The National Government (T1) Flashcards
What happened in the October 1931 election?
- The National Government won by a huge majority
- It was the Conservatives within it who won the vast majority of seats
Why did the vote for the Labour Party slump?
As many voters believed the party was putting its own interests and those of the unions before showing national interest.
What was MacDonald’s premiership (1931-1935) dominated by?
Dominated by the economic challenges caused by the Great Depression.
What did the MacDonald government do towards the threat of fascism in Europe?
Made some moves to rearm, at the same time it had to deal with the threat of fascism at home.
What was the economic policy of MacDonald’s National Government?
Implemented spending cut, and public sector pay cuts of 10%.
What happened after this pay cut in public sector?
Felt to be so harsh that it led to a mutiny in the Royal Navy at the naval base of Invergordon.
What other economic policies did the National Government implement?
- Introduced a limited number of tariffs.
- By 1933, the end of the Gold Standard and low interest rates had begun to stimulate an economic recovery.
What happened in the National Government in 1935?
Ramsey MacDonald was replaced by Stanley Baldwin after being isolated in government.
What happened to the Labour Party by the 1930s?
Managed to reorganise itself and become the official opposition to the government.
Who was the new leader of the Labour Party?
Clement Attlee
How many seats did the Labour Party gain in the 1935 General Election?
Gained 154 seats
What did this seat gain indicate about the Labour Party?
The Labour vote was rapidly recovering from the slump in votes in 1931.
What was happening in the 1930s with political ideas?
Was an increase in support for extreme ideas on both the far left and far right.
How much did the membership of the BUF grow to?
By 1934 the British Union of Fascists had 50,000 members
How did membership in Communist parties grow?
The Communist Party only had 9,000 members but throughout the 1930s organised the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement.
Who was Oswald Moseley?
A Labour MP who was inspired by the seemingly charismatic dynamic economic policies of Mussolini’s Italy.
What did Mosley do in 1932?
Drew all the fascist organisations in Britain together to form the British Union of Fascists (BUF).
What was the impact of the BUF?
Impact on political system overall would prove to be negligible, but briefly presented a challenge to law and order.
What did the National Government do to fight against this threat?
Passed the Public Order Act in 1936.
What did the Public Order Act 1936 do?
Banned groups from wearing uniforms and requiring permission for marches and demonstrations.
What happened to Moseley’s group after 1936?
Never became a threat to the National Government and his movement began to decline.
What did the popularity of Moseley’s group?
There were significant numbers who did not believe that the National Government was capable of working at the height of the depression.
How did Hitler’s appointment in Germany impact Britain?
Caused public opinion to divide between rearmament and disarmament.
What were people attracted to?
Organisations such as Peace Pledge Union, and the League of Nations Union that supported peaceful resolution to conflicts.