Review of The Spirit of '45 (2013) by Laurence B — 22 Apr 2013

Ken Loach turns his hand to document the process of rebuilding the UK after the ruins of the second world war.

Despite the fact that the UK was on its knees after the war had ended the Labour Goverment of Clement Atlee sought to ensure that the poverty which had increased between the first and second wolrd war became a thing of the past.

Loach focuses on this process showing how Labour nationalised the Mines,the Railways and all the sources of power in the country to ensure Britain could rebuild itself on a fairer playing field.

The biggest thing to come out of all this was of course the creation of the NHS which meant that working class people could finally afford vital treatment which they would have had to pay for previously.

The talking heads which Loach focuses on all agree that thanks to giants of socialism such as Nye Bevan and the more modest Atleee created a fairere system of goverment despite the fact that some of the powerful were still eating at the top table.

The film then shows how this consensus was lost during the years of Thatcherism is this country and how the individual needs were ruined at temple of big business and private enterprise.

The Thatcher period destroyed hundreds of Mining and steel communities and the Labour party sought to reject its socialist roots in order to meet the approval of the middle classes.

Loach is of course bitter about this rejection adn he shows how despite all the ME decades created,the NHS is the one thing that despite attempts to destroy remains at the heart of the nation.

The film tries to offer a positive outlook, but one cant help thinking that the working class will reamin forgotten by politicl leaders until one day they decide enough is enough.