Political Heroes from other Parties

An interesting meme has occured to me in that political bloggers get to mention five of their all-time favourite politicians. There is a catch however, they have to be from different political parties than your own. So for example if you are a Labour Party member like myself, you can only mention Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. I hope thats clear, so without further ado, I will grit my teeth and mention my five favourites

Sir Winston Churchill

An easy one to mention, plus its fair to mention that from 1940-1945, Churchill was Prime Minister for all the main political parties given the unique situation we were in. He helped raise morale during our time of need and showed tenacity and determination when it looked like we were going to lose. Not only that but what an incredibly charismatic man! He could be rude and bullying, and yet he was prepared to be friends with most people and cared for those who worked for him, even if he did insist on loyalty to the point where they had no life of their own. One of the most lovable and admired Prime Ministers we have had.

William Gladstone

Home Rule, Education Act, high morals, why not!

William Wilberforce

He worked hard and tirelessly to help eradicate slavery from Britain and her colonies and managed to draw a coalition of support in doing so

Harold Macmillan

Possibly one of my fav peacetime Prime Ministers outside the Labour Party. He supported the Third Way, was Centerist in his thinking, was anti-appeasment in the 1930s, worked hard to keep full employment, was supportive of the Wind of Change sweeping through Africa at the time, was aware of Britain as a declining power and tried to arrest that by trying to get us into Europe with the view that, coupled with Britain's role in the Commonwealth, would help keep our influence as a World power. Plus he used his Edwardian fogeyish image to cover the hard edges of a brilliant sharp wit

Shirley Williams

Slightly cheating here as she was a member of the Labour Party until 1981, when she and others failed to stay and fight against the Labour left and give it the hammering it deserved. That said she is thoughtful, concise, has (apart from her speech against the prospect of a new political party in 1980) stuck to her principles and a lesson to us all that one can be a force of nature in politics and be a nice person as well.

Tagging: Iain Dale, Rupa Huq, Tim Roll-Pickering, Linda Jack, and Alex Smith