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Winston Churchill was a leader that stood tall in the face of adversity. He was a leader
during World War II that led Britain through a tough time and led Britain to victory. He was a
man that would not wavier while facing the adversity of war. He learned how to stand tall in the
face of adversity during his first years as a Member of Parliament. Through this time period,
1901-1911, Churchill was concerned with helping the nation, but he was going to help Britain
his way. He was born to be a politician, and had grown up in the “Tory fold” but he had an
“adventurous mind, forever on the move,” and this party with “static bounds” could not hold
him.1 Churchill opened his career as a Conservative, but as he realized he was getting mistreated
he jumped to the Liberal side. Churchill was a radical member during his first years in
Parliament. He was not concerned with his party but he was concerned with getting his ideas
through and climbing the political ladder. Churchill showed leadership qualities early in his
Parliamentary career that he displayed later as Prime Minister of Britain. He may have been in a
different party and may have been much more radical, but he showed his ability to make political
friends, his ability to stand firm in his beliefs, and his ability to give great speeches. These
qualities were necessary for him to move quickly up the political ladder and to eventually lead
Britain through one of its toughest times in history.
Winston Churchill was a war hero before he became a famous politician in Britain.
Stephen Graubard said that Britain came to love Churchill after his escape from the Boers,
because his escape had propelled him into the hearts of Britain.2 This reputation along with the
Tory’s claimed military victory over the Boers, led him to winning what later became known as
the Khaki Election.3 This was “the first ‘khaki’ election in British history,” it was the first time
an election had been called as the Conservatives called the election to “exploit the success of the
Boer War.4” This was Churchill’s first election victory and this started the great career of
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Winston Churchill. It was a hard fought victory as he won by a narrow margin. Martin Gilbert
writes that he won even though he had 16 less votes than the Liberal candidate, and The Times
even made a mistake and pronounced that Churchill had lost.5 The next day The Times
published that Churchill had won and acknowledged its mistake, meaning that Churchill and the
other Liberal candidate had been elected to Parliament.6 This was the election that sent Churchill
to Parliament and started his career as a Member of Parliament.
Once in Parliament Churchill made his presence known, starting with his first speech.
Richard Harding Davis wrote “It was a part of Churchill’s ‘luck’ that when he entered
Parliament the subject in debate was the conduct of the war.7” This was “luck” since Churchill
had just fought in the Boer War and had become famous for escaping from the Boers as a war
prisoner. Churchill’s first speech was important for him as it showed his ability to debate as he
was able to set traps within his speech, for Liberals, Conservatives, and Irish Radicals alike.8
Churchill impressed those who listened and according to Gilbert this was one of few first
speeches that the media published so widely.9 Many Conservative newspapers complimented
Churchill on his first speech in Parliament, the Daily Express noted it was “spell-binding” and
the Daily Telegraph wrote that it “instantly caught the tone and the ear of a House crowed in
every part.10” He was able to win over his Conservative doubters but he also showed
Parliament and the British media that he was able to hold his own under pressure.
Winston Churchill’s first speech let Parliament know that he was not just in on the coat
tails of his late father Lord Randolph Churchill. Winston Churchill showed that he had the
ability to make his own name in British politics. According to Virginia Cowles, Winston
Churchill was ambitious in his political career and people knew of it from his first days in
Parliament.11 Winston’s son, Randolph Churchill writes that even in his first vote he was not just
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voting based on his party as he found himself not voting with the Tories but as a Radical
instead.12 He began to associate himself with a group known as the Hooligans. Richard Davis
Harding noted that the Hooligans were very critical of the Ministry, but were “no longer
Conservatives or Liberals, but Protectionists or Free Traders.13” The Hooligans were an irritant
in the Parliament and did many things to go against the government according Virginia
Cowles.14
The Conservatives, in 1904, saw Churchill as an outsider and during one of his speeches,
the Unionist, got up and left. The Liberals were all that was left, which made it evident that
Churchill wanted to switch parties.15 Roy Jenkins writes in his biography that Joseph
Chamberlain had discovered Churchill’s cross party friendship with David Lloyd George and
said “I have felt for a long time- in fact from your first confidences to me- that you (Churchill)
would never settle down . . . and I expect you will drift [to the other side] before long.16”
Churchill did exactly that, in 1905 he jumped from the Conservative Party to the Liberal party.
Cowles writes that Churchill was a Conservative at heart, as many of his friends have testified,
but the Conservatives mistreated him so his animosity towards them made him a radical.17
Lewis Broad writes that this made Churchill the most hated Liberal politician by the
opposition.18 The Times on the other hand, as quoted in Cowles’ Winston Churchill: The Era and
The Man, said Churchill was “the greatest platform asset possessed by the Liberal party.19”
Churchill spent the next years working as a Liberal party member, furthering his friendship with
David Lloyd George and still working with the Hooligans. William Manchester writes that
Churchill was going to be Churchill; he was going to follow his beliefs no matter what, even
though he was a Liberal jumping from the Conservative party.20
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Churchill, in 1907-1908, was at a point in his career where he was looking for a political
promotion. He was first offered Financial Secretary of Treasury, but because he wanted a big
hand in South Africa and “more scope in the Commons,” he was given the Under- Secretary of
State for the Colonies.21 In 1908, Churchill had become the President of the Board of Trade,
which put him into the Cabinet. This angered the Conservatives greatly and saw him as “a traitor
to his class.22” According to Jenkins, Churchill wanted to “get as much fruit off it as he possibly
could.23” Churchill had little government experience up to this point but because he had become
famous the British people were attracted to him.24 In 1911, Churchill became the First Lord of
the Admiralty where he began his political career focusing on the British Military. Once
becoming First Lord, Churchill made many changes as he got rid of some of the senior officers
and put in a Naval War Staff, which had three divisions: operations, intelligence, and
mobilization.25 Churchill was very involved with this Navy expansion and renewing the AngloFrench Entente and many believed he was about to go back to the Conservatives.26
Churchill was a man always on the move and he used his leadership abilities to climb up
the political ladder that propelled him to eventually being placed in the Prime Minister’s Cabinet.
He used this to his advantage as he was a man that had lots of power during his career as a
member in Cabinet and a Member of Parliament. Churchill though was Churchill; he was a
radical and did not spare anyone as he was willing to follow his own beliefs to the top. He did
not conform to any party but followed his ideas on his way to becoming a household name in
Britain.
Churchill wanted attention, whether it was applause or disapproval. He wanted the
limelight. “He expected them (opposition), for he was preparing to hoist the banner of
rebellion.27” He wanted to make friends while in Parliament but he also did not care what others
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thought of him. Churchill had his own ideas and he was going to get those ideas passed.
According to Gordon Lewis Churchill “seeks action, not ideology.28” He had ideas but he
ultimately wanted these ideas passed and he was going to use who he had to use to get these
ideas passed. He wanted Britain to get rid of tariffs because he believed Britain would be better
suited as a free trade nation. He had very little education compared to the rest of those in
Parliament, so he did not know much about economics or even the meaning of free trade.
Churchill was looking into the free trade issue facing Britain so he went to his friend Mowat to
learn more about it. This quick lesson on free trade turned Churchill into a passionate supporter
of free trade.29 The issue of free trade was an important issue during the early part of the
twentieth century for Britain. It was important because Britain still wanted its Empire and still
wanted to control the trade of these colonies. Many thought free trade was bad for Britain
because it would allow other nations to trade with their colonies. Churchill though had become a
passionate supporter of free trade and wanted to see Britain become a free trade nation. He went
to the new Prime Minister Arthur Balfour and told him that he would fully support the
Conservative party if Balfour would fully support free trade. Churchill said he “would even
swallow 6 army corps,” if Balfour would push Britain towards free trade.30 This was a big leap
for Churchill to take since he believed Britain should only concentrate on its Navy and not
concern itself with extra Army expenditures. Once Churchill received an unsatisfactory answer
about free trade from Balfour, Churchill began looking at joining the Opposition. Their policies
and members began to look more and more appealing, besides Churchill never understood “the
importance of party discipline and unity.31” He had his own ideas and did not care whether they
fit in with party policies or not. This was an instance were Churchill could have used his
Conservative membership and friendship with Balfour to get free trade passed, but realizing it
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was not going to benefit him so Churchill was willing to go his own way. He was willing to go
his own way, but what made Churchill an effective politician was his ability of gaining
friendships with members across party lines.
The most important friendship that went across party lines was his friendship with David
Lloyd George. This friendship began in 1901, on the night of Churchill’s first speech as Lloyd
George said “the great admiration I have had . . . ever since I first met him.32” Each had an
admiration for each other as each had respect for one another as fellow politicians. According to
Marvin Rintala this friendship could have been “the longest political friendship in the life of
Great Britain.33” Churchill and David Lloyd George trusted each other and it was there
friendship that allowed each to climb up the political ladder as fast as they did.34 They had each
other’s back because they were each other’s closest political allies; they had each other’s trust.35
It was Lloyd George that twisted Prime Minister Asquith into letting Churchill become the First
Lord of the Admiralty.36 They were going to make sure that each was going to top government
positions. Churchill tried to get Lloyd George as Prime Minister in 1916, as he told Lloyd
George to get Asquith out. Churchill felt that Lloyd George was the only person fit to lead
Britain as Prime Minister and once Lloyd George pushed for Asquith out of the Prime Minister
position, Lloyd George became the Prime Minister in 1916.37 In 1915, Lloyd George resurrected
Churchill’s political career because Churchill was out of office and a non-factor in British
politics. This was a friendship that helped Churchill the most because it saved his political
career. He knew that he must reside in his closest ally and Lloyd George did his part by
protecting Churchill and allowing Churchill to take advantage of the opportunities that were
given to him.38
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Churchill’s biggest ally was Lloyd George but he had other friends that provided him
political firepower. This was evident when he became associated with the Hooligans. This group
consisted of Ian Malcolm, Lord Percy, Arthur Stanley, and Lord Hugh Cecil. This group was an
attempt at a fourth party as they began to meet for dinner on Thursday evenings.39 Churchill had
his own ideas and defended them to great extent, yet he agreed to assist Lord Hugh Cecil on
many occasions. Winston Churchill knew how to manipulate friendships so he could propel
himself to the top of the political chain. Churchill had a close enough tie with the Hooligans he
knew that if he helped out one they would come through to help him out. He used his ties with
the Hooligans to his advantage and used this as another way to put his plans and ideas through
Parliament. He wanted attention and he was going to do whatever it took to get that attention,
during his early political career as a Member of Parliament.
Churchill had the ability to form relationships with men that seem to be complete
opposite of him. He became good friends with John Morley, who was a pacifist and greatly
opposed the Boer War.40 Churchill did not fit the mold of a “Radical- Pacifist mold,” as he was
born to an aristocratic family, whose dad was a Tory.41 This was what Churchill did, the
unexpected, during his first years of Parliament he became friends with people who were
opposite of him. He was a Conservative but on many occasions voted with the Liberals and
seemed to have worked better with the Liberals. Party hoping was what characterized
Churchill’s early career. Those looking from the outside see him joining a different party and
making new friends but Churchill was in reality using others for his benefit. It was obvious early
on that Churchill “craved independence,” this was why early on he did not feel comfortable as a
Conservative member.42 When Churchill jumped to the Liberal Party, they accepted him but did
not necessarily love him. Their party and policies were already riding a tail of success.43
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According to Cowles “the truth was that he was absorbed by ideas, and knew very little about
people.44” That was who Churchill was, he was not concerned with people or friendships, and he
was concerned with friendships with people that could get his ideas and plans done. This can
explain him jumping from the Conservatives to the Liberals in 1904. He jumped from one party
to the other because he wanted to get his ideas passed or just looked at. He saw that friendships
with the right people could get his ideas passed through Parliament. He did not necessarily need
friends though because he was so passionate and convicted in his beliefs that it was a bit
contagious and this sometimes created friends for Churchill.
One of Churchill’s first plans that he was passionate about was turning Britain into a free
trading nation. He was willing to cooperate with Prime Minister Arthur Balfour and the
Conservative party to achieve that, but once realizing Balfour was not going to get what
Churchill wanted done they soon became enemies. This was not the only reason Churchill
jumped parties but it was the spark that put him over the edge. He was not a radical until it came
to splitting with his party over financial issues, which can date all the way back to 1900 over the
Army scheme.45 Once he was member of the Liberal party he began to throw cutting insults at
the Conservatives, almost as if he had never been one at all. These insults made him the most
hated man by the opposition, but he never backed down from the Conservatives.46 This became
very evident when he attempted to become political friends with Balfour but it did not work in
Churchill’s favor so in 1904 Churchill did everything in his power to get rid of Balfour. This
was not the only reason Churchill tried to get rid of Balfour but the Prime Minister had also been
criticized by many that politic was the “least of his concerns.47” Manchester writes that
Churchill did not care what others thought of him as his insults cut, and he wanted his ideas
passed and he did whatever it took.48 Churchill did gain political friends but his friends were not
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friends that he was trying to gain lifelong friends. He was only using these men to propel
himself up the political ladder or to get one of his policies passed. This was not to say that he
used everybody he came into contact with, but it showed that Churchill was an independent man
and was only looking out for Britain because he wanted what was best for Britain.
The common theme with Winston Churchill during his tenure as a Member of Parliament
was that he wanted his policies and his ideas done. He used other members to get his ideas
passed. Churchill not only used friends in Parliament to pass his policies but he also used his
strong will to get his objectives done. Churchill stood for his beliefs and it did not matter who
was against him. He did not care what party he was a member of because he was going to get his
political plans passed. Churchill was a man that had strong convictions and there was no one
who could convince him any other way.
Churchill was going to be himself, he was going to follow his beliefs no matter what, it
did not matter what party he was apart of.49 He jumped parties because he saw an opportunity to
use the people in the Liberal Party to help him move up with in the British Government. He did
not jump parties because he had an ideological change. He was always the same ideologically as
he was more concerned with the nation than he was individuals.50 This shows that Churchill was
man that was firm in his beliefs and was firm in his convictions.
Churchill had two important issues he concentrated on as a Tory back bencher and even
as a Liberal. These issues were Army reform and the economy.51 This goes back to even his
first speech as a Tory, as he spoke in support of the Boer War. He spoke on this issue despite
“the advice of older Tories.52” He opened his career doing his own thing. The older
Conservatives did not want him to speak on this issue because he was inexperienced and because
the controversy that surrounded the Boer War. Another reason the older Tories balked at
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Churchill speaking was that David Lloyd George, an experienced speaker and debater, was also
speaking that day. Winston Churchill despite all of the opposition still stood up and spoke
advocating Britain’s actions in the Boer War. He was determined to give this first speech and
was going to give it no matter what. This also shows his greatness as he was confident enough in
himself that he was determined to speak his mind on the Boer War, but it was also a successful
speech because of his passion for what he was speaking on. Churchill never backed down from
any opposition particularly if it was opposition to his ideas. He believed what he believed no
matter what, and he was like this partially because of what Violet Asquith noted “lack of formal
education.53” This was going be what Churchill followed while participating in Parliament; he
was going to follow his own beliefs.
Winston Churchill once said “Politicians rise by toil and struggles. They expect to fall;
they hope to rise again.54” He was going fall and rise again based on his views and on his
beliefs. One of his first victories came at his hard stance on not increasing expenditure on an
Army. Churchill believed the Empire should be concentrated on its naval power. He opposed
William Brodrick’s bill that proposed Britain’s need for 3 Army Corps. This was a watershed
victory for Churchill as he opposed his fellow Tory members. Broderick wanted to push for an
extra three million pounds for an army upgrade. He wanted to see the Army upgrade to three
Army corps, but after Churchill researched this issue he saw it not advisable to support this and
deemed it bad use of money. Churchill felt that the money would be better spent supporting the
Navy.55 Many thought he would jump from this position but it was not so as “no one but himself
could persuade him to abandon it.56” It was not that Churchill did not want to help the army, but
he felt that “one was quite enough to fight savages, and three not enough to even begin to fight
Europeans.57” He persuaded Parliament to not pass this bill and convinced them that Britain did
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not need to increase the size of their Army at that moment. This was the first of many victories
where Churchill was passionate about the proposal or bill and wanted it either to pass because he
felt it would help Britain or fail because he felt it would hurt Britain. After this victory Churchill
became more and more outspoken about his convictions, this was how Churchill became
Churchill; he followed his own beliefs no matter who was against him.
The important thing Churchill did when backing a bill or tearing a bill down he was
educated about the issue at hand. He never attacked a proposal until he knew more about it, and
he never went against a proposal until he knew more about it. He did whatever it took for him to
learn about that particular proposal. This also helped him become passionate about it, as he had
taken in both sides of the issue and decided on what side he would take. He took a stance on an
issue and never backed down and this enabled him to defend it at all costs. This was not just a
characteristic of Churchill while he was Liberal or while he was a Conservative but he was
passionate about his beliefs all through his career as a Member of Parliament. He took pride in
working hard and putting his mind to work for the benefit of the British people. Churchill may
have not been the most educated man in Parliament but he worked hard at learning about the
subject so he could passionately defend his side of the issue.
Churchill typically stood by one side and defended it until the very end. The Irish Home
Rule Bill was one of the few instances where he seemed to flip flop in the public eye. This issue
was brought up early in Churchill’s career as he declared “I am a Unionist,” in his 1899
campaign for election to Parliament.58 He was a Unionist and thought that a separate Parliament
would not be a good thing for Britain. He changed a bit though in 1904, his first year as a
Liberal. Churchill said he was still against two Parliaments but thought it might be better if
Ireland was allowed “provincial councils” to rule.59 This was not exactly home rule for the Irish
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but it was Churchill’s first step in that direction. He still could not fully support a separate
Parliament for Ireland publicly but he was looking in that direction. In 1911 though it became
apparent to Churchill that both houses would be able to pass home rule legislation, and “he was
determined to play a leading role.60” Churchill then became the politician everyone knows and
became convicted about the Irish Home Rule Bill. He worked hard to get it passed but after a
fair compromise with Prime Minister Asquith, which the Ulster Unionist rejected, Churchill then
turned against the Unionist.61 Churchill was not typically a proponent of colonies becoming selfgoverning but Churchill saw this bill as another chance to get attention. Churchill at first did not
know what he felt about the Irish Home Rule Bill, but once he picked a side he was passionate
about it and fought until the very end.
Another issue that Churchill was very passionate about was social welfare in Britain. He
had put a plan before Parliament that would start a state welfare system for Britain. The main
enemy against this system was his old party, the Conservative Party.62 He was able to get a few
parts of his plan passed though. Churchill was able to “fix minimum and conditions in various
‘sweated’ industries,” and “set up a chain of public labour exchanges.63” These labor exchanges
were supposed to help men that had been laid off to find a job. These were the only parts of
Churchill’s program that would be passed but it would coincide with David Lloyd George’s
future unemployment insurance in 1911.64 Once they received this glimmer of light Lloyd
George and Churchill went on the attack of the House of Lords and had even declared a “class
war” against the aristocracy.65 Churchill though got done what he wanted to get done and that’s
putting in his welfare plan, although it was not his entire plan it was enough to satisfy Churchill.
It showed that he could win even among immense opposition, but his friendship with David
Lloyd George helped him put part of his plan through. Winston Churchill was passionate and
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was going to do and say whatever it took to get it passed. He was especially strong when he had
people behind him, because his passion was shared among all those who backed him.
This strength was seen when Churchill and the Hooligans caught a chance to bring
negative press about the government. Churchill and the Hooligans brought issues against Lord
Roberts, the Commander in Chief. In June of 1902, Sandhurst had experienced its fifth fire
within the year.66 There was an investigation into arson but out of the 29 cadets and 3 “aged
servants” none were found guilty yet all of them were dismissed from the prestigious military
school.67 Churchill pushed this to the House of Commons and it was also brought up in the
House of Lords, each found that there was injustice done to these cadets and “aged servants” and
all were allowed to finish out.68 The Times gave Churchill a compliment, once the ruling was
handed down, calling him “an effective advocate.69” The issue was neither too big nor too small
if Churchill wanted it done in Parliament then it was going to get done. His passion carried over
to others, which was how him and the Hooligans were able to get this injustice pointed out.
Churchill and the Hooligans brought this before the two Houses because they wanted to bring
problems to the British Government. This showed Parliament and the media that Churchill was
passionate about anything that fell within his beliefs. Many times it did not even have to be one
of his ideas, but it may have helped him achieve a political objective. Churchill was a man of
action and was passionate about whatever he was doing.
Churchill’s passion was a reason why he was such a force with in British politics during
the early part of the 1900’s. This passion he had resulted in him putting everything he had into
each and every national issue. He never backed down from what he believed in even if there was
severe opposition. The opposition may have even won the argument in Parliament but he never
regretted believing what he believed in. He stood by his convictions no matter what party he was
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in and this was what made Churchill, Churchill. He was rebellious during this time period but he
was also independent in his thoughts and was not willing to back down from any one. This
leadership characteristic helped him while leading his constituency in Parliament but it also
helped him become one of the greatest Prime Ministers in the twentieth century.
Winston Churchill was passionate about his convictions yet most of that passion was
conveyed through his speeches. His speeches grabbed the media and the nation’s attention and
showed them the passion he had for making Britain into better nation. They were effective and
simple, and Churchill put lots of work into each speech. Every speech he gave was memorized,
and was so focused on the words he wanted to say that he had a hard time deviating from his
memorized speeches.70 Churchill’s speeches were able to not just get his point across but
persuade others to at least see his side. His speeches also had the ability to cut deep and to make
enemies. The insults he put in there showed Churchill did not care what others thought about
him. The first speech he gave in Parliament makes the point clear that he was going to speak his
mind no matter what.
Churchill’s first speech in Parliament was given during a time of controversy over the
Boer War. Many older Tories had told Churchill not to give this speech.71 They did not want
him to give the speech because of the controversy surrounding the war but also David Lloyd
George was scheduled to speak that day also. Lloyd George had the reputation of being a great
debater and many thought Churchill would not be as successful as he was. Churchill’s first
speech was a watermark event for his political career because it showed he was a well spoken
Member of Parliament that could convey his ideas in a very effective manner. His first speech
opened up with a comment against David Lloyd George saying “instead of making his speech
without moving his amendment, he had moved his amendment without making his speech.72”
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He of course got a few laughs but Churchill with that statement grabbed Parliament’s attention.
Also during this speech he showed he was not scared to put out traps for others in Parliament as
he pulled in Irish nationalists, Liberals, and Conservatives. Churchill in this speech wanted
Parliament to either push the Boer’s to surrender or make it “painful and perilous for them to
continue in the field.73” This first speech though was summed up best by the sketch writer of the
Daily Telegraph said “He had a great opportunity and he satisfied the highest expectations. He
held a crowded House spell-bound.74”
His oratory skills propelled him from just a new Member of Parliament to a force to be
reckoned with. Speaking in Parliament was a skill that many Members’ of Parliament had to
practice at and work at. Churchill practiced, in fact he memorized every speech he gave. He
was a better speaker than most of the media and members expected. His speeches were speeches
that convinced people that his side was the best side. This was a tool he used to his advantage on
many occasions.
Joseph Chamberlain was speaking against free trade as he was proposing for “tariffs as a
bargaining weapon with protectionist states.75” Churchill of course wanted to see Britain turn to
free trade. Chamberlain was going through the whole country stating his claim and said that
Churchill’s plan was terrible and Britain would suffer because of it. Churchill was doing the
same thing and was speaking just as adamant for free trade.76 He was such a good speaker and
could convince anyone. Churchill had confidence in himself and went to Chamberlain’s home of
Birmingham. “The crowd that came to mob the member of Oldham remained to cheer.77”
Churchill was able to convince anyone his side was better even in the enemy’s backyard. He
never delivered a fatal blow to Chamberlain but his “oratorical stones . . . were sorely
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troublesome.78” Churchill was indeed a great speaker and this was what made him such an
important person in British politics.
Churchill knew he was a good speaker as he spoke often in the House of Commons,
every chance he could get.79 He knew that he could affect the outcome of a vote if he was able
to get up and speak about it. Churchill was a good speaker but he also was a good debater. He
worked hard on his speeches, but he also worked hard at listening to the opposition. He was
always prepared for his speeches but he was also prepared to give an answer to the opposition.80
Churchill understood the importance words could have to a group of people. He made sure that
he knew each word that he rehearsed and wrote down, because each word he had, had an
important role in his speech. Winston Churchill was considered the hardest working man in
England. He rarely made a social appearance and his bedroom was even turned into another
work area.81 Churchill loved to work. “His first two weeks as an MP he dined out 8 times,
attended a trade conference, conducted an inquiry at the Treasury, called on the Prime Minister,
delivered 3 speeches in the House, campaigned for a Conservative candidate in Manchester.82”
He loved to work but he worked on everything involved with his job in Parliament. This was
why his speeches were so effective because the hard work he put into his whole life, he also put
into his speeches.
His speeches were effective because of his hard work on them but they were also
effective because they were not political. They were not political because Churchill spoke his
mind. Many politicians give speeches that are politically correct, and give speeches that do not
truly reveal what these men are truly thinking. Churchill on the other hand delivered his
speeches based on what he thought, he was not politically correct. People respected his speeches
because of the way he spoke his mind and let people know what he was truly thinking. His first
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speech showed this as Churchill went right at those wanting to use diplomacy with the Boers, he
said “I do not see anything to rejoice at in that prospect,” because he believed the Boers would
continue to cry “Death or Independence!83” Churchill let Parliament know that he believed
presenting the Boers with peace talks would not work. His free trade campaign was another
instance where he went right at the opposition. He said “Mr. Chamberlain’s motives no doubt
are pure enough, but what about some of those who were supporting him- those rich landlords
and wealthy manufacturers who jostled one another on his platform?84” He wanted to prove in
this speech that tariffs only benefit those business owners who impose them. Churchill wanted
to show that free trade would help the common man. This was how Churchill spoke, he did not
care what people thought about him as long as he got his point across. His speeches were what
he was thinking, because the goal of his speeches were to get his point across and the only way
he knew to do that was his way.
Churchill was an excellent speaker and his speeches were what truly made Churchill. His
speeches let the British people see him and let the British people know who he was. This
allowed Churchill to fit in with the common man and not just a Member of Parliament. His first
speech made his entrance as a great speaker in British politics. He wanted each word written
down to be spoken, thus he memorized each speech he wrote. He knew that each word written
down was important so he made sure that each word was spoken. Churchill made his speeches a
part of him and allowed people to hear his speeches and see what Churchill was truly thinking.
He did not hold back while delivering his speeches. These speeches are what made Churchill
such a leader in British politics because he ultimately was able to convince people that his side
was the best. He was able to persuade anyone who would listen to Churchill and this was a
characteristic that made Churchill such an important name in British politics during the 1900’s.
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Winston Churchill was busy man during his years as a Member of Parliament during the
early 1900’s. Gordon Lewis writes that Churchill “as a politician he has mastered that most
terrible of audiences, the House of Commons.85” He tried to have his hand in everything that
happened and wanted to be an individual with his own ideals. “He was never a party ‘regular’
and since parliamentary government means party government his individualism has earned him
the deep distrust of the party organizations.86” He was an independent in his views and did not
try to be tied down to a particular party. He was elected as a Tory but realizing that he did not
feel comfortable in that party jumped to the Liberal party. Churchill was going to do his own
thing and he did not care because he wanted his ideas to get passed.
Churchill may have not had great relations with the party system but he used his ability to
attract political friends to get his agenda done. His first group of friends that allowed Churchill
to get his agenda done by attacking the government was the Hooligans. His association with the
Hooligans began to turn into an attempt to be a fourth party. Although this never really became
that strong, the Hooligans gave Churchill some backing to get his ideas heard. Another friend
that Churchill benefited greatly from was David Lloyd George. These two looked out for each
other and did not allow either to become politically dead. Churchill had other friends in
Parliament but his friends were friends he could turn on if they would not get him what he
wanted.
Churchill had friends but he was also passionate about his theories, ideas, and policies.
He believed that his ideas were good ideas and that his ideas would work the best. This made
Churchill push his passion for his policies on other people. He also would not back down from
the opposition no matter how big the opposition was. He had passion but he also had knowledge
on the issue at hand. He did not go into Parliament blindly, but he went in with knowledge and
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passion and he knew he could not loose. He was a powerful force when he knew that he could
win the argument. This passion made Churchill a national icon and it carried over to his
speeches.
Churchill was famous for his speeches because of how passionate he was during his
speeches. He believed in what he was saying and he believed it was the best idea out there. He
worked extremely hard on his speeches and because of that he memorized each word he had
written down. He knew he was a good speaker and would take every opportunity he could to
speak in Parliament. The speeches were also genuine, they were not political. Churchill did not
tell the people what they wanted to hear he told them what he wanted them to hear that may or
may not be politically correct. Churchill spoke his mind and he did not care who he offended
and this was what made the British people respect him. They heard his speeches and heard what
Churchill truly thought about a subject. This characteristic made Churchill a household name in
Britain.
Many of Churchill’s colleagues were amazed and a bit surprised of his rapid rise in
Parliament. Sir Edward Grey said Churchill has made all these political and war achievements
and “he has not reached the age of 64, which is the minimum age at which the politician ceases
to be young.87” Winston Churchill achieved a lot as a politician and that was because he put
leadership qualities into his life as a Member of Parliament. Winston Churchill was a great
leader and was one of the greatest leaders in the history of the world. He became a great leader
because he began his political career putting these characteristics in his life. Winston Churchill
had an ability to use people in Parliament to get what he wanted and if they did not provide that
then he was not scared to throw them to the side. He was also passionate about his ideas and
policies and that passion was backed with knowledge that allowed him to back down from
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nobody. Churchill also conveyed his passion for his ideas through his speeches. His speeches
were able to convince people that his side was the best side, which gave the power of his words.
Winston Churchill prepared himself to be a great leader by making friends, bringing passion, and
making speeches.
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1
Bonham Violet Carter, Winston Churchill: An Intimate Portrait (New York: Harcourt, Brace
and World, 1965), 76.
2
Stephen R. Graubard, Burke, Disraeli, and Churchill: The Politics of Perseverance (Cambridge:
Harvard University Press, 1962), 177.
3
Graubard, 177.
4
Ted Morgan, Churchill: Young Man in a Hurry, 1874-1915 (New York: Simon and Schuster,
1982), 138.
5
Martin Gilbert, Churchill: A Life (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1991), 135.
6
Ibid, 136.
7
Richard Harding Davis, The Young Winston Churchill: A Biography of a Statesman, Written in
1906 (Austin: The Pemberton Press, 1964), 48
8
Randolph S. Churchill, Winston S. Churchill Volume 2: Young Statesman, 1901-1914 (Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1967), 10.
9
Gilbert, 139.
10
Gilbert, 139.
11
Virginia Cowles, Winston Churchill: The Era and the Man (New York: Harper, 1953), 89.
12
Randolph Churchill, 3.
13
Davis, 50.
14
Carter, 70.
15
Davis, 51
16
Roy Jenkins, Churchill: A Biography. (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001), 92.
17
Cowles, 108.
18
Lewis Broad, Winston Churchill, 1874-1951 (New York: Philosophical Library, 1952), 62.
19
Cowles, 119.
20
William Raymond Manchester, The Last Lion, Winston Spencer Churchill: Vision’s of Glory,
1874-1932. (Boston: Little Brown, 1983), 372.
21
Cowles, 111.
22
Ibid., 113.
23
Jenkins, 143.
24
Jenkins, 90.
25
Paul Addison, Churchill: The Unexpected Hero (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005), 5960
26
Addison, 63.
27
Manchester, 342.
28
Gordon K. Lewis, “On The Character and Achievement of Sir Winston Churchill,” The
Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science (1957), 182.
29
Manchester, 352.
30
Ibid., 353.
31
Ibid., 356.
32
Marvin Rintala, Lloyd George and Churchill: How Friendship Changed Politics (London:
Madison Books, 1995), 69.
33
Rintala, 69.
34
Ibid.,72.
35
Ibid., 75.
36
Ibid., 73.
37
Ibid., 74.
38
Ibid., 75.
39
Randolph Churchill, 21.
40
Broad, 60.
41
Cowles, 106-107.
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42
Graubard, 178.
Jenkins, 89.
44
Cowles, 93.
45
Ibid., 108.
46
Broad, 62.
47
Carter, 85.
48
Manchester, 360.
49
Ibid., 372.
50
Cowles, 107.
51
Carter, 72.
52
Manchester, 342.
53
Ibid., 348-349.
54
Winston Churchill, ed. by Colin Reith Coote and Denzil Batchelor, Maxims and Reflections
(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1949), 145.
55
Randolph Churchill, 16-17
56
Manchester, 347-348.
57
Randolph Churchill, 19.
58
Ian Chambers, “Winston Churchill and Irish Home Rule, 1899-1914,” Parliamentary History
(2000): 409.
59
Chambers, 410.
60
Chambers, 415.
61
Chambers, 419.
62
Piers Brendon, Winston Churchill: A Brief Life (London: Secker and Warburg, 1984), 53.
63
Brendon, 53.
64
Ibid., 53
65
Ibid., 54
66
Randolph Churchill, 44.
67
Ibid., 45.
68
Randolph Churchill, 45.
69
Ibid., 45.
70
Cowles, 92.
71
Manchester, 342.
72
Winston Churchill, Never Give In! : The Best of Winston Churchill’s Speeches. (New York:
Hyperion, 2003), 8.
73
Winston Churchill, 9.
74
Ibid., 8.
75
Lewis Broad, Winston Churchill: The Years of Preparation (New York: Hawthorn Books,
1958), 112.
76
The Years of Preparation, 112.
77
Ibid., 113.
78
The Years of Preparation, 113.
79
Cowles, 92
80
Manchester, 344-345
81
Cowles, 91.
82
Manchester, 376.
83
Winston Churchill, 9
84
Ibid., 19.
85
Lewis173.
86
Ibid., 178.
87
Davis, 4.
43