With Firth Hall illuminated in the red lights of the Labour Party, and party giants such as Paul Blomfield and Lord David Blunkett in attendance, there was a distinct anticipation in the packed room for the latest Off The Shelf Festival event – and for good reason! Speaking about his latest book Harold Wilson, about the life and times of the titular Prime Minister, former MP and Cabinet Minister Alan Johnson joined Professor Matthew Flinders to discuss the book and the man that inspired it.
Professing that he “is now a Swiftie” following the book’s publishing, Johnson spoke convincingly about who he perceives as “one of the greatest Prime Ministers”, his career, education and comedic nature, having pranked some of the greatest political figures of the 20th century, including the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher. From his inspirations in life from founder of the Scouting Movement Robert Baden-Powell to his near-death experience with typhoid, Wilson’s life was as varied and interesting as his career.
There were several occasions where Johnson’s comments drew quiet murmurs of agreement of nearby audience members, clearly in agreement regarding his career successes, an unusual phenomenon when discussing a former Prime Minister. Johnson even spoke to his opinion that Wilson was a better Prime Minister than the more well-reputed Clement Attlee, particularly when considering the “advances” that Wilson oversaw – “Attlee could have legalised homosexuality”.
Johnson’s no-nonsense approach to answering sometimes challenging questions was refreshing, and felt as if I was understanding, rather than just hearing, what he had to say. Focusing heavily on Wilson’s “love of statistics”, he outlined how it was Wilson who “made the case of nationalisation through his love of statistics”, which many would likely agree was a key tenet of the Labour movement before the rise of Thatcher. He was also unafraid to push back against Professor Flinders on a number of occasions, ensuring that the entire audience knew where he stood on a range of issues.
Hearing a former Cabinet Minister discussing a former Prime Minister with such honesty and candour was an entertaining and refreshing event in this year’s Off The Shelf line-up. From discussing Wilson’s “tremendous achievements”, to comedic anecdotes about Wilson’s maiden speech and even consideration of why “Don is only used by the Mafia and in higher education”, Johnson’s approach to his storytelling is unique, the talk exciting, and brings political history to new audiences without it feeling like a lecture or a plain documentary. His manner of handling difficult questions is commendable, and when talking about some of Labour’s greatest achievements was repeatedly resolute – “it was Wilson”.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Harold Wilson was published in September 2024. Other Off the Shelf Festival events can be found here
