Editing Hugh Gaitskell (section)

=== Unilateral disarmament ===
[[Unilateral disarmament|Unilateral nuclear disarmament]] was increasingly popular amongst union activists and was also debated in several union conferences in the spring and summer of 1960. The great majority of the PLP supported [[NATO]] and multilateral disarmament.<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.291" />

Gaitskell took on Frank Cousins and wanted to show that Labour were a party of government, not just of opposition. At the October 1960 [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]] Conference two resolutions in favour of unilateral disarmament – proposed by the TGWU and the Engineers' Union – were carried, whilst the official policy document on defence was rejected. Gaitskell roused his supporters by promising to "Fight and Fight and Fight Again" to reverse the decision. Labour doctrine was that the Parliamentary Party had discretion over the timing of implementation of conference policy. In practice, in the 1940s and '50s, the unions, whose block votes dominated conference, had been broadly supportive of the PLP, but this was now beginning to change.<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.292">Matthew 2004, p.292</ref> Gaitskell was challenged unsuccessfully for the leadership by [[Harold Wilson]] [[1960 Labour Party leadership election|in November 1960]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/harold-wilson-2/ |title=Harold Wilson |website=number10.gov.uk |access-date=2011-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011161640/http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/harold-wilson-2/ |archive-date=11 October 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The [[Blackpool]] Conference of October 1961 saw a narrow conference vote in favour of ''multi''lateral disarmament.<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.292" /> Winning the unilateralism vote in 1961 restored Gaitskell's authority in the party and his reputation in the country.<ref name="Campbell 2010, p241">Campbell 2010, p241</ref> Unilateral nuclear disarmament remained a divisive issue, and many on the Left continued to call for a change of leadership. Gaitskell was again challenged unsuccessfully for the Labour leadership [[1961 Labour Party leadership election|in November 1961]], this time by [[Tony Greenwood, Baron Greenwood of Rossendale|Anthony Greenwood]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2010/10/16/where-have-all-the-scots-gone-and-are-they-coming-back-asks-kevin-meagher/|title=Where have all the Scots gone, and are they coming back, asks Kevin Meagher? " Labour Uncut|work=labour-uncut.co.uk|access-date=13 April 2016}}</ref>

The [[Campaign for Democratic Socialism]] was founded to promote the Gaitskellite cause – it never acquired much influence in the ranks of the trades unions, but achieved some success in promoting the selection of friendly Parliamentary candidates.<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.292" /> Many of the younger CDS members would later be among the founding members of the [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|breakaway Social Democratic Party (SDP)]] in 1981.<ref name="Charlton">{{Cite book  | last1 = Charlton | first1 = Michael | author-link = Michael Charlton (journalist) | title = The Price of Victory | year = 1983 | publisher = [[BBC]] | location = London  | isbn = 0-563-20055-3 | page = 274 }}</ref>

[[Richard Hamilton (artist)|Richard Hamilton]] with his wife, Terry Hamilton, both supporters of [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]], collaborated to produce ''Portrait of Hugh Gaitskell as a Famous Monster of Filmland'', 1964, with Richard completing the piece in 1964 after Terry's death in 1962. [[Arts Council England]] bought the piece for the national collection, which caused controversy. The painting was considered a tasteless attack. Hamilton stated in his posthumously published autobiography (written in the third person):

{{blockquote|When it was completed he was unhappy about the result. The painting did not have the aggression he had intended or the stylistic polarity he had aimed at. It was perhaps too smart-alecky, too clever: sarcasm was not the right tool for a subject that affected all humanity.<ref>Richard Hamilton, Philip Spectre, Introspective, 2019, (Köln:Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König), p. 164</ref>}}