Churchill vs Attlee: The Election That Changed Britain

It was one of the most dramatic political upsets in British history. Just weeks after leading Britain to victory in Europe, wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill was defeated in a landslide by Clement Attlee and the Labour Party in the 1945 general election. How did the Conservatives lose so decisively? What did Labour offer that resonated so strongly with a war-weary public? And how did this election shape the foundations of Britain’s modern welfare state?For this, we're joined by David Runciman, host of 'Past Present Future' and 'Postwar', a 20-part series for Radio 4 that explores the seismic 1945 election. Dan and David discuss the personalities, policies, and pivotal moments that brought about the dawn of a new age.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.