Anthony Eden’s appeal to the voters in an "age of peril and promise" amounted to an assurance that both peace and prosperity would best be secured by returning the Conservatives to power.
The party had succeeded in its promise last time on house building and Labour’s harsh warnings that a Tory government would see a return to war and mass unemployment had proved unfounded.
But the Tory manifesto, United for Peace and Progress, contained very few direct promises.
This also proved true of Attlee’s offering in Forward with Labour.
Apart from commitments to abolish the 11 plus, to renationalise what the Tories had returned to private ownership, and to maintain a free health service, there was little of note being offered by Labour.
While the Liberals continued their struggle on behalf of "the independent mind, the small man and the consumer".