Strachey, (Evelyn) John St Loe (1901–1963)

British Labour politician. His controversial period as minister of food 1946–50 included the food crisis of 1947, the unpopular prolongation of rationing, and the abortive Tanganyika groundnuts and Gambia egg schemes 1947–49. As secretary of state for war 1950–51 he had to contend with the Korean war and the communist insurrection in Malaya.

He was born in Guildford, Surrey, and educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford. He was Labour member of Parliament for Aston, Birmingham, from 1929 until 1931, when he resigned from the Labour Party and gave his support to extremist political organizations. He served in the RAF during World War II and in 1945 became Labour undersecretary for air. In 1950 he became member of Parliament for West Dundee.

His publications include Why You Should Be a Socialist (1938), Contemporary Capitalism (1956), and End of Empire (1959).