How did Labour lose the 1970 election

Question 1

How much of a majority did the Tories win at the 1970 election?

Answer 1

Tories won a moderate majority of 52

Question 2

What was the main reason for the Labour lose?

Answer 2

Labour’s economic policies

Question 3

What was the National plan?

Answer 3

The major initiative that Wilson first brought in was the introduction of the national plan in 1965, this aimed to modernize, rejunavanate and expand the UK economy.

Question 4

When was the National Plan brought in?

Answer 4

1965

Question 5

What did the National plan include?

Answer 5

The plan included measures which would encourage investment in research and development, infrastructure, and education.

Amongst other things the plan included targets for economic growth, industrial production and exports.

Question 6

What was the main issue for the UK’s economy at the time?

Answer 6

Balance of trade deficit

Question 7

What was Labour’s plan to solve the balance of trade deficit?

Answer 7

Devalue the pound

Question 8

What did devaluing the pound achieve?

Answer 8

It made exports cheaper and imports more expensive. However this also led to higher inflation, which eroded the value of people’s wages and savings.

Question 9

What were the Tories leading their campaign on?

Answer 9

Economic reform under Ted Heath, they promised greater economic prosperity for the country and this promise appealed to many of the electorate.

Question 10

How was the devaluation of the pound a failure on a political stage for Labour?

Answer 10

Made Labour out to be the party of Devaluation as Clement Attlee had done it previously.

Showed that they mismanaged the economy.

This showed the public how poorly managed the party were, if the party couldn’t organise a correct policy then how are they supposed to organise our country correctly.

Question 11

When did Labour devalue the pound

Answer 11

1967, under Harold Wilson

Question 12

Bio of Ted Heath

Answer 12

-Well spoken
-Respected
-Self made man
-Charismatic
-Good Speaker
-Won supporters easily

Question 13

Bio of Harold Wilson:

Answer 13

-Charismatic
-Good Speaker
-Older

Question 14

What was the one thing that separated both leaders?

Answer 14

The main issue that divided the two was how they could control each of their own party. Heath could unite the Tories behind him, the same cannot be said for Wilson.

Question 15

Why wasn’t Wilson a traditional Labour leader?

Answer 15

He was a populist leader, he wasn’t a traditionalist like the old Labour and he preferred to pick and mix his policies to appease the centrist middle classes.

Question 16

How did Wilson being a populist affect Labour?

Answer 16

It affected the party negatively. Rumour’s of internal divisions were rife at the time of Wilson’s government as members of the left wing faction were reportedly unhappy with Wilson’s leadership.

Question 17

What had Labour inherited?

Answer 17

Labour had inherited the problems of the previous conservative government, this contained the economic problems which were caused by the “stop-and-go” policies of the Tories.

Question 18

What additional economic problem had Labour inherited?

Answer 18

Labour had inherited a large trade deficit. By devaluing the pound it made Britain weak and it lost them some of their international prestige. Labour’s coherent reputation and authority was also weakened.

Question 19

How were the Trade unions a problem?

Answer 19

Economic problems caused by the Trade unions were also a huge factor in the failure of the Wilson regime, the awkward relationship that Wilson struck up with the trade union contributed to the election defeat.