PICTURED in 1954 outside Malvern Winter Gardens is future Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

The occasion was a rally arranged by Worcestershire's Labour party, at which Mr Wilson was the chief speaker.

Mr Wilson is seen smoking his trademark pipe, which was a gift to the cartoonists and impressionists when he became PM some years later.

With him are (from left) Raymond Fletcher, Leonard Pike and Lester George, prospective candidates for South Worcestershire, Worcester and Bromsgrove respectively.

In his speech to delegates, Mr Wilson said that only Britain under a socialist government could resume the moral leadership of the world.

"The Labour Party faces the future with the recognition that hundreds of millions in the world today are yearning to be free, to escape from the hunger and poverty they and their families had known for countless generations," he said.

Mr Wilson added that when the next election came, those same people would be watching to see whether Britain would be prepared to elect a government that would lead the world in a crusade against poverty. Ten years later, in 1964, Mr Wilson led Labour to victory with a majority of just four; in 1966, the party won another election with a large majority.

Labour lost power in 1970, but Mr Wilson remained its leader and the party won general elections twice in 1974, a turbulent time in British politics. He resigned in March 1976 and was later made Lord Wilson of Rievaulx.