Hugh Gaitskell, John Smith, Tony Benn, Dennis Healey or even Arthur Henderson or George Lansbury if one goes far enough back into history. Or somebody else.
Please don't say Gordon Brown or anybody else in the present parliament as they still might become Prime Minister, which is a different question.
Please give a reason or reasons for your answer.
2006-11-24 04:38:50 · 12 answers · asked by Philosophical Fred 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Has to be Tony Benn, a principled, honest man who always speaks up for what he belives in. A political giant, brillant orator, and a decent human being with a tremendous respect for humanity, parlimentry democracy and socialism. Even those who disagree with his politics admire him, he would have made Britain proud of a PM.
2006-11-24 08:05:28 · answer #1 · answered by isthisinuisetoo 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
John Smith
2006-11-24 04:40:03 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Personally I suspect Healey his acheivements as Chancellor and defence sec were formidable- whether he could have transalated that inot the Premiership is another matter. The other suggestions you make are great- Henderson is particularly underrated- but the two you have missed are I think obvious.
I'd promote Nye Bevan the founder of the NHS as a great PM who never was- an amazing orator- an amazing visionary politician- one of the most educated self educated men ever to make his career in England- and also a man who could defy the left and win.
But even greater and possibly the one they missed most- Ernie Bevin- the guy who forged the foreign policy of every government from Atlee to Blair. The man who defied the Soviet Union after he built up the Trade Union movement after the General Strike. Healey's mentor as well.
http://gracchii.blogspot.com
2006-11-24 07:01:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Antony Wedgewood -Benn Viscount Stansgate. He replaced his call to Tony Benn, because of the fact he had to alter into the Labour top Minister, yet ought to no longer gain this as an aristocrat, he ditched the call yet didn`t get the best job. He substitute into too left wing for labour at that element, who have been attempting to rid themselves of that image. i like him, yet I don`t think of even together with his guidance and history that he could have made P.M. He has a son pronounced as Hillary Benn who's an exceedingly very clever guy, he's further and further interior the lime easy those days. save your eye on him, he is going places, even possibly to the places that his father did no longer have the flexibility to.
2016-11-26 20:07:04 · answer #4 · answered by cornatzer 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John Smith without a shadow of doubt.
A good also ran for me would be Dennis Healey
2006-11-24 04:55:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
John Smith, without a doubt. Erudite, incisive, articulate, persuasive - and I'm sure he would not have allowed the UK's armed forces to get involved in the ludicrous and tragic farce that is Iraq.
2006-11-24 04:50:22 · answer #6 · answered by avian 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The greatest they nearly had was John Smith,a straight ,upright,gentleman, unlike the present coterie.
2006-11-24 07:59:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definately John Smith. I can still remember the sadness I had when the email at work went round to announce his death...
2006-11-24 04:51:12 · answer #8 · answered by Jessica P 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Please don't laugh - but I think Neil Kinnock could have been the best Labour PM. He just ballsed it all up on the last night of electioneering in Sheffield - you know, when he shrieked "We're alright, we're alright" in a triumphal display because he was ahead in the polls at the time.
It turned a lot of people off. One of the greatest missed opportunities of the great British electorate.
2006-11-24 04:53:19 · answer #9 · answered by Phlodgeybodge 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
John Smith - put simply, a solid and intelligent guy.
2006-11-24 04:45:06 · answer #10 · answered by The Global Geezer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋