1964-70 Flashcards
(80 cards)
1
Q
1964 Results: Labour
A
12,205,814 / 317 / 44.1% Majority of 4
2
Q
1964 Results: Conservative
A
12,001,396 / 304 / 43.4%
3
Q
1964 Results: Liberal
A
3,092,878 / 9 / 11.2%
4
Q
1964 Results: Others
A
248,914 / 0 / 1.3%
5
Q
Reasons for Labour Victory in 1964
A
- Lack of fighting spirit after 13 Conservative years in office
- The choice of Home damaged any hope of a modern image
- Unemployment in 1963 was over 800,000
- Rejection of EEC in 1963 was humiliating
- Labour Party seemed to be more in tune
- Wilson was a dynamic leader and seemed to be best suited
6
Q
Labour Difficulties in Government:
A
- Britain was shifting from an industrial economy into a service economy
- Britain had become the “sick man of Europe”
- One explanation was the proportion of R&D budget spent on defence
7
Q
National Plan 1964
A
- Led by DEA (George Brown)
- Few of the targets were met by 1967 though
- Publicity of the plan impressed the electorate going into the 1966 election
8
Q
1966 Election: Labour
A
13,064,951 / 363 / 47.9% Majority of 96
9
Q
1966 Election: Conservative
A
11,418,433 / 253 / 41.9%
10
Q
1966 Election: Liberal
A
2,327,533 / 12 / 8.5%
11
Q
1966 Election: Other
A
452,689 / 2 / 1.7%
12
Q
Wilson Quote in 1966 on trade unions
A
“a tightly knit group of politically-motivated men who are now determined to exercise backstage pressures endangering the security of the industry and economic welfare of the nation”
13
Q
Tensions with the Unions:
A
- The unions took advantage of the Labour government and exerted pressure for wage and salary increases
- Wilson cut gov spending and froze wages and set up PIB
- Frank Cousins resigns over creation of PIB
- Wilson blames the seamen and dockers’ unofficial strikes as being Marxist
14
Q
Why was Wilson hesitant to devalue the £
A
- Atlee had done the same and didn’t want to create that image of Labour
- It publicised the end of the sterling being the currency of the world
15
Q
Why was Devaluation necessary
A
In 1967 the trade deficit had grown so large that devaluation was seen as the only way to boost exports
- 6 day war had a -tve impact on BoP
- Wilson was convinced the root cause of the economic issues was due to industrial action by unions
16
Q
Devaluation
A
1967
- Reduced from $2.80 to $2.40 (14%)
- Was so highly publicised it looked like a economic and political failure
- Callaghan resigned over it
17
Q
Social Reforms Under Wilson:
A
Race Relations Acts 1965,1968
Abortion Act 167
Sexual Offences Act 1967
Commonwealth Immigration Act 1968
Theatres Act 1968
Abolition of Capital Punishment 1969
Divorce Reform Act 1969
Open University 1969
18
Q
Main Criticisms of Wilson’s government
A
- Rising unemployment
- Growing inflation
- Wage controls
- Attempted restriction of TUs
- Immigration Controls
- Failed EEC attempt
- Retention of Nuclear Weapons
- Subservience to the USA
19
Q
Catholics had what representation at Queens University Belfast at the end of the ’60s
A
30%
20
Q
Recognised start of the ‘troubles’
A
The RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary, protestant Police) baton charged a peaceful nationalist protest in Londonderry in 1968
21
Q
Leader of Protestant Unionists
A
Reverend Ian Paisley, he led many counter protests in 1969. This led to rioting and deaths
22
Q
When did Britain send troops into Ireland
A
James Callaghan sends troops in august 1969
Th IRA targets them as British imperialists.
Stationed to protect Catholic Bogside of Londonderry
23
Q
Wilson quote on why UK did not condemn US in Vietnam
A
“We can’t kick our creditors in the balls”
24
Q
What was the withdrawal from “East of Suez”
A
Healey in 1967 announced plans to withdraw forces from Borneo, Malaysia, Singapore and the Persian Gulf by 1971
- This was v. popular with the left
- Whilst the Conservatives complained; Ted heath did not undo it
25
Reasons for East of Suez Withdrawal
High cost of maintaining bases at the same time as economic difficulty
- Post war campaigns in Malaysia, Cyprus, Kenya and Aden had been successful but stretched military resources
- Suez Crisis had harmed British confidence in being the "world policeman"
- Britain was giving up its colonies
- Britain still remained a nuclear power
26
1970 Election
- Despite party divisions and foreshadowing by-election failure Wilson was confident
- He did not think his poor economic performance had been so harmful
- Enoch Powell now no longer a Conservative had swung many of the working class towards Heath's party
27
1970 Results: Conservative
13,145,123 / 330 / 46.4% Majority of 30
28
1970 Results: Labour
12,179,341 / 287 / 43.0%
29
1970 Results: Liberal
2,117,035 / 6 / 7.5%
30
1970 Election: Others
903,299 / 7 / 3.1%
31
Interpretations of Harold Wilson
- The left winger: He had previously ben a "Bevanite", resigned from Atlee government over prescription charges, challenged Gaitskell as the left wing candidate in 1961
- The moderate: Wilson supported the nuclear deterrent, attempted to reform the TUs, was in Gaitskell's shadow cabinet
- The Opportunist: Was Wilson's mixture of left-wing and moderate attitudes simply an attempt to gain popularity and power within the party
- The Moderniser: as well as emphasising the scientific and technological revolutions, Wilson projects himself as being classless - he had a Yorkshire accent, and Grammar school educated
32
What was the "kitchen cabinet"
- Wilson's cabinet had many heavyweights like Jenkins and Callaghan and Wilson was distrusting of them
- Wilson became to rely on a team of trusted advisors known as Wilson's "kitchen cabinet"
33
Potential Solutions to early economic difficulties:
- Deflationary policies but were no different to "stop-go" politics
- Labour did not want to go into austerity due to its belief in public spending and services
- He could devalue the £ and make exports cheaper and imports more expensive
34
What was the DEA
Department of Economic Affairs - George Brown
- The DEA set growth targets and created councils on economic planning
- The treasury saw the DEA as a Rival
- In 1966 Brown is moved to Foreign office and the DEA is abolished in 1967
35
Problems with George Brown
Brown was impulsive and inconsistent
The civil service was suspicious he was a spy and had his phone tapped
He was a drunk
36
What was the PIB
- Hated by the left of the party
- Prices and Incomes Board restrained wages to tackle inflation
37
Success of Devaluation
- New Chancellor Jenkins gets a BoP surplus in 1969 although inflation in 1969 was 12%
38
Why were there so much reforming legislation
- Much of it was private members bills and not Labour Party policy
- These bills were only to succeed as Jenkins made parliamentary time to discuss
- Most bills were put to a free vote
39
Abolition of Capital Punishment:
- Ruth Ellis Case (1955) hd boosted the abolitionists' case
- In 1957 the Conservative Party reduced number of offences carrying death penalty
- In 1965 a 5 year suspension of death sentence approved
- This is extended indefinitely in 1969
- Jenkins banned the beating of prisoners in 1967
40
Which Labour MP was influential in the end of capital punishment
Sydney Silverman
41
What did Jenkins do to make it easier for criminals to be incarcerated?
He switched from unanimous verdicts to a 10-2 majority
42
Divorce Reform Act
- Up until now you had to prove the other party had committed adultery (2/1000 marriages)
- Jenkins pushed Divorce Reform Act through in 1969 which permits divorce if the marriage was "irretrievably broken down"
- Couples could now divorce if they had lived apart for 2 years and both agreed or had lived apart for 5 years and 1 party agreed
- By mid 70s 10/1000 marriages
43
Abortion Stats
- 100,000-200,000 illegal abortions per year prior to act
- From 1958-60, 35,000 women hospitalised and 82 died from backstreet abortions
- 4/100 in 1968 to 17.6/100 by 1975
44
Abortion Act
- Case for legalisation strengthened after Thalidomide disaster
- SPUC (Society for protection of unborn children) set up in 1966
- David Steel MP (Liberal) gets it levied with support from Jenkins
- Legalised abortion up to 28 weeks with written consent of two doctors: the "mental suffering" must be enough to justify it
- Steel had hooped that effective contraception and education would limit abortions although the number climbed
45
Homosexual relations;
- Until 1967 men could be imprisoned for up to 2 years
- the Conservatives had rejected the Wolfenden Report and Labour was divided
- Leo Abse introduced the PMB which was passed
- The act decriminalised homosexual acts where both partner consented, both were over 21 and it was entirely private
- Judges continued prosecutions and took the "private" part very seriously
46
What % of students were in comprehensives in 1963 vs 1970
10% -> 33%
47
Who was Wilson's influential education minister
Tony Crosland - appointed in 1965
48
What was the memo issued by Crosland in 1965
Circular 10/65, which requested a conversion to comprehensive system -- was not legally binding
- In 1966 Crosland made funding on construction conditional on conversion
- Wilson claimed that this new system would provide "grammar schools for all"
49
What was the Robbins Report
Concluded that Higher Education in STEM was lacking and that comprehensive system should be extended into Higher Education
50
Changes to Universities
9 colleges of Advanced Tech became full universities
By 1968 there were 30 polytechnics and 56 universities
51
Open University:
- Idea first floated in 1963 and Wilson Tasked Jennie Lee (minister of the arts) to make it real
- OU HQ established in Milton Keynes in Sept 1969 and first students ran the courses in Jan 1971
- OU pioneered a range of forms of distance learning with use of radio and TV broadcasts
- Its students were mainly women, part time students and mature students
- Wilson viewed the OU as his greatest success and by 1980 it had 70,000 students
52
What % of people viewed unions positively in early 1960s
60%
53
In place of Strife
- Barbara Castle in Jan 1969
- 28 day cooling off period before strike activity
- Strike ballots mandatory
- Creation of an industrial relations court
- Supported by much of the public and part of Labour e.g. Jenkins
- Opposition from Labour MPs, including Jim Callaghan
- Wilson and Castle are forced to back down
54
Labour Party divisions:
- Wilson wanted to lead from the centre
- Wilson feared a leadership from Brown, Callaghan or Jenkins
- Brown had never recovered from losing out to Wilson in the leadership race and being based over as Foreign Secretary in 1964
- Wilson was also suspicious of Jenkins who had been very close to Gaitskell
- Tensions between Callaghan and Jenkins: Callaghan was more conservative, anti-EEC and opposed to union reform
- Wilsons main rivals in the Cabinet were on the right but he was also criticised by the left for not being socialist enough
- Did Wilson get distracted by internal divisions?
55
What was the Prague Spring 1968
- USSR dispose of Czech leader Alexander Dubcek who had been to Western looking
- Encourages Wilson that the USSR threat is real and the US must remain a key ally
56
Wilson's application to the EEC
-Gaitskelll had opposed entry in 1962 along with right wingers like Callaghan
- Left-wingers like Castle and Benn saw the EEC as a "capitalist club"
- Brown and Jenkins were very pro-EEC. Wilson had been sceptical but by 1966 the economic condition has pushed him in favour
- In Oct 1966 the Cabinet agree to apply, the left don't put up much of a fight, they think they'll get rejected anyway
- It was well known the party was split and the application was seen as being half-hearted
- Despite promising talks with De Gaulle in Jan 1967, the French veto it. De Gaulle demands an end to the special relationship which is impossible for Wilson
- This time the other 5 express frustration at the French
57
Defence Expenditure under Wilson
- Healey aims to bring defence budget under £2bn by 1970 - withdrawal from east of Suez
- Wilson believed in the "special relationship" and nuclear deterrent.
- Wilson commits to upgrading Polaris in 1967
- Jenkins' 1968 spending cuts accelerates British withdrawal
- Development of new warplane the TSR2 is disappointingly abandoned
58
% of journeys done by car 1974 vs 1954
77% up from 39%
59
Foreign package holidays stats
New airline - Britannia airways in 1964
8% of holidays are foreign package in 1971
60
1961 vs 1971 TV ownership
75% to 91%
Adds a sense of cultural cohesion
61
Who was Hugh Greene
Director General of BBC from 1960
Diverts funding away from radio
Relaxes guidelines on swearing and nudity; increases entertainment programmes
62
When was BBC2 released
1964
Becomes first channel to broadcast in colour in 1967
63
Censorship changes:
George Stauss MP gets support of Jenkins and Laurence Oliver to abolish theatre censorship
- After 1968 nudity is allowed on stage
- By 1970 sex and violence was far more common in films
64
Who was Mary Whitehouse
- right wing TV personality who complained at the 'permissive society' particularly how it had taken over the media
- Establishes the NVLA (National Viewers' and Listeners' Association) in 1965 which soon had 100,000 members
- However surveys by Schofield (1965) and Gorer (1969) revel that mos young people marry their first sexual partner
65
Increase in use of 'hard' drugs
10x increase in cocaine and heroin usage from 1960 to 1965
66
What was the Dangerous Drugs act
1967 - Makes possession of cannabis and cocaine unlawful
67
What was the Wootton Report
1968 - suggests legalising cannabis
- Rejected by Jim Callaghan as Home Secretary
- In 1970 max sentence for supply of drugs raised to 14 years
68
Youth anti Vietnam culture:
VSC (Vietnam Solidarity Campaign) popular among students
- Battle of Grosvenor Square on the 28th March, over 200 people arrested
- Cambridge students attempt to overturn Healey's car
69
North London Race survey 1965:
- 20% of white people object to working with Asians or Black people
- 50% would refuse to live next door to a black person
- 90% of people were against mixed marriages
70
1965 Race Relations Act
Banned discrimination in public
71
1968 Race Relations Act
Banned discrimination in employment, housing and insurence
72
Enoch Powell Activity
- Immigration from Kenya leads to Powell's "river of blood' speech Aeneid in 1968
- Powell also remarked that Britain were becoming British people "strangers in their own country"
- Powell sacked from Shadow Cabinet
- A poll revealed that 75% of people supported Powell , protest marches in London
73
Matrimonial Property Act 1970
The work of a wife should be taken into account in divorce settlements
74
Emergence of Press Barons
- Harmsworth Press - Owner of The Times and Daily Mail
- Beaverbrook Press - owner of Daily Express and Sunday Express
- The press was reasonably balanced but after Rupert Mudroch bought the Sun in 1966 it veered to the right
75
Equal Pay Act
Barbara Castle 1970
76
Number of cannabis and heroin users in UK in 1969
1,000,000 users of cannabis
3000 users of heroin
77
Examples of Swinging 60s
Ally Pally Pothead Rally
16 Hour Technicolour Dream (Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd)
78
CND Activity
average number of marchers at its annual 50 mile march between 1958-63 was 100,000
79
LSE university protests
Staff and students occupy section of uni for 10 days in protest of Walter Adams being appointed as Director
- Walther Adams had been principle of University college Rhodesia
80
