This is a story of petty warfare in a time of deadly war. It involved two Conservative Party rivals. Stanley Baldwin (1867-1947) was a three-time Prime Minister who had dominated UK politics. The millionaire newspaper owner, Lord Beaverbrook, had opposed him on many issues, including the Edward VIII abdication, and had ousted him as Conservative party leader.

On retirement in 1937 Baldwin's record was praised; but his troubles with Beaverbrook were not over.

In 1941 Beaverbrook - as Minister of Supply - asked local authorities to survey their area's iron and steel railings and gates that could be used for the war effort. Owners of such materials could appeal; so Baldwin applied for exemption on artistic grounds for the iron gates of his country home. The local council approved, but in 1942 Beaverbrook’s Ministry of Supply overruled it and said all the gates must go except those at the main entrance. A newspaper campaign hounded Baldwin for not immediately donating the gates to war production: "in the heart of beautiful Worcestershire was a one-time Prime Minister, refusing to give up the gates of his estate to make guns for our defence – and his. Here was an old stupid politician who had tricked the nation into complacency about rearmament for fear of losing an election.” -- “The Daily Mirror”.

Baldwin had in fact complied, but the vilification continued. Historians have been much more generous to a politician who is now perceived to have had many fine qualities.

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