Gaitskell, Hugh (Todd Naylor)

British Labour Party leader from 1955. In 1950 he became minister of economic affairs, and then chancellor of the Exchequer until October 1951. As party leader, he tried to reconcile internal differences on nationalization and disarmament.

Born in London, he was educated at Winchester public school and at Oxford, and later lectured on political economics at London University. He spent most of World War II working at the Ministry of Economic Warfare, and in 1945 became Labour member of Parliament for Leeds South, retaining this seat until his death. In 1955 he defeated Aneurin Bevan for the succession to Clement Attlee as Labour leader, and he was re-elected party leader in 1960. He died suddenly in office in 1963.