Chapter 2.1: Labour defeat, Conservative victory 1951

Question 1

How many seats did Conservative get in the 1951 election?

Answer 1

321

Question 2

How many seats did Labour get?

Answer 2

295

Question 3

Give 5 reasons why Labour lost the election

Answer 3

1. Attlee’s government were worn out
2. Divisions in the party had developed
3. Resentment emerging from trade unions
4. Damaged party morale
5. Tinted with the image of austerity

Question 4

Give 5 reasons why the Tories won

Answer 4

1. Recovered from the shock of losing in 1945
2. Influx of younger politicians
3. Had reformed its finances
4. With the nationalisation if steel and iron, they were able to strongly oppose this
5. Electorates were impressed with how they projected their ideals of individualism