Alan Johnson on Harold Wilson

Alan Johnson on Harold Wilson

  • Ages 16+

Harold Wilson, former Labour cabinet minister and bestselling author Alan Johnson presents a portrait of a truly 20th-century man.

By Huddersfield Literature Festival

Date and time

Sun, 11 May 2025 16:00 - 17:00 GMT+1

Location

Diamond Jubilee Lecture Theatre, Charles Sikes Building, University of Huddersfield

78 Firth Street Aspley Huddersfield HD1 3BN United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this event

  • Event lasts 1 hour
  • Ages 16+

Harold Wilson was one of the most successful politicians of the 20th century.

Prime Minister from 1964-70, and again from 1974-76, he won four elections as well as a referendum on UK membership of the European Community. The achievements of the Wilson Era – from legalising homosexuality to protecting ethnic minorities, from women’s rights to the Open University – radically improved ordinary people’s lives for the better.

In Harold Wilson, former Labour cabinet minister and bestselling author Alan Johnson presents a portrait of a truly 20th-century man, whose ‘white heat’ speech proclaimed a scientific and technological revolution – and who was as much a part of the Sixties as the Beatles and the Profumo scandal.

Alan Johnson served in the Blair and Brown governments as Work and Pensions Secretary, Trade and Industry Secretary, Education Secretary, Health Secretary and Home Secretary. Having left school aged 15 and failed in his attempts to become a rock star, he joined the Post Office and rose through the ranks to become became the youngest ever General Secretary of the Union Of Post Office Workers. He was MP for Hull West and Hessle through five general elections, standing down at the 2017 election.

He is the author of three novels and four multi-award-winning memoirs: This Boy, Please Mr Postman, The Long and Winding Road and In My Life – A Music Memoir. He and his wife Carolyn live in East Yorkshire.

This event is sponsored by Wilkinson Woodward Solicitors


HYBRID EVENT – this is a Hybrid event, which can be attended in person at the venue or accessed online. Simply select General Admission or e-ticket at checkout, and a link for online access will be sent to you the day before the event takes place.

ACCESSIBILITY – This event will have live subtitling by Stagetext to make it more accessible to those who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing. If you are attending with a carer, please book an additional free ticket for them.

Access and Covid safety measures: if you have specific access needs or queries and/or prefer to be seated away from other audience members as a Covid safety measure, please contact our Admin at: info@huddlitfest.org.uk with your request.

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£0 – £16.96