LBD FACTS: 1964-79

Question 1

EEC

Answer 1

• Became a full member of EEC on 1 January 1973

Question 2

Industrial relations

Answer 2

• Miner’s strike claim for 47% pay increase.
• Jan 1972 280,000 coal miner’s strike.
• Middle-Eastern oil cut back supplies 1972: Britain depended on oil for 50% of its energy needs
• 1973 December intro 3-day week

Question 3

Social reform

Answer 3

• 1965, 68 Race relations laws made discrimination illegal
• 1969 Voting age lowered from 21 to 18
• 1965 Capital punishment ended
• 1970 Equal pay law
• 1967 Abortion legalised
• 1967 Homosexual acts in private were legalised

Question 4

Unemployment

Answer 4

• Level of unemployment no higher but no. of working days lost to strike double in Heath’s four years than in Wilsons six
• Unemployment remained a problem for much of the period.
  1964 1.7 million, 1967 2.5 million.
  1974 54200, 1976 1.3 million.

Question 5

U-turn

Answer 5

• U-turn 1972: Heath had intended to reduce state intervention and refuse to rescue failing enterprises – nationalised

Question 6

Economic record

Answer 6

64-70

• £800 million balance of payments deficit from the Conservatives 1964
• 1967 Denis Healy decide he could only arrest the falling value of the pound by asking IMF for a loan of
• $3900 million - required to cut government spending by approximately £2million
• Labour hadn’t controlled inflation and retail prices had risen by 33% - Tories won 1970
• Britain’s percentage share of world exports of manufactured goods, 1950 25%, 1970 11%

70-74
- Heath inherited inflation rate of 5% per annum, had reached 10% four years later

74-79
- Inflation reached nearly 30% by middle of 1975