Why did Stanley Baldwin secretly donate 20% of his wealth to the nation?

Since Attlee & Churchill

In 1919, a remarkable letter appeared in The Times. The author had estimated the value of his estate and decided to give 20% of it to the government as a 'thank offering' for the sacrifices made in the First World War. The letter was simply signed 'F.S.T.'. It would be several years before people discovered that the letters stood for 'Financial Secretary to the Treasury', the job held by future Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. In this podcast, Lee and Richard ask how and why Baldwin made this staggering yet secret gift and what it tells us about Britain's much overlooked three-time prime minister.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'The Conservative Human Rights Revolution: European Identity, Transnational Politics, and the Origins of the European Convention' by Marco Duranti. Available at: https://amzn.to/46Da89a

'Land of Shame and Glory: Britain 2021–22' by Peter Hennessy. Available at: https://amzn.to/3KnO7DQ

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Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - literally since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party.

Got a question or comment? Get in touch!

Richard: [email protected]

Lee: [email protected]

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