Why did 120,000 Conservatives call themselves vermin?

In July 1948, just as the National Health Service was coming into being, Aneurin Bevan delivered a speech in which he declared that the Conservatives were “lower than vermin”. But rather than take offence, thousands of Tories decided to embrace the insult - and the Vermin Club was born. In this episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard and Lee explore the curious history of a political organisation that attracted as many as 120,000 members, including a young Margaret Thatcher. Why did Bevan make his infamous attack? How did the Conservatives turn his words into a badge of honour? And why was the Tory leadership so reluctant to embrace a movement that seemed to have captured the imagination of its own supporters?

The following books are mentioned in this episode:

'Huntingtower' by John Buchan. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780199537860

'Fruit Fly' by Josh Silver. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781836431473

NEW EVENT: Come along for a live version of Since Attlee & Churchill at the Buckinghamshire History Festival on 14th November in High Wycombe. Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/since-attlee-churchill-live-chequers-confidential-tickets-1993124324508?aff=oddtdtcreator

Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill

Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac

Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!

***

Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.