Visions of a better world .......... nu 3 the political poster

Labour 1945

Now I have been thinking of election posters.

And it is easy to stick with those issued by the Party of preference.

But that would be to ignore a great chunk of history.

In 1945 the war in Europe had ended in May and the wartime Government announced a General Election for July 5th.

It was the first in ten years and given the popularity of Winston Churchill many assumed the Conservative Party he led would be victorious.

Conservative 1929

But while the war time leader was popular there was a mood for change and one that the Conservatives were not seen to be able to deliver. For many they were associated with the grim years of the 1930s dominated by mass unemployment, the Means Test and appeasement.

Some with longer memories reflected on the failure of the 1918 Conservative dominated government of Lloyd George and succeeding Tory governments to make Britain a land fit for heroes after the Great War.

This was in direct contrast to the policies of the Labour Party who were committed to social reform, ranging from a national health service, a new housing policy and an expansion of state funding for education.

Their slogan And Now Win the Peace offered a bright new future which reflected the aspirations of those who had fought in the Peoples’ War.

Liberal Party early 20th century

And for those who want to follow up on the remaining two posters with their visions of a better Britain the stories can also be read on the blog.*

Picture; Labour Party Campaign poster 1945, Labour Party, and reaming posters from Politics: Exploring the Political Poster in Britain which was on display at the People's History Museum, Manchester, in 2012, http://www.phm.org.uk/whatson/picturing-politics-exploring-the-political-poster-in-britain/

* Posters of the 20th century, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Posters%20from%20the%2020th%20century