Britain Transformed: Politics- Decline Of Consensus 1970-79 Flashcards
(34 cards)
What was the result of the 1970 General Election?
Conservatives under Edward Heath won with 330 seats; Labour won 288 and lost many seats.
What did Harold Wilson promise before the 1970 election?
He promised Labour would win a third term.
Who was Edward Heath and what was his background?
Born in 1916, Heath was from a working-class background and had a grammar school education. He became Conservative leader in 1965 and PM in 1970.
What were Heath’s main goals in government?
To reduce union power, reduce state intervention, and join the EEC.
What was Heath’s major foreign policy success?
Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973.
What economic problems did Heath inherit?
Rising inflation, a growing balance of payments deficit, low productivity, and declining industrial output.
What was the Selsdon Manifesto?
A document titled A Programme for Progress setting out policies such as tax reform, trade union reform, cuts to public spending, better law and order, and immigration controls.
How did Heath try to modernise the Conservative Party?
Through use of modern technology and branding the party as forward-thinking.
What was the ‘Barber Boom’?
A 1971 budget by Chancellor Anthony Barber intended to promote growth.
What were the consequences of the Barber Boom?
Prices rose by 15% in 1971, inflation increased, and unemployment grew.
What policy U-turn did Heath make in 1972?
Reintroduced state control and nationalised Upper Clyde Shipbuilders.
What crisis led Heath to call an election in 1974?
A miners’ strike he was unable to resolve.
What was Heath’s 1974 election slogan and why did it backfire?
“Who governs Britain?” – intended to assert authority but resulted in a loss.
What were the February 1974 election results?
Conservatives: 297 seats; Labour: 301 seats – Heath failed to win a majority.
When and why did Heath lose the Conservative leadership?
In 1975 after being rejected twice by the electorate; replaced by Margaret Thatcher.
Which future Thatcherite ideas emerged under Heath?
Free market policies and reduced state intervention – championed by Keith Joseph and Nicholas Ridley.
What were the October 1974 election results?
Labour: 319 seats; Conservatives: 276.
How was Wilson’s fourth term different from his earlier ones?
Characterised by low energy, poor health, and less modernising zeal.
What economic action did Wilson’s government take in 1975?
Applied for a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), revealing Britain’s economic weakness.
What new departments were created to fight economic problems?
Department of Prices and Incomes and Department for Industry.
What issue caused divisions in the Labour Party in the mid-1970s?
The future direction of policy – left wanted more state control, right wanted moderation.
How did Wilson handle party divisions over the EEC?
Promised and held a 1975 referendum on continued EEC membership.
What was the result of the 1975 EEC referendum?
67% voted in favour of staying in the EEC
Why did Wilson resign in March 1976?
Due to declining health and loss of interest.
