A life-long Christian Socialist, he joined the Labour Party, becoming the most important spokesman for its moderate wing. He (and Peter Fraser) turned the Labour Party into a national organization and formulated the policies which led to the election of the first Labour Government in 1935. He played a major role in piloting through Parliament in 1938 the great system of child allowances, and “free” medicine, which was the most extensive system of social security in the world at that time. He became leader of the Opposition in 1950. Nash led Labour to a narrow victory in the 1957 election, serving as Prime Minister until the party’s defeat in 1960. During this period, despite financial stringency, he introduced further important social reforms.