1A Changing Political Landscape - 1945-1979

Question 1

What did the post war period see both political parties believing in?

Answer 1

Full employment - might allow a degree of inflation
Mixed economy
Welfare state and NHS
Co operation between gov, industry and the trade unions in managing wages and prices

Question 2

Which party won by a landslide in 1945 and why?

Answer 2

The Labour Party under Clement Attlee due to the promise of social reform, an NHS, housing and jobs

Question 3

Why was WC unsuccessful in the 1945 election after thinking the public would reward him for his wartime service?

Answer 3

His manifesto focused on foreign policy and people had memories of the pre war Tory govs making harsh economic choices

Question 4

What reforms did the Labour gov introduce between 1945-1951?

Answer 4

Establishment of NHS 1945
National Insurance Act
National Assistance Act
Housing Act 1949
Education Act 1944

Question 5

Why did Labours vote decline in 1950 even though they won the GE?

Answer 5

1949 House of Commons Act - reduced the number of safe seats by redrawing constituency boundaries.
Labour also became less popular among the MC
WC fell by 6% between 1931 and 1951

Question 6

Why were people dissatisfied with Labour in the post war period?

Answer 6

Rationing continued after war, some non restricted items in war became rationed in peacetime
Austerity: Labour unable to revive struggling economy
Top rate of tax was 90%

Question 7

Why did CA become exhausted by 1951?

Answer 7

Two of CA’s most experienced ministers died
1950 GB became involved in Korean War
Austerity budget - prescription charges for glasses and dentistry = resignation of Aneurin Bevin

Question 8

What happened in the period of 1951-1964?

Answer 8

Tories dominated for the next 13 years, won two further elections. WC returned to downing street. Acted more as a caretaker, too ill to be prime minister.

Question 9

How was Eden perceived prior to the Suez Crisis?

Answer 9

Young, popular politician-called GE to get mandate and was successful
Impressive wartime record as WC’s foreign minister
Lowest unemployment by 1955 - 1%

Question 10

Why did the Suez Crisis ruin Eden’s reputation and show the decline of GB as a world force?

Answer 10

France and Israel invited GB to take part in invasion
Eden secretly agreed to participate
Eisenhower was furious as he hadn’t been consulted, threatened to sell US reserves of GB currency

Question 11

What characterised Macmillan’s gov in 1957-1963?

Answer 11

Mixed economy
Rising living standards
Low unemployment
Very popular

Question 12

Why weren’t the right of the Conservatives happy with Macmillan?

Answer 12

Enoch Powell, Nigel Birch and Peter Thorneycroft resigned. All believed that Macmillan’s gov was spending too much.

Question 13

What did the right of the Conservative government want Macmillan to do?

Answer 13

Spending cuts
Tax rises
End to subsidies for nationalised industries

Question 14

What was the Night of the Long Knives in 1962 under Macmillan’s gov?

Answer 14

Sacked 7 ministers from his cabinet and replaced them with younger men to restore the Tory image - proved very popular

Question 15

What scandals occurred under Macmillan’s gov?

Answer 15

John Vassall - blackmailed by USSR
Harold ‘Kim’ Philby - spied for USSR since early 1950s
John Profumo - admitted to having an affair with Christine Keeler (also had affair with HM), had relationship with Russian escort

Question 16

Why did Sir Alec Douglas Home only last for one year in office?

Answer 16

Suffered from a major image problem, damaged Tory chances in next election. Satirists ridiculed him.

Question 17

How was Harold Wilson’s Labour government characterised between 1964-1970?

Answer 17

Presented as classless. Effectively used TV to present himself as the face of modern GB. Small majority. Needed to call a GE before passing reforms.

Question 18

What problems did Harold Wilson face during his term (1964-1970)?

Answer 18

£800 million budget deficit
Devalued pound 1967
Couldn’t afford social reform but didn’t want to abandon it

Question 19

What did Harold Wilson want to achieve between 1964 and 1970?

Answer 19

HW had wanted to increase pensions, build new homes and maintain military presence overseas

Question 20

What did Harold Wilson achieve during his term (1964-1970)?

Answer 20

Second GE, HW got majority
New universities and polytechnics
Open University established
Laws on abortion, homosexuality and death penalty liberalised

Question 21

What issues did HW face within his cabinet during the late 60s?

Answer 21

HW gov declined in popularity - unemployment grew

Ignored legislation combating unofficial strikes in 1969, led to decade of rising strikes and union unrest

Question 22

What did Edward Heath stand for in 1970?

Answer 22

A break from the PWC - reduce state intervention, end incomes policies, privatisation of industry

Question 23

What did Edward Heath actually implement during his term, 1970-1974?

Answer 23

Ended incomes policies
Barber budget failed to cure growing economic problems and fuelled inflation
Took U turn and increased state intervention

Question 24

What problems with trade unions did EH face?

Answer 24

By 1974 - 2 miners strikes had occurred

Declared a 3 day week - Had to call GE in 1974 - question was ‘Who runs Britain?’ but Heath was defeated

Question 25

How was Harold Wilson’s second term viewed in 1974?

Answer 25

Little sense of optimism. HW was old and in poor health. The hung parliament meant that he needed to call a second GE in 1974, result was a worse majority than before.

Question 26

What did HW want to achieve in his third term, 1974-1976?

Answer 26

End TU unrest and repeal the Industrial Relations Act. Return to corporatism using social contract.

Question 27

What did HW actually achieve in his final term, 1974-1976?

Answer 27

Gov offered subsidies to the cost of living in return for TUs not asking for too high wages.
HW ended the miners strike. Social contract did nothing to stop inflation which was the cause of strikes.

Question 28

Why was Wilson’s party divided in 1976?

Answer 28

CR - embraced monetarism
CL - pro unionist
L - siege economy in response to IMF 1976

Question 29

How did Callaghan’s popular labour gov plan to operate in 1976?

Answer 29

Abandoned key aspects of PWC - Didn’t think gov could spend its way out of difficulties. He thought that GB was spending beyond its means.

Question 30

What did Callaghan propose?

Answer 30

To leave the EEC and to have a siege economy to protect state spending on welfare but these arguments were seen as unworkable and extreme