Arthur Henderson

Arthur Henderson began as an iron moulder before entering politics, where he became the first Labour cabinet minister in British history. His colleagues called him "Uncle Arthur" for his integrity and unshakeable calm, and he led the Labour Party across three different decades — a feat no one else managed. He won five by-elections in five different constituencies, each time securing a new parliamentary seat. Early on his policies ran close to the Liberals', favoring arbitration and conciliation over confrontation. The trade unions resisted that approach and repeatedly blocked his attempts to u…