born Nov. 15, 1897, Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Eng.
died July 6, 1960, Chesham, Buckinghamshire
British politician.
As a young man, he entered Labour Party politics and was elected to the House of Commons in 1929. He overcame a speech impediment to become a brilliant orator. As minister of health in Clement Attlee 's government (194551), "Nye" Bevan established the National Health Service . He was minister of labour (1951) but resigned in protest against rearmament expenditures that reduced spending on social programs. A controversial figure in the Labour Party, he headed its left-wing (Bevanite) group and was the party's leader until 1955.