From Communist Beginnings to Labour Firebrand
A former member of the Communist Party—explaining they were the only party “unambiguously against Hitler”—Denis Healey made his presence felt early. At the 1945 Labour conference, he delivered an explosive speech, savaging the “selfish, depraved, dissolute, and decadent” upper class.
Healey was elected to Parliament in 1952 in the safe seat of Leeds South East. In 1955, he moved to Leeds East, which he represented until his retirement in 1992. Following the death of close associate Hugh Gaitskell in 1963, Healey backed James Callaghan in the Labour leadership contest, but after Callaghan’s elimination he cast his vote for ex-Bevanite Harold Wilson—despite being firmly in the right-wing Gaitskell camp.
Defence Secretary Under Wilson
Under Wilson’s premiership, Healey became Shadow Defence Secretary and, after Labour’s 1964 victory, Defence Secretary itself. In stark contrast to the revolving door of nine Defence Ministers in the previous 13 years, Healey’s tenure was the longest in history at nearly six years.
He later described the role as “the thing I enjoyed the most,” often working 16-hour days. Healey was responsible for reducing Britain’s defence commitments both militarily and economically. His 1967 White Paper advocated the withdrawal of bases east of the Suez Canal, though he nonetheless pledged to “never deny Britain the role of a world power.”
During his tenure he also oversaw Rhodesia’s unilateral declaration of independence—the first such move by a British colony since 1776—and played a vital role in preventing UK involvement in the Vietnam War. He regarded his success in Borneo as his greatest political achievement. In that conflict, just over 100 British troops died, which he described as “one of the most efficient uses of military forces in the history of the world.”
Shaping the Treasury and Party Battles
In 1972, Roy Jenkins resigned over disagreements regarding the European Economic Community, with Healey filling the gap. In opposition, he was a divisive figure, famously promising to squeeze the rich until “the pips squeak.”
When Labour regained power in 1974, Healey was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. He promptly raised corporation tax—the last Labour government to do so, and the last Chancellor until Rishi Sunak in 2021. His measures drew fierce criticism from the Labour left, and in 1975 he was voted off the National Executive Committee.
The following year, Healey entered the Labour leadership contest after Wilson’s retirement. He finished fifth in the first round, but stayed in the race, which was eventually won by James Callaghan. As Chancellor, Healey made the extremely contentious decision to seek a £3.9 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. At the time, sterling had plummeted 20% since Callaghan became Prime Minister, and inflation was at a staggering 25%.
The IMF loan required harsh cuts in public spending and wage restraint. Many historians argue that Healey effectively abandoned the post-war Keynesian economic model before Margaret Thatcher ever did. Political scientist Vernon Bogdanor later reflected: “Perhaps he was both [a] hero and villain.”
The 1979 Leadership Race
After Labour’s defeat in 1979, Healey was widely considered the frontrunner to succeed Callaghan. Bookmakers Ladbrokes gave him odds of 4–5, he topped the Shadow Cabinet elections, and public polls even placed him ahead of Margaret Thatcher as the preferred prime minister.
When the leadership election came, however, he was narrowly defeated by the more radical Michael Foot. Though Foot’s platform was further to the left, his less confrontational style was seen as a way to hold together Labour’s fractured ranks.
Denis Healey was elected unopposed as Deputy Leader but soon faced a fierce challenge from Tony Benn. Benn’s attempt to seize the deputy leadership failed by just 0.4% of the vote, with Healey quipping that he had survived “by a hair of my eyebrow.” Known as “Hurricane Healey,” he also served as Shadow Foreign Secretary.
Despite frequent battles with Labour’s hard left, Healey remained an equally biting critic of Thatcher. He accused her of “glorifying in slaughter” during the Falklands War and once compared her to “an old bag lady, muttering imprecations at anyone who catches her eye.”
Holding the Line in the 1980s
When the Social Democratic Party split from Labour in 1981, Healey resisted calls to defect. He believed abandoning Labour would doom any chance of a progressive government.
The 1983 election campaign proved disastrous, described by commentator John O’Farrell as “the worst campaign in electoral history.” Healey himself expressed similar regret in his memoirs. The manifesto included policies Healey had publicly opposed, such as unilateral nuclear disarmament. Labour was crushed, winning barely 200 seats as Thatcher’s Conservatives secured a 144-seat majority.
Healey chose not to contest the subsequent leadership race, which was won by Neil Kinnock. He continued as Shadow Foreign Secretary until stepping down after the 1987 election. He left Parliament entirely in 1992, the same year that saw the departures of Michael Foot, Margaret Thatcher, and Geoffrey Howe.
Later Years and Legacy
After John Smith’s death in 1994, Healey became the first Labour figure to publicly back Tony Blair’s leadership bid. Despite this, he later called for Blair to resign, citing Iraq, tuition fees, and foundation hospitals as betrayals. “The sooner Gordon Brown takes over the better,” he remarked.
Denis Healey passed away in October 2015 at the age of 98. At the time of his death he was the oldest sitting member of the House of Lords and the last surviving Cabinet minister from Wilson’s first government of 1964.
Even his opponents paid tribute. Tony Benn called him “a stalwart of the Labour Party, a true patriot who fought for and cared deeply about his country and an extraordinary and vibrant character.”
Healey’s legacy endures not only in policy but in personality: the bushy eyebrows, the chirpy wit, and the bruising hostility. He also left a mark on popular culture, as the only Chancellor to appear on The Morecambe and Wise Show, where he danced alongside Roger Moore. He was profiled on This Is Your Life, and his catchphrase “Silly Billy” became a household joke after being popularised by impressionist Mike Yarwood.
To this day, Denis Healey is often described as the greatest prime minister Britain never had.
