In 1945, on this day in an election broadcast, caretaker Prime Minister Winston Churchill accurately predicted the demise of parliamentary democracy in post-war Britain.DLG '40 - Part 6: The Rise of the Labour Party Executive
Throughout the campaign, the Prime Minister had issued warnings about the Socialist programme of Clement Attlee and the Labour Party, but had discredited himself with his Gestapo Speech of June 4th. Churchill did not fear Clement Attlee, a trusted colleage who had served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Coalition Government - a strong bond existed between the Leaders of the Conservative and Labour Party. Attlee along with senior ministers Ernest Bevin and Herbert Morrison were prepared to continue the Coalition Government until the defeat of Japan, but Labour Party activities at the Annual Conference in Bournement had refused. On May 21, Attlee had telephoned Churchill from the conference to tell him that the Coalition was finished.
Rather, Churchill's warnings of June 20th were targeted not at the Parliamentary Labour Party, but the Labour Party Executive headed by Chairman Harold Laski (pictured). Control of the Parliamentary Labour Party would be exercised by "unrepresentative powers who would share the secrets and give the orders to the so-called Ministers of the Crown".
Attlee himself was to look into the abyss very shortly. Only days later, Laski announced that although Attlee would attend the Potsdam Conference with Churchill, the Labour Party would not be committed to any decisions reached there, as these would not have been debated by the Labour Party Executive.