Great Lives

Ernie Bevin, forgotten political giant


Listen Later

Ernie Bevin led an extraordinary life. Born in Somerset in 1881, his father is unknown and his mother died when he was eight. He left his job as a farm labourer age 11 and moved to Bristol, where he helped to found the Transport and General Worker's Union. He was Churchill's Labour minister in the wartime cabinet, and heavily involved in postwar reconstruction as Foreign secretary under Clement Attlee. He smoked too much and drank too much, and made a massive impression on everyone he met. So why is he not better known? Nominating him is Frances O'Grady, General Secretary of the TUC, Matthew Parris presents and also contributing is his biographer, Andrew Adonis, author of Ernest Bevin: Labour's Churchill.

The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Great LivesBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2

4.2

465 ratings


More shows like Great Lives

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,851 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

374 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,072 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,504 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,802 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

965 Listeners

In Our Time: Culture by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Culture

614 Listeners

Arts & Ideas by BBC Radio 4

Arts & Ideas

302 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,890 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,071 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,091 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

108 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

46 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

298 Listeners

Front Row by BBC Radio 4

Front Row

129 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

162 Listeners

Bookclub by BBC Radio 4

Bookclub

243 Listeners

Private Passions by BBC Radio 3

Private Passions

52 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,216 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

776 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,044 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

124 Listeners

A Good Read by BBC Radio 4

A Good Read

38 Listeners