Prime Minister of England | |
Predecessor | TBD |
Successor | Charles Armstrong |
Leader of the Social Democratic Party | |
Predecessor | TBD |
Successor | TBD |
Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic Party | |
Predecessor | TBD |
Successor | TBD |
Minister for Agriculture | |
Successor | TBD |
Born | 1880 |
Died | 1967 |
Spouse | Mary Holt |
Political Party | Social Democratic Party |
Profession | Trade Unionist, Politician |
Ernest Holt (1880=1967) was an English Social Democrat politician who served as Prime Minister of England from 1945 to 1951, as well as Leader of the Social Democratic Party from 1940 to 1955.
Holt led the SDP to a landslide election victory in 1945.
The Holt government was one of the most radical and reforming in English history, nationalising key sectors of the economy, inluding the railways, steel and coal industries. Holt also built an expansive welfare state, including universal health insurance, universal pensions and unemployment benefit.
Following the defeat of 1951 Holt continued to lead the SDP in opposition, before retiring aged 75 in 1955. He remained a backbench member of parliament until his death in 1967.