There never has been a war yet which, if the facts had been put calmly before the ordinary folk, could not have been prevented. The common man, I think, is the great protection against war.

On V-E Day he stood next to Churchill looking down on the crowd on Whitehall. He was a firm opponent of fascism and of British appeasement of the fascist powers. Attlee fixed him with his eye: ’Did you know Ernie Bevin?'
‘I have met him sir’ Phillips replied.

Ernest Bevin (9 March 1881 – 14 April 1951) was a British trade union leader and Labour politician.