1951-64: Conservative dominance

Question 1

Who won the 1951 election on seats, thus winning overall

Answer 1

Conservatives

Question 2

Why was this not a clear-cut dominance?

Answer 2

Labour got more votes, but less seats

Question 3

Who became prime minister when Conservatives won in 1951?

Answer 3

Winston Churchill

Question 4

gives 3 reasons why was Churchill ineffective post-war

Answer 4

I) He viewed himself as an international statesman, not a domestic politician
II) He spent more time away “preventing another war” than in Downing Street
III) He had a stroke in 1953, which was then covered up

Question 5

Give 3 reasons to suggest Churchill viewed himself as above party politics

Answer 5

I) He swapped between the Liberals and Conservatives in his career
II) He tried to convince Liberals to join his cabinet in the 50s
III) He used non-Conservative peers to oversee ministries

Question 6

Who predominantly ran the government while Churchill was away?

Answer 6

Antony Eden

Question 7

Who was the Chancellor of the Exchequer under Churchill?

Answer 7

Rab Butler

Question 8

Who was housing minister under Churchill?

Answer 8

Harold Macmillan

Question 9

Give 3 points of conflict between the conservative parties in 1951-64

Answer 9

I) Some of the Conservatives disliked the post-war consensus, and these ministers were given little responsibility
II) Butler, Macmillan and Eden did not like each other
III) Eden became impatient for Churchill to step down as he was performing most of Churchills duties duties

Question 10

What was Eden’s major gap of knowledge?

Answer 10

The Economy

Question 11

What was the major complaint about both Churchill and Eden in terms of industry?

Answer 11

They were too forgiving to the Unions

Question 12

I) What was the major thing that sank Eden as leader?

II) How many ministers resigned due to this?

Answer 12

I) The Suez Crisis, 1956

II) 40

Question 13

I) When did Eden resign?

II) What reason did he give?

Answer 13

I) 1957

II) Ill health

Question 14

I) Who succeeded Eden?
II) Who was the other choice?
III) Why did the winner win?

Answer 14

I) Harold Macmillan
II) Rab Butler
III) Macmillan was seen as safer, and Butler was linked to appeasement (trying to avoid war with nazi Germany in the 30’s)

Question 15

Give 3 key events of 1959

Answer 15

I) Butler became Home Secretary
II) Macmillan called a general election
III) The conservatives won a comfortable 100 seat majority

Question 16

Give 3 key parts of Macmillan’s domestic policy

Answer 16

I) He promised to build 300,000 new homes
II) The continuation of the Tripartite system. This was beginning to be questioned if it was fair.
III) Social reform such as the Clean Air Act of 1956

Question 17

Give 3 key socially reforming acts passed by Macmillan’s government

Answer 17

I) The clean air act of 1956
II) The Homicide Act of 1957
III) The Wolfenden Commission

Question 18

Who was Labour leader until 1955?

Answer 18

Clement Attlee

Question 19

Who were the two key members causing a split in the Labour party

Answer 19

Aneurin (“Nye”) Bevan (Left) and Hugh Gaitskell (Right)

Question 20

Who succeeded Attlee as the leader of the labour party?

Answer 20

Hugh Gaitskell