Bevan, Aneurin

Bevan, Aneurin (ənī`rĭn bĕ`vən), 1897–1960, British political leader. A coal miner and trade unionist, he served (1929–60) in Parliament as a member of the Labour party. As minister of health (1945–51) he administered and developed the National Health Service instituted by the Labour government. A leader of the party's left wing, he resigned from the government in protest against the decisions to rearm Germany and cut social services. Briefly expelled from the party for insubordination in 1955, and unsuccessful in his contest with Hugh Gaitskell for the party leadership, he was reconciled to the party and became its spokesman for colonial and foreign affairs. In ensuing years he favored British diplomatic neutralism and nuclear disarmament.

Bibliography

See his autobiography (1952); biographies by M. Foot (2 vol., 1962–74), M. Jenkins (1979), and J. Campbell (1987).

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Bevan, Aneurin

(born Nov. 15, 1897, Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Eng.—died July 6, 1960, Chesham, Buckinghamshire) British politician. As a young man, he entered Labour Party politics and was elected to the House of Commons in 1929. He overcame a speech impediment to become a brilliant orator. As minister of health in Clement Attlee's government (1945–51), “Nye” Bevan established the National Health Service. He was minister of labour (1951) but resigned in protest against rearmament expenditures that reduced spending on social programs. A controversial figure in the Labour Party, he headed its left-wing (Bevanite) group and was the party's leader until 1955.