Why were there internal divisions in the Labour Party leading up to the 1959 election?

• Attlee had continued as leader until 1955, but the wartime generation of labour leaders were ageing and splits started to grow in the party over ideology and between personalities.

• The key personality clash was between the leader after 1955 (Hugh Gaiskell) and Aneurin Bevan. Gaitskell was on the Right wing of the Labour party whereas Bevan was on the Left. The party became split into the "Gaitskellites" and the "Bevanites."

• The 1959 election proved to be a crushing defeat. The splits in the party widened further over two key issues - the Trade Unions and Nuclear disarmament.

• Britain had developed a nuclear bomb in the 1950's. CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) was formed as a result in 1958. CND became the most powerful pressure group in Britain and organised big demonstrations. Many left wingers in the Labour party joined them which may have turned some voters away from Labour in 1959. Hugh Gaitskell suffered defeats at party conferences over the issue.

• At the same time, trade unions (who were always supporters of the Labour party) started to challenge the Labour leadership. Frank Collins became leader of the Transport and General Workers Union and was the most vocal critic of Gaitskell (particularly over the Nuclear Weapons issue). Bevanites were of the opinion that Trade Unions should be the major voice in shaping party policy. Gaitskell felt the need to resist this.

• The Labour party was also divided over its commitment to Socialism/Nationalism. At the 1959 conference, Gaitskell put forward the idea of abolishing Clause Four of the party constitution that committed the party to nationalisation. Gaitskell was impressed by the way the moderate socialist party (the SPD) has done this in Germany. However there was fierce opposition from the left wing of the party and Gaitskell backed down without forcing a vote.