The incomparable
Clem returns to his spiritual home
A champion of the East End and a great reformer
for social justice, former Prime Minister Clement Attlee, was
honoured with a statue unveiling at Queen Mary, University of
London on April 4.
Lord Mandelson unveiled the repaired statue of
Clement Attlee to commemorate Attlee’s achievements as the area’s
former MP, leader of the Labour Party and post-war Prime
Minister.
The statue owned by Tower Hamlets Council was originally located
in Limehouse in 1988 but over the years fell victim to
vandalism.
The Council and Queen Mary have worked together to restore the
statue back to its former glory. The College funded the restoration
and the statue is now on long term loan from the Council and
located on the college campus in Mile End.
Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman said:
“Recognising important historical figures that our area has
produced always makes me proud of this borough. And in this
current climate, we should be particularly proud of Attlee’s
achievements.
“First as Mayor of Stepney, he defended the
poor of this area against slum landlords. And later as MP for
Limehouse and as Prime Minister, he oversaw the creation of the
welfare state. Attlee was a truly courageous and inspired
politician.”
A lecture to celebrate Attlee’s achievements was delivered by
Lord Hennessy, Attlee Professor of Contemporary History at Queen
Mary.
Professor Hennessy said: “During Attlee’s time at the helm,
between 1945 and 1951, the British government took major steps to
nationalise major industries and public utilities as well as create
the National Health Service. He is often remembered as one of
Britain’s most popular leaders.”
Lord Mandelson was invited to reveal the statue, and its
commemorative plaque, as his grandfather Herbert Morrison was
Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House of Commons in
Attlee’s Cabinet
He joked: "What a delicious irony that I, of
all people, Herbert Morrison's grandson, should unveil a statue of
Clem who, of course, did not so much and struggled for so long to
deny my grandfather the leadership of the party. And how well he
did.
"It's true that my grandfather and Clem were
not soul mates but in a partnership you don't have to love each
other in order to make a good and effective team, as they
were."
He added: “Attlee took great pride in his work in the East End
and his achievements for social justice were incomparable. He
managed these extraordinary achievements in one term of Government.
The scale and speed of economic change is unlikely to be
surpassed.”
Attlee's granddaughter, Jo Roundell Greene and
great grandson Tom Roundell Greene were also present at the
event.
- Lord Mandelson also awarded the Attlee Prize for Academic
Attainment to 10 history students who achieved firsts on the
Cabinet and Premiership course run by the School of History.
- The course is taught by Professor Hennessy and Dr Jon Davis,
who both head up the Mile End Group, which brings in past political stars, including Lord
Mandelson, to enliven its teaching of British contemporary
political history.
April 5, 2011