1951-1964 Flashcards
What was the result of the 1951 election?
Conservatives won with a majority of 17 despite gaining fewer votes than Labour due to the first-past-the-post system.
What was the Conservatives’ majority in the 1955 election?
60
What slogan helped the Conservatives in the 1959 election?
Life is better with the Conservatives, don’t let Labour ruin it.
What was the majority for Labour in the 1964 election?
4
What was the main domestic policy accepted by the Conservatives?
Post-war consensus including commitment to NHS, an aim of full employment, collaboration with trade unions, and a mixed economy.
What did the 1951 Conservative manifesto pledge regarding housing?
To build 300,000 houses annually.
What was the aim of the Clean Air Act of 1956?
To reduce smog.
What was the outcome of the Wolfden report in 1957?
Suggested legalising homosexuality but was rejected.
What did the Homicide Act of 1957 achieve?
Reduced the number of death penalties.
When did rationing end?
1954
What was the government strategy to control inflation during the period?
Stop-go economics.
What did Thorneycroft’s monetarism propose?
Limit wage increases and cut the money supply.
What was introduced by Selwyn Lloyd in 1961?
NEDC (Neddy) for long-term economic planning.
What economic policy did Maulding implement?
Lowered bank rate to encourage consumption.
What was the average wage for men in 1951 and what was this up to by 1961?
£8.50 per week to £15.35 per week
What significant change occurred in car ownership between 1957 and 1959?
Increased by 25%.
Fill in the blank: The percentage of women working by 1964 was _______.
1/5
What was the main cultural phenomenon demonstrating loss of deference?
Satire Boom including ‘Beyond the Fringe’ and ‘That Was The Week That Was’.
What was the impact of the Notting Hill Riots in 1958?
Highlighted racial tensions and ineffective police response.
What was the purpose of the Schuman Plan initiated in 1950?
To integrate French and German industry.
What was the outcome of Britain’s applications to join the EEC in 1961 and 1967?
Both were vetoed by de Gaulle.
What was the special relationship between Britain and the USA strained by?
Suez Crisis, EEC, and Burgess and Maclean affair.
What did the CND advocate?
Rejection of nuclear weaponry and unilateral disarmament.
What was Macmillan’s policy regarding decolonisation?
Gradual transition from empire to Commonwealth.
What did Gaitskell propose that led to divisions within the Labour Party at the Blackpool and Scarborough conferences?
Abolishing Clause IV.
Name one major scandal contributed to the fall of the Conservatives.
The Profumo Affair.
Fill in the blank: The number of immigrants from the Commonwealth reached _______ by 1958.
210,000
What was the economic condition of Britain in 1955 with regards to employment?
Full employment.
What was the public’s reaction to the Pay Pause in 1961?
Disliked by the public.
What was the primary purpose of the Housing and Factory Acts in 1961?
To improve living and working conditions.
What was a significant outcome of the Baby Boom by 1959?
10% of the population were teenagers.
What was the impact of the emergence of the teenager on society?
Increased visibility and economic importance.
When was Gold Coast decolonised?
1957
When were the main Mods vs Rockers fights and where?
1964
Clackton, Margate and Brighton
When were the Teddy Boys “Rock Around the Clock” riots?
1956
What was Maulding’s giveaway budget worth in 1955?
£134 million
What was the Conservatives’s majority in the 1959 General Election?
100
What does Stop-go economics consist of?
Preventing inflation whilst consumption and growth is high
What did Thorneycroft’s monetarism involve?
Control of wage increases and a cut in the money supply
When was NEDC ( Neddy) introduced and what was it?
1961
Government representatives and academics making long-term plans for the economy
When was NIC (Nicky) introduced and what was it?
1962
Monitoring of wages and prices
Which chancellor were Neddy and Nicky introduced under?
Selwyn LLoyd
2 examples of new towns built in the period
Harlow and Kirkby
How many TVs were in use by 1960?
10,000,000
How many people went to Butlins each week?
60,000
What percentage of people went on foregin holidays?
2%
How much did washing machiene ownership increase by between 1957 and 1959?
54%
What percentage of the middle class voted Conservative?
80%
What changes resulted in the emergence of teenagers?
Labour saving devices for girls
End of National Service in 1960 for boys
When and where were there Mods vs Rockers riots?
1964
Clackton, Margate and Brighton
How many people left Britain in the 1950s?
1.32 million
When and what was the Messina conference?
1955
Set out the EEC
When was the Treaty of Rome?
1957
Why did Britain send off their 1961 EEC application?
The USA wanted to use Britain as a bridge into Europe, to stimulate economic growth and to have access to a large scale export market
When was EFTA founded?
1959
Who were the members of EFTA?
Britain, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden
What, from 1951-1964, put the special relationship under strain?
EEC, Suez, The Burgess and Maclean Affair
What was agreed at the Severes meeting?
Israel would invade Egypt, and Britain and France would intervene acting as peacekeepers and take control of the Suez
Why did Britain withdraw from Suez?
The USA threatened to withdraw financial aid and backing
How many British troops were sent to Korea?
90,000
What commitment did post-war Labour make regarding nuclear deterrence?
An independent nuclear deterrent as the USA had stopped sharing their nuclear secrets
This commitment was part of the broader context of Cold War tensions and nuclear strategy.
What significant events in nuclear testing occurred during Churchill’s tenure?
The first atomic bomb test in 1952 and the first ‘H Bomb’ test in 1957
These tests marked Britain’s entry into the nuclear arms race.
What agreement was made between the USA and Britain in 1958?
The USA agreed to share its nuclear technology
This agreement marked a significant shift in the nuclear relationship between the two nations.
What is CND and when was it formed?
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, formed in 1958
CND became a prominent pressure group advocating for unilateral disarmament.
What was a significant event organized by CND in 1958?
An 8,000-people march to Aldermaston to oppose a weapons development base
This march highlighted public opposition to nuclear weapons.
What was notable about the CND march in 1959?
It was even bigger than the first march in 1958
This indicated growing public support for nuclear disarmament.
What happened to Britain’s ‘Blue Streak’ missile program in 1960?
It was abandoned and replaced by the USA’s ‘Polaris’
The shift reflected changes in military strategy and reliance on American technology.
