Political Developments: Divisions in the Labour Party Flashcards
(21 cards)
Who were the two key figures in the Labour Party split?
Bevan and Gaitskell
What side were Bevan and Gaitskell on in Labour?
Bevan was left, Gaitskell was right
What position did Gaitskell take in Labour in 1955?
Gaitskell became the new party leader
Which Labour Left organisation opposed Nuclear Weapons?
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
What does Unilateral nuclear disarmament mean?
Policy of ending possession of nuclear weapons without any international agreement
Name a Labour MP who was a CND member
Michael Foot
What year did Gaitskell propose the abolishing of Clause IV?
1959
What is Clause IV?
A part of Labour’s policy which committed them to nationalisation
How did Labour try and use the 1959 election as an opportunity to criticise the Conservatives?
Criticise the Suez Crisis management
Why was the time of the 1959 election bad for Labour’s favour economically?
There was a period of economic prosperity
What was the Tory slogan for their 1959 campaign?
“Life’s better with the Conservatives. Don’t let Labour ruin it.”
How many seats did Labour lose in 1959?
20 seats
How many seats did the Conservatives lose in the 1959 election?
Conservatives lost 20 seats
What organisation may have caused Labour to not do well in the 1959 election?
The CND
Which organisation did the CND try to get Britain to leave in 1960?
NATO
What year did Labour pass unilateralist resolution?
1960
What were unilateralist resolutions?
If Labour got into office,they would disarm Britain of nuclear weapons without other forces having a say
How did Gaitskell respond to the 1960 unilateralist resolutions?
He tried to reverse them
What did Gaitskell want to happen to the House of Lords?
He wanted it to be abolished
What year was the Life Peerages Act passed?
1959
What did the 1959 Life Peerages Act do?
Allowed women to have life peerages in the House of Lords
