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David and Winston: How a Friendship Changed History
Although from different backgrounds, David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill forged a close friendship, delighting in each other's wit, oratory and unconventionality. Both were outsiders. Neither attended university. Above all, both loved political sparring - often together, in the epic parliamentary battles of the start of the century.
Theirs was a personal friendship that involved frequent holidays together and support of each other's families. But their real shared passion was politics. For ten years between 1904 and 1914 they met together every day for an hour's private discussion. Lloyd George profoundly influenced Churchill's political philosophy and played a formative role in his career.
Theirs was a personal friendship that involved frequent holidays together and support of each other's families. But their real shared passion was politics. For ten years between 1904 and 1914 they met together every day for an hour's private discussion. Lloyd George profoundly influenced Churchill's political philosophy and played a formative role in his career.
303 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 23, 2015
This book tells of the friendship between Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George that survived and often flourished despite dramatically different backgrounds, frequent opposing political viewpoints and competing personal ambitions. The story of this friendship is of course told with the backdrop of the most challenging times for Great Britain; the social reforms that corresponded with America's progressive era, the suffrage movement, World War I, home rule for the Irish, the Palestine and Jewish homeland issues in the Middle East, response to economic crisis in the thirties and of course the foreign policy and military preparedness issues leading to World War II.
Churchill and Lloyd George met when both were up and comers in their respective parties though Lloyd George was a little more senior in both age and experience. The Conservative parties position on high tariffs and inflexible responses to the social reforms of the early 20th century caused Churchill to leave the Conservative Party and join the Liberal party. This is when their friendship flourished and they were an effective team in implementing the needed social reforms. The events leading to World War I changed the political focus but both advanced in political leadership, with a friendly competition as to which one would become leader, until Churchill's ties to the disastrous Gallopi campaign made him a political pariah while Lloyd George became Prime Minister. Their friendship was challenged during this time as while Lloyd George remained loyal to his friend he could not bring Churchill into his leadership circle.
The War also changed the political landscape, Lloyd George became the leader of a coalition government and eventually lost his leadership during the the rise of the Labour party which eclipsed Lloyd George's Liberal party. Both remained political forces as outsiders during the times leading to World War II, one of the most interesting chapters of this story is how Neville Chamberlain stayed as Prime Minister even after his policy was repudiated by the Nazi invasion of Poland, it was a speech in Parliament by Lloyd George that forced Chamberlain out of leadership and Churchill into the Prime Minister position
This book does often assume a knowledge of British History that may be beyond that of the average American, certainly beyond mine, but the story of their friendship which while sometimes challenged, sometimes strained, survived their competing personal ambition, their often different political outlooks and the challenging times
Churchill and Lloyd George met when both were up and comers in their respective parties though Lloyd George was a little more senior in both age and experience. The Conservative parties position on high tariffs and inflexible responses to the social reforms of the early 20th century caused Churchill to leave the Conservative Party and join the Liberal party. This is when their friendship flourished and they were an effective team in implementing the needed social reforms. The events leading to World War I changed the political focus but both advanced in political leadership, with a friendly competition as to which one would become leader, until Churchill's ties to the disastrous Gallopi campaign made him a political pariah while Lloyd George became Prime Minister. Their friendship was challenged during this time as while Lloyd George remained loyal to his friend he could not bring Churchill into his leadership circle.
The War also changed the political landscape, Lloyd George became the leader of a coalition government and eventually lost his leadership during the the rise of the Labour party which eclipsed Lloyd George's Liberal party. Both remained political forces as outsiders during the times leading to World War II, one of the most interesting chapters of this story is how Neville Chamberlain stayed as Prime Minister even after his policy was repudiated by the Nazi invasion of Poland, it was a speech in Parliament by Lloyd George that forced Chamberlain out of leadership and Churchill into the Prime Minister position
This book does often assume a knowledge of British History that may be beyond that of the average American, certainly beyond mine, but the story of their friendship which while sometimes challenged, sometimes strained, survived their competing personal ambition, their often different political outlooks and the challenging times
January 15, 2019
David Lloyd George was a lawyer with the ability to listen, compromise and persuade. Winston Churchill was a soldier and much more confrontational. They had different personalities and came from very different backgrounds, but were friends for forty-four years (until Lloyd George died).
Churchill's early political career was strongly influenced by Lloyd George. Together, as Chancellor of the Exchequer and President of the Board of Trade in Asquith's government, they introduced the Welfare State with the 1909 'People's Budget'. This was the first concerted attempt by a British government to redistribute wealth more fairly. It increased taxation on income, inheritance and land to pay for unemployment benefit, national insurance and old age pensions. Lloyd George saw it in terms of the eradication of poverty and was passionate about the iniquities and injustice it was designed to alleviate. Churchill saw it as a class war, particularly on the House of Lords; he wanted 'to rattle the coronets in their scabbards'. (You wouldn't have seen this grandson of a Duke as a likely left-wing social reformer, would you?)
The political accord did not last as long as the personal friendship, they had various differences of political opinion in the late 1920's and 1930's, but they worked together successfully for many years and never lost their mutual regard.
P.S. This is a book about the two foremost politicians and Prime Ministers of all the twentieth century British governments. It contains quite a lot of discussion of political events and policies.
Churchill's early political career was strongly influenced by Lloyd George. Together, as Chancellor of the Exchequer and President of the Board of Trade in Asquith's government, they introduced the Welfare State with the 1909 'People's Budget'. This was the first concerted attempt by a British government to redistribute wealth more fairly. It increased taxation on income, inheritance and land to pay for unemployment benefit, national insurance and old age pensions. Lloyd George saw it in terms of the eradication of poverty and was passionate about the iniquities and injustice it was designed to alleviate. Churchill saw it as a class war, particularly on the House of Lords; he wanted 'to rattle the coronets in their scabbards'. (You wouldn't have seen this grandson of a Duke as a likely left-wing social reformer, would you?)
The political accord did not last as long as the personal friendship, they had various differences of political opinion in the late 1920's and 1930's, but they worked together successfully for many years and never lost their mutual regard.
P.S. This is a book about the two foremost politicians and Prime Ministers of all the twentieth century British governments. It contains quite a lot of discussion of political events and policies.
April 10, 2014
A triumphantly concise yet informative book that sheds incredibly revealing & intimate light on an extraordinary friendship. Considering his impact on the 20th century, it's almost preposterous to believe that a force of nature such as Churchill had a mentor. But this work expertly demonstrates that, in Lloyd George, we see a great master who cultivated a protege that wouldn't so much as exceed boundaries, but utterly annihilate them. We also see a friendship at work that transcended partisan bickering & policy disagreements. A deeply satisfying & fascinating read, and one that is necessary to understand how Churchill the politician became Churchill the leader.
August 21, 2009
I didn't finish this book because it didn't seem fair to renew it at the library ad infinitum, and to be honest the intricate discussions of every single policy that came before Parliament under the watch of these two bores me to tears.
On the bright side, I have a much better understanding of the British Parliamentary system now!
On the bright side, I have a much better understanding of the British Parliamentary system now!
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November 26, 2021DLG and Churchill had very different backgrounds and completely different motivations but worked together during the first decades of the 20th cent to push through much needed social and political reforms - never mind the wars! Yes, the author is a relative of DLG and that means a trade off in what he gains from insider knowledge in contrast to the favourable view he will naturally have of the great Welshman. Overall, I found this quite an easy read as it is unencumbered by footnotes etc, but one that is worth while.
September 6, 2025
Makes a compelling case that the greatness of Churchill both depended and built upon the greatness of Lloyd George. LG's critique of Churchill in the Commons on 10 May 1941 should stand as advice to all political leaders: "The Prime Minister wants men against whom he can check his ideas, who are independent, who will stand up to him and tell him exactly what they think."
April 11, 2022
Lovely and a much needed book.
November 16, 2016
Robert Lloyd George is the great grandson of David Lloyd George, wartime (World War I) Prime Minister of Britain, leader of the Liberal Party between the wars, and Father of the House from 1929 till his death in 1945. As Chancellor of the Exchequer before the First World War, David Lloyd George was responsible for the carriage of much legislation that laid the foundations for the modern welfare state. The partitioning of Ireland took place under his leadership. Another lasting legacy, which forms the bulk of the matter of this book, is his influence with the young Winston Churchill who was to reach the height of his power and influence during the Second World War. The author apparently has privileged access to family materials not so readily available to other researchers.
I have read a little about Churchill, notably Martin Gilbert's 1991 biography, Churchill: a Life (Gilbert is the author of the 8-volume official biography of Churchill), but this is the first book I've read that gives a fairly detailed account of Lloyd George. The public reputation of Churchill overshadows that of Lloyd George, I think, for reasons that seem obvious enough: the memory of more recent traumas effaces that of earlier ones. Lloyd George's achievements deserve to be better known. When those of both men are known, Lloyd George does not at all suffer by comparison. Churchill and Lloyd George had quite different strengths, but both drew strength from their friendship.
David and Winston is an excellent book, scholarly and well written; the personalities of these two men are very engaging, and the events of their times momentous. I read this book with avidity.
I have read a little about Churchill, notably Martin Gilbert's 1991 biography, Churchill: a Life (Gilbert is the author of the 8-volume official biography of Churchill), but this is the first book I've read that gives a fairly detailed account of Lloyd George. The public reputation of Churchill overshadows that of Lloyd George, I think, for reasons that seem obvious enough: the memory of more recent traumas effaces that of earlier ones. Lloyd George's achievements deserve to be better known. When those of both men are known, Lloyd George does not at all suffer by comparison. Churchill and Lloyd George had quite different strengths, but both drew strength from their friendship.
David and Winston is an excellent book, scholarly and well written; the personalities of these two men are very engaging, and the events of their times momentous. I read this book with avidity.
February 1, 2021
As you can imagine, the author is very kind to his illustrious ancestor. I’m not so sure the master and apprentice narrative is entirely fair. What I most liked was the useful overview of events in U.K. politics from 1900 to 1945. The Boer War, social reforms, people’s budget, Ireland, World War One and its aftermath. Churchill eclipses Lloyd-George, and it is interesting to reflect on how he was influential in U.K. politics for more than 50 years.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews