Wilson - political Flashcards
How was Wilson less reliant on the cabinet?
Relied on the ‘kitchen cabinet’, which consisted on unelected advisors and one or two relatively junior ministerial colleagues, and was dominated by Wilson’s political secretary Marcia Williams.
Give one example of how the National Plan was unsuccessful.
Envisaged an unrealistically high annual growth rate of 3.8% but on average it was closer to 2.2%.
What were the underlying problems of British industry?
Low productivity, an under-trained workforce, weak management and financial sector’s unwillingness to invest in manufacturing.
What increasingly distracted Wilson?
Wilson became increasingly troubled by fears of internal plots and preoccupied with his media image.
What did the National Plan initially reflect about the government?
Reflected a new, confident, modern government who were blazing a path to a new economic future for Britain.
What majority did Wilson achieve in 1966?
110 seats
How did Wilson anger the trade unions in 1966?
Wilson was forced to implement a wage freeze
What did Britain do in East Suez?
Britain was forced to retreat from its bases east of Suez for economic reasons.
How were the Labour Party divided over Suez?
Divided over the retreat in East Suez - Wilson argued for the retreat on the basis that Britain’s nuclear weapons would maintain its power, reopened the unilateralism debate
How did the strikes divide the Labour party?
Wilson labelled the strikes as a Marxist attack, however many in the Labour party supported the strikes.
What and when was the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association?
1967, Condemned the gerrymandering of elections in Ulster. Demanded the disbanding of the B specials. Fair distribution of social financial resources across the whole population
What happened in NI in August 1968?
First protest in Dungannon
What happened with the second NI demonstration in October 1968?
Second demonstration in October, in Londonderry, ended in violence.
How did the NI situation develop in 1969?
Disorder grew as protest and counter-protest invariably resulted in violence. Summer of 1969, first deaths occurred.
What happened in NI in August 1969?
James Callaghan takes the decision to send the British army to NI to keep the peace, initially welcomed but the IRA reorganised itself, attacked unionism, head the Catholic nationalist protest movement, targeted troops as they considered them to be representatives of the hated British imperialist government.
