#5. Labour And Conservative Governments 1964-79 Flashcards
(45 cards)
Why did labour win the 1964 election ?
Harold Wilson’s leadership of the party
How the electorate regarded the conservatives
The revival of the liberal party
Changes in British society
Why was Wilson seen as a good leader in the 64 election
Able to gloss over the divisions of Europe and nuclear weapons.
Promise to improve the welfare state
How did the electorate regard the conservatives in the 64 election
Linked to scandals such as the Profumo scandal
Associated with economic issues such as unemployment and inflation
How did revival of the liberal party effect the 64 election
Meant Tory’s lost seats to liberals meaning labour win
How had Britain changed in the 50s
Wanted a new classless Britain, young were more attracted to labour then conservatives
Why was the 64 election so close
Douglas was still a good leader
Conservatives brought unemployment down to 300,000
Conservative tax cuts
Labour Party distrust
What were the issues the 64 labour government had to face
Small majority of 4 seats
Colonial issues
Economic situation
Modernising Britain promise needed to be fulfilled
What were the main divisions within left and right in the Labour Party
Europe
Nuclear weapons
Decolonisation
US and British relations/ foreign policy
How many seat did Wilson have in 1964
4 seat majority
How much of a majority did 1966 election bring Wilson
96 seat majority
Which social reforms were considered controversial
1965 murder act- abolishment of death penalty (1969)
1967 family planning act- contraception available to anyone
1967 sexual offences act - legalise homosexuality
1967 abortion act - legalise abortion
1969 divorce- divorce becomes cheaper
Why were reforms opposed by traditionalists
Promotes sex outside of marriage
Why was the abolishing of the death penalty unpopular
It was popular amongst public for indictable crimes such as murder and rape
Why was the 1965 race relations act influential
First act in UK to address racial discrimination
How were the race relations act fail in some areas
Enforcement areas were weak meaning there was little convictions
What type of university was brought under Wilson’s government
Open universities
What were the three main foreign policy issues under Wilson’s 1964 government
The Vietnam war
Southern Rhodesia
The common market
Did Wilson satisfy the left of the party in regards to the Vietnam war
No they say that Johnson’s intervention in Vietnam should have been condemned
Why was southern Rhodesia an issue
Failed to get rid of white rule of southern Rhodesia
When was application to the EEC vetoed
1967
Did labours economic policies work
No unemployment was higher in 1970 then in 1964
Inflation didn’t slow
Britain still declined
Why was labour criticised for its spending
It spent more on defence then any other NATO country
Which could
Have been invested into improving British transport systems
What was labours plan to deal with the economy
Deflation - increase tax and cut government spending
National plan 1965- believe modernisation would help economy
Devaluation 1967- devaluing the pound
What was the policy called which failed to reform TUs
Of place in strife
