{{Use British English, date=January 2013 The 1941 Committee was a group of British politicians, writers and other people of influence who got together in 1940.
/ref> Its members comprised liberals, and those further left, who were not generally involved with a political party. Its immediate purpose was to press for more efficient production in order to enhance the war effort. This swiftly developed into discussion of the methods and mores by which the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

would be governed after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The members met at the home of Edward Hulton, the publisher of '' Picture Post''.

Members

The committee's members included: * Richard Acland * David Astor * Thomas Balogh * Vernon Bartlett * Violet Bonham Carter * Tom Driberg * Michael Foot * Raymond Gauntlett, SecretaryHansard 3 July 1941 vol 372 c1475
/ref> *

Victor Gollancz Sir Victor Gollancz (; 9 April 1893 – 8 February 1967) was a British publisher and humanitarian. Gollancz was known as a supporter of left-wing politics. His loyalties shifted between liberalism and communism; he defined himself as a Christian ...

* Eva Hubback * Edward Hulton * Julian Huxley * Margaret Storm Jameson * Douglas Jay * David Low * Kingsley Martin * Christopher Mayhew * J. B. Priestley, chairman * Ritchie Calder * Peter Thorneycroft * Richard Titmuss *

H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946) was an English writer, prolific in many genres. He wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, hist ...

* Kitty Wintringham * Tom Wintringham * Konni Zilliacus

The Nine-Point Plan

In May 1942 the committee published a ''Nine Point Plan'' on which it had agreed, calling for works councils and the publication of post-war plans for the provision of full and free education, employment and a civilized standard of living for everyone. This plan was the basis for the successful election campaign of Tom Driberg as an independent in the Maldon by-election. Shortly after, Priestley and most of the moderate members left, and under the guidance of Richard Acland the committee merged with his organisation 'Forward March' to create the

Common Wealth Party The Common Wealth Party (CW) was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom with parliamentary representation in the House of Commons from 1942 (the middle of the Second World War) until 1946. Thereafter CW continued to function, e ...

in July 1942. Committee members were responsible for the publication of two anonymous best-selling books: '' Guilty Men'' by Cato (Michael Foot, Frank Owen, and Peter Howard) and ''Your M.P.'' by Gracchus (Wintringham), both published by Gollancz, which exposed pro-

fascist Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural soci ...

sympathies amongst Conservative politicians.

References

External links

Schoolnet: The 1941 Committee
Political advocacy groups in the United Kingdom United Kingdom in World War II 1940 establishments in the United Kingdom 1942 disestablishments in the United Kingdom