Labour 1974-1979

Question 1

Who did the government controversially refer to as ‘spongers’

Answer 1

Unionists

Question 2

What was special about the February 1974 election

Answer 2

Hung Parliament

Question 3

What was the social contract with the unions

Answer 3

Voluntary restraint in wage rises given that the government wouldn’t intervene in discussions between unions & employers

Question 4

Which two individuals on the left of the party did Wilson give cabinet roles too

Answer 4

Michael Foot - Employment
Tony Benn - Trade

Question 5

Who was the Chancellor of the Exchequer

Answer 5

Denis Healy

Question 6

How was the 1974 miners strike ended

Answer 6

Agreement on 35% pay rise with the NUM

Question 7

What was abolished in 1974 that pleased the unions

Answer 7

The Pay Board

Question 8

How much money was made available to building societies in 1974

Answer 8

£55 Million

Question 9

How much was given to pension and food subsidies in the 1974 budget

Answer 9

£500 Million

Question 10

How much was given to customer purchasing power in the 1974 budget

Answer 10

£900 Million

Question 11

What was the government majority in the October 1974 election

Answer 11

3

Question 12

What was inflation in December 1974

Answer 12

28%

Question 13

When was the National Enterprise Board set up

Answer 13

1975

Question 14

What did the National Enterprise Board do

Answer 14

Increase govt investment
Administer state shareholding in private industry
Financial aid for companies

Question 15

Why did Foot introduce ACAS & The industrial protection bill 1975

Answer 15

Pacify industrial relations and resolve disputes

Question 16

Which policy by TGWU leader Jack Jones became TUC policy in March 1975

Answer 16

Voluntary wage restraint and a flat rate rise of up to £6 a week

Question 17

What policies were in the April 1975 budget

Answer 17

£250 million in new taxes
Cuts to public spending
Increased VAT

Question 18

Which lame duck was part-nationalised in 1975

Answer 18

British Leyland

Question 19

What was the key policy in the April 1976 budget

Answer 19

3% max in wage rises

Question 20

What were the two biggest economic successes of the 2nd Wilson ministry

Answer 20

Fall in the BoP deficit
Fall in inflation (75-76)

Question 21

When did the BoP deficit end

Answer 21

1977

Question 22

What were the two biggest economic failures of the 2nd Wilson ministry

Answer 22

Steady rise of unemployment
Production levels and productivity remained low

Question 23

When did the Liberal-Labour pact end

Answer 23

July 1978

Question 24

When did Wilson resign

Answer 24

March 1976

Question 25

When did Labour lose their majority due to by-elections

Answer 25

March 1977

Question 26

How did inflation fall from 1975-1978

Answer 26

From 27% to 7%

Question 27

How quickly was the 1976 IMF loan paid back

Answer 27

By 1979

Question 28

What percentage pay rise cap was negotiated in August 1976

Answer 28

5%

Question 29

How much did investment in manufacturing increase by in 1978

Answer 29

8%

Question 30

Why did the TUC reject the 5% pay cap in Autumn 1978

Answer 30

Private business were getting higher pay rises

Question 31

What pay rise did Ford Motors workers get

Answer 31

17%

Question 32

Which areas of society were most effected by the WoD

Answer 32

Food supplies (lorry drivers) Burials (gravediggers) Public Health (binmen)

Question 33

How did Callaghan deal with party divisions

Answer 33

Neutralised Tony Benn Avoided resignations over the IMF loan

Question 34

What did Callaghan say on his return from Guadeloupe

Answer 34

"I Swam"

Question 35

What did the Sun say about Callaghan's attitude to the WoD

Answer 35

Crisis? What Crisis?

Question 36

Which MP left Labour for the Conservatives in 1977

Answer 36

Reg Prentice

Question 37

What was the BoP surplus in 1978

Answer 37

£300 million

Question 38

What caused the SNP to end their cooperation with Labour

Answer 38

40% clause

Question 39

By how many votes did the government lose the vote of no confidence by

Answer 39

1

Question 40

Who created the "Labour isn't working" poster

Answer 40

Saatchi & Saatchi

Question 41

What gift did Callaghan give to the US to celebrate the bicentennial

Answer 41

Golden reproduction of the Magna Carta

Question 42

What was the Bermuda II agreement

Answer 42

Allowed for free travel for airlines between US and UK airports

Question 43

Why was Wilson sceptical of the EEC

Answer 43

'Capitalist Club' What effect would it have on Unions

Question 44

What did Wilson pledge about Europe in the 1974 manifesto

Answer 44

Renegotiate terms on agriculture, payments and the Commonwealth

Question 45

Who were the most senior pro-EEC Labour MPs

Answer 45

Roy Jenkins and Shirley Williams

Question 46

Who were the most senior anti-EEC Labour MPs

Answer 46

Michael Foot, Tony Benn and Barbara Castle

Question 47

How can the change in Wilson's view on EEC membership be seen

Answer 47

Sent out a leaflet urging people to vote to stay

Question 48

When was the EEC referendum

Answer 48

June 1975

Question 49

What percentage voted in favour of remaining

Answer 49

67%

Question 50

How many were killed in the Troubles in 1974

Answer 50

65

Question 51

What are the biggest reasons for Labour's increase in Oct 1974

Answer 51

Resolving industrial issues Liberal decline

Question 52

What was the BoP deficit upon Callaghan's exit

Answer 52

£900 million

Question 53

Who long was the WoD

Answer 53

4 months (Nov 1978 - Feb 1979)

Question 54

How many workers were on strike on January 22nd 1979

Answer 54

1.5 million

Question 55

When did Chinese Premier Hua Guofeng visit Britain

Answer 55

1979 (First time since 1949)

Question 56

When did Nixon go to China

Answer 56

1972

Question 57

Who was assassinated in 1978

Answer 57

Georgi Markov

Question 58

What country did the USSR invade in 1979

Answer 58

Afghanistan