QUOTE (JeffG @ Nov 28 2009, 08:36 PM)
Beat me to it, lordtup, regarding Lloyd George. He was also a crook (selling peerages - not much changes, does it?). Not been watching Andrew Marr, then GMR?
All together now: "Mae hen wlad fy Nhadau..."
I have been watching Andrew Marr and read his books as well. But that is not where I got my information on Lloyd George. I've studied him. Yes he sold peerages but he also brought Britain a lot as well.
As Chancellor of the Exchequer he introduced many reforms which laid the groundwork to the modern welfare state. He created the Parliament act that gave Parliament more power over the Lords. He was Prime Minister during the World War I (Asquith was there at the beginning). After the war he led a coalition of Tories, Labour and Liberals and rebuilt this country. In the Second World War many called for him to lead the country and Churchill considered for a post in his war cabinet. You may not consider him a great PM, but many political and historical historians do.