David Lloyd George: The Great Outsider

David Lloyd George was the authentic radical of British history who rose from his 'cottage bred' origins to become Prime Minister of Great Britain, acclaimed in 1918 as 'the man who won the war'. His career was built on charm, courage and energy. His contempt for the conventions of society made him 'The Great Outsider' who exploited the establishment but never wished to join it. As a young Liberal MP, he made his name with vitriolic attacks on his opponents and established his reputation as a man who pioneered old age pensions, sickness pay and unemployment benefit. Once the war was won, his attempts to maintain the coalition that he had created and convert it into a new party failed. After sixteen years in the cabinet, six of them as Prime Minister - he was out of office, destined to remain in the political wilderness.