Britain election stats

Question 1

what was the result of the 1959 election

Answer 1

Conservatives won

Question 2

what economic policy did the conservatives implement before the 1959 election

Answer 2

reduced income tax

Question 3

what was the knight of the long knives and when

Answer 3

1963- Macmillan replaced 1/3 of his cabinet; he was previously “Super Mac,” then dubbed “Mac the Knife.”

Question 4

When was the EEC created, and was Britain initially part of it?

Answer 4

Created in 1957; Britain was not part—its application was vetoed by De Gaulle.

Question 5

what was the vessal affair

Answer 5

John Vassall, at the British embassy in Moscow, passed secrets to Russians after being blackmailed with a photo of him in bed with three men.

Question 6

what was the Profumo affair

Answer 6

John Profumo (Secretary of State for War) had an affair with 17-year-old Christine Keeler.

Question 7

1964 general election result

Answer 7

labour won

Question 8

why did the liberals impact the 1964 election

Answer 8

a liberal revival took votes away from conservatives

Question 9

What societal change helped Labour in 1964?

Answer 9

Desire for a “classless Britain” in media/1950s culture; Wilson appealed as progressive (non-Eton) vs. Douglas-Home (aristocratic, 60).

Question 10

How many seats did Conservatives and Labour win in 1964?

Answer 10

Conservatives—304; Labour—317.

Question 11

What did Wilson call the Conservative years (1951–1964)?

Answer 11

13 wasted years

Question 12

What policy began under Douglas-Home and continued under Labour?

Answer 12

Robbins Report (1963) recommendations—university expansion for workforce education.

Question 13

What two key equality laws passed under Labour (1965–1970)?

Answer 13

1965 Race Relations Act; 1970 Equal Pay Act

Question 14

What was the result of the 1966 UK general election?

Answer 14

Labour won

Question 15

What was the 1965 National Plan’s growth target?

Answer 15

3.8% annual growth over 6 years; 5.25% yearly export increase.

Question 16

Why did the National Plan fail?

Answer 16

Treasury deflation vs. Plan spending; NBPI lacked enforcement power; unions disagreed

Question 17

What was Britain’s 1966 balance of payments deficit?

Answer 17

£800 million.

Question 18

What happened to the pound in 1967?

Answer 18

Devalued from $2.80 to $2.40

Question 19

What two policies were reversed/delayed due to economic issues?

Answer 19

Prescription charges reintroduced (abolished 1964); school-leaving age raise deferred to 1973 (from 1971)

Question 20

How much did taxes rise by in 1967

Answer 20

£923 million

Question 21

What 1967 policy made British exports instantly cheaper abroad

Answer 21

Pound devaluation (2.80→2.40)

Question 22

What was the result of the 1970 UK general election?

Answer 22

Conservatives won

Question 23

What were Heath’s four aims?

Answer 23

Strengthen economy, curb inflation, industrial relations reform, join EEC

Question 24

When did Britain join the EEC, and why was it possible then?

Answer 24

1973; De Gaulle had died

Question 25

What % of Britain’s energy came from oil by 1973

Answer 25

50%

Question 26

What did the 1971 Industrial Relations Act do

Answer 26

Registered unions got dismissal protection; unregistered unions could face damages. Govt could order pre-strike ballots + 60-day cooling-off

Question 27

What two economic shocks hit Britain in 1971–1972

Answer 27

Nixon devalued dollar (made UK exports expensive); pound floated freely (imports costlier if value dropped)

Question 28

What followed the 1972 miners’ strike

Answer 28

State of emergency → 3-day working week

Question 29

What was the result of the February 1974 election?

Answer 29

Labour won (minority govt); Heath failed to form anti-Labour coalition

Question 30

What was the 1973 Social Contract

Answer 30

Unions limit wage hikes; govt controls prices + improves welfare. Failed—unions kept demanding raises

Question 31

What two left-wing figures joined Wilson’s 1974 cabinet

Answer 31

Michael Foot (Employment), Tony Benn (Industry)

Question 32

How was the 1974 miners’ strike resolved

Answer 32

29% pay increase

Question 33

What was stagflation (1974–1976)

Answer 33

High inflation (30% by 1975) + unemployment (542k in 1974 → 1.3m in 1976)

Question 34

What policies did Healey use to fight inflation (1975)

Answer 34

Tax hikes, spending cuts; £6/week wage ceiling (later £4). Wage increases fell from 36% (1975) to 10% (1977).

Question 35

How much was the 1976 IMF loan

Answer 35

$3.9 billion

Question 36

What was the result of the 1979 UK general election?

Answer 36

Conservatives won (339 seats vs. Labour’s 269); liberal vote dropped by 1m+

Question 37

What was the result of the 1983 UK general election

Answer 37

Conservatives won (397 seats vs. Labour’s 209

Question 38

Why was Foot’s 1983 manifesto infamous

Answer 38

Called "longest suicide note in history."

Question 39

What 1982 event boosted Thatcher’s popularity?

Answer 39

Falklands War victory

Question 40

Lib-Lab pact

Answer 40

1977 - Liberals agree to support the Labour government in parliament

Question 41

Winter of Discontent

Answer 41

1979 Winter

Question 42

Suez crisis

Answer 42

1956

Question 43

Bevan v Gaitskell

Answer 43

split grew in early 1950s over payment for prescription charges

Question 44

When did the Bevan v Gaitskell issue stop being a problem

Answer 44

When they died in 1960 and 1962, and Wilson became leader

Question 45

Eden reputation

Answer 45

modern Tory leader until Suez disaster

Question 46

What did Eden promise

Answer 46

to build 300,000 houses/year, and more red meat (because meat was still strictly rationed)

Question 47

Homicide Act - Macmillan

Answer 47

1957 - restricted the death penalty

Question 48

average wage 1960

Answer 48

increased by 8%

Question 49

Britain productivity 1950-62

Answer 49

British shares in world trade dropped 25% - 15%

Question 50

In place of Strife

Answer 50

1969 - Barbra Castle

Question 51

response to In place of Strife

Answer 51

50 MPs ready to rebel from left of the party, fierce opposition from unions, Callaghan criticised it

Question 52

what did Gaitskell push for

Answer 52

abolition of clause IV (nationalisation) but forced to back down

Question 53

how much did miners want (pay rise)

Answer 53

47% increase, national coal board offered 8%