The Lord Hore-Belisha | |
|---|---|
 Leslie Hore-Belisha | |
| Secretary of State for War | |
| In office 28 May 1937 – 5 January 1940 | |
| Prime Minister | Neville Chamberlain |
| Preceded by | Duff Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Hon. Oliver Stanley |
| Minister of Transport | |
| In office 29 June 1934 – 28 May 1937 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Hon. Oliver Stanley |
| Succeeded by | Leslie Burgin |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 29 September 1932 – 29 June 1934 | |
| Prime Minister | Ramsay MacDonald |
| Preceded by | Walter Elliot |
| Succeeded by | Duff Cooper |
| Member of Parliament for Plymouth Devonport | |
| In office 6 December 1923 – 15 June 1945 | |
| Preceded by | Clement Kinloch-Cooke |
| Succeeded by | Michael Foot |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Isaac Leslie Belisha 7 September 1893 Hampstead, London, England |
| Died | 16 February 1957 (aged 63) Reims, France |
| Political party | |
| Spouse |
Cynthia Elliot (m. 1944) |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Oxford |
Leslie Hore-Belisha, 1st Baron Hore-Belisha, PC (/ˈhɔːr bəˈliːʃə/; né Isaac Leslie Belisha; 7 September 1893 – 16 February 1957) was a British Liberal, then National Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) and Cabinet Minister. He later joined the Conservative Party. He proved highly successful in modernising the British road system in 1934–1937 as Minister of Transport. As War Secretary, 1937–1940, he feuded with the commanding generals and was removed in 1940. Some writers believe anti-semitism played a role in both his dismissal and in blocking his appointment as Minister of Information.[1][2] One historian compares his strong and weak points:
He was a brilliant speaker, a warm and engaging personality, a go-getter and a persistent driver, a master of the unconventional or indirect approach, a patriot and a man of moral and physical courage, not a great intellect but an original with a flair for imaginative gestures and for public relations. He also had personal weaknesses. He was extremely self-centred and had a fine conceit of himself. At times he was accused of sharp practice. ... Sharp practitioner or not, [his] quickness of mind and tongue, and transparent ambition to be seen to succeed, made him vulnerable to smears. ... His over-assertiveness ... led him to appear inconsiderate of the feelings and views of others.[3]: 397–398
His name is still widely associated in the UK with the introduction of flashing amber "Belisha beacons" at pedestrian crossings while he was Minister for Transport.
- ^ Holmes, Colin (2016). A Tolerant Country? Immigrants, Refugees and Minorities. Oxfordshire: Routledge. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-138-93422-1.
- ^ Harry Defries (2014). Conservative Party Attitudes to Jews 1900–1950. Routledge. pp. 180–81. ISBN 9781135284626.
- ^ Trythall, A. J. (1981). "The Downfall of Leslie Hore-Belisha". Journal of Contemporary History. 16 (3): 391–411. doi:10.1177/002200948101600301. JSTOR 260312. S2CID 159844239.