From the archive: Conservative housing proposals - 7 november, 1950
Closing speeches by Mr Churchill and Mr Hector McNeil, the Secretary of State for Scotland, were made in a tense atmosphere after one of the most bitter Parliamentary debates of recent years. Mr Bevan (Minister of Health) made a fierce personal attack on Mr Ernest Marples, MP for Wallasey, who opened the debate for the Conservatives, accusing Mr Marples, a building contractor, of leaving house-building for power station work – “following the profit motive” as the Minister termed his action. In turn, Mr Churchill attacked Mr Bevan, saying the rate of building did nothing to solve the problem; it only kept the situation as it was.