Beveridge, Sir William, 1879-1963

Beveridge was a British economist who produced the Beveridge Report on Social Insurance and Allied Services. He was a respected figure whom CHURCHILL called into his administration to be Undersecretary of labor. When his Report came out in December 1942 it was widely acclaimed as the foundation for a future social welfare system. It provided benefits for unemployment, health, marriage, maternity, widowhood, old age and death. However Churchill and his Cabinet decided that the Report would not be implemented and only introduced plans for a national medical service, training benefits and child allowances. Beveridge had always stood above party politics but in 1944 he stood as a Liberal candidate and became an MP, but in 1945 he lost his seat in the Labour Party landslide.