1.1 Conservative governments, 1951-64 Flashcards
What was the vote split between Labour and Conservative in 1951 Election? Who won?
48.8% Labour, 48% Conservative
Conservative won.
During Churchill’s absenteeism, who took charge of government?
Acting prime minister: Anthony Eden, key ministers Rab Butler (Chancellor of the Exchequer), Harold Macmillan (minister for housing)
What did Eden do when he took power in 1955? What was the effect of this?
Called a general election - increased the Conservative majority from 17 seats to 60.
Butler became Chancellor + Macmillan became Foreign Secretary
Limitations of Eden’s leadership
- almost all his experience had been in foreign policy - within 6 months there was Conservative disquiet on lack of skill in domestic policy
- Suez Crisis 1956 - Eden’s decision to take military action, ending in disaster
What event showed Eden’s weakness as a leader?
His attempt to move Macmillan from Foreign Office to Treasury in 1955 - Macmillan managed to delay until December
Who did Eden come under attack from as a result of the Suez Crisis?
- Labour Party in Parliament
- from sections of national press - notably Manchester Guardian
- the pressure from the US had exposed Britain’s financial weakness
(he was accused of lying to the House of Commons + his reputation was badly damaged)
Problems within the Conservative Party caused by Suez
- colonial minister Anthony Nutting resigned from cabinet
- rebellion by nearly 40 Conservative MPs
- Chief Whip, Edward Heath, himself strongly opposed
Who resigned from cabinet after Suez Crisis
Anthony Nutting, colonial minister
how large was the rebellion of Conservative MPs after Suez
almost 40 MPs
When did Eden resign?
Never recovered from Suez, reigned early in 1957 over ill health
Was the Conservative Party itself actually seriously damaged by Suez
no - Macmillan, who had initially supported intervention into Suez, succeeded Eden as PM
Who was Macmillan’s main rival? Why was he not as much of a threat in the Party?
Rab Butler - his reputation had been damaged by introducing tax cuts shortly before 1955, which had to be reversed after election as economy overheated
+ had been closely linked with appeasement
When did Macmillan call a general election?
October 1959
Results of the 1959 General Election
‘Supermac’ led Conservatives to comfortable victory - majority up to 100 seats
What helped Macmillan as PM?
- post-war economic boom continuing
- Labour Party in disarray, preoccupied with its own internal battles
- Media seemingly in the palm of Macmillan’s hand, using new opportunity of television
What were the central elements of the post-war consensus?
- belief in mixed economy
- support for NHS + welfare state
- ensure full employment
- working with both TUs and employers
Conservative policy re housing
1951 Cons Manifesto promised to build 300,000 houses a year. (rebuilding those destroyed in war + replacing slums)
Macmillan, as housing minister, and overseen the success of this
Conservative policy re education
continued tripartite system that had developed after Butler Act 1944 - grammar school, technical school, secondary modern
Conservative policy re social reforms
- Clean Air Act 1956 - prevent smog of early 1950s
- Housing and Factory Acts (to improve living + working conditions)
Butler as Home Secretary - more liberal: - Homicide Act 1957 - restricted when death penalty would be imposed
- Wolfenden Commission 1957 - recommended homosexuality no longer illegal
What was the total labour vote in the 1951 election?
14 million - larger than any of previous victories
Two key figures either side of the growing split of Labour party in the 1950s
Aneurin Bevan - hero to the Labour left
Hugh Gaitskell - Chancellor 1950/51, intro’d prescription charges, on the Right of party
When did Attlee step down as Labour leader?
1955
Who became the leader of the Labour party in 1955?
Gaitskell, defeating Bevan
issues of division within the Labour Party
- left wanted Labour more socialist
- simmering division over nuclear weapons (whilst Bevan opposed Britain developing nukes, in 1957 announced opposition to unilateralism) - links between left and CND might have turned some voters away
