parliament: a time when people, who would later represent a wide cross-section of political ideologies, all fought on the same side, and for a common cause. Those studied include former Prime Ministers James Callaghan, who served in the Royal Navy, and Edward Heath, who fought across Europe with the Royal Artillery. Also, Roy Jenkins, Denis Healy, Tony Benn, William Deedes, William Whitelaw, Quintin Hogg, and many more. These are just a few of the individuals, whose common bond based on their experiences during the Second World War, both with other members of Parliament and many of their constituents, helped to create the political and social make-up of post-war Britain. Published by Pen & Sword Books ISBN: 0 85052 907 7 |
