1951-64 Political

Question 1

Why was Churchill a reason for conservative success ?

Answer 1

He was seen as Britain’s hero.
The man who won the war and defeated Hitler
Symbol of British pride.

Question 2

In the 1951 election who won the popular vote with what percentage of the vote.

Answer 2

Labour

48.8% of the vote

Question 3

In the 1955 election what had changed?

Answer 3

The Conservative party began to gain more votes. They had 49.7% of the vote defeating Labour.

Question 4

Explain the political spectrum.

Answer 4

Extreme left= communism
Left= labour
Centre= liberal
Right= Tory
Extreme right= fascism

Question 5

What was Butskillism?

Answer 5

The policy of the left wing Tory (butler) and the right wing labour MP Gaitskell.

Question 6

Briefly explain the divisions within labour between Nye Bevan and Hugh Gaitskell.

Answer 6

Bevan ands Gaitskell both ran for leadership of the Labour Party.
Gaitskell charged for spectacles and dentures to pay for the Korean War causing Bevan to resign.

Question 7

What is UND?

Answer 7

UNILATERAL NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT- the policy where Britain would give up all its nuclear weapons even if other countries didn’t.

Question 8

How was labour divided over UND

Answer 8

Bevan did not support the race to build nuclear weapons but then u-turned publicly. This made labour look very weak.

Question 9

What is clause 4 and how did it make labour look weak?

Answer 9

clause 4 is the promise to nationalise Britain in the labour party’s manifesto. Gaitskell wanted to remove the clause from the manifesto but backed down when his own party voted against him.

Question 10

What years were the labour conferences and where were they?

Answer 10

Blackpool 1959

Scarborough 1960

Question 11

What did Labour describe the Tory rule as in terms of the economy?

Answer 11

Thirteen wasted years

Question 12

Who introduced the stop go policy and what was it?

Answer 12

The Conservative party
A system used to control the economy by putting it into go phases by lowering interest rates so people would shop creating demand.

Question 13

Macmillan said what in 1957

Answer 13

Britain had never had it so good

Question 14

The rent act in what year put how many homes on the market?

Answer 14

1957

6 million new homes

Question 15

In what year was 134 million pounds givers away in tax cuts

Why was the year significant

Answer 15

1955

It was the election year

Question 16

How much was given away in 1959

Answer 16

370 million.

Question 17

How many homes had been built by 1964?

Answer 17

1.6 million homes

Question 18

The common wealth immigrants act was introduced in what year?
Why was it introduced?
How many people gained the right to live in Britain?

Answer 18

1962
Britain needed a work force, to say thank you for the countries who fought the war.

800 million people.

Question 19

What were the criticisms of stop go?

Answer 19

It only ensured short period of prosperity.

The economy did not grow or develop.

Question 20

What year did food rationing end?

Answer 20

1959

Question 21

Why did the end of food rationing help the conservatives win?

Answer 21

When labour was in government rationing got worse with bread now being on ration.

Food shortages were even worse after the war.

Question 22

By 1964 what was the balance of payments deficit?

Answer 22

Over 800 million pounds

Question 23

What was Britains position in terms of GDP

Answer 23

Britain was the worst in the world, she lagged behind Germany and Italy

Question 24

How much did wages increase between 1960-64

Answer 24

4%

Question 25

In 1961 what did the Government ask for?

Answer 25

I loan from the International Monetary Fund

Question 26

Britain after the war was investing how much in military development?

Answer 26

10%

Question 27

Outline the reasons why the conservatives fell from power in 1964?

Answer 27

Scandals
Weakness of Macmillan 
Strength of labour
Economic reasons
Out of touch as a party

Question 28

Why did scandals ruin the conservatives?

Answer 28

The Profumo affair made Britain look like a leaky ship to the Americans and the flow of information to MI5 and MI6 was stopped.

Question 29

In 1961 and 1962 what scandals made the government look weak?

Answer 29

George Blake was a soviet double agent (1961)

Vasall a civil servant was being blackmailed in 1962

Question 30

Why was Macmillan weak?

Answer 30

He radically reshuffled his cabinet in 1962 either sacking or replacing a third of it.

Question 31

By 1964 how many people were unemployed and why did this make the conservatives look like a poor choice for re election?

Answer 31

800,000 people

Contradicted that Britain had never had it so good.

Question 32

Who was Gaitskell replaced by and why is this important?

Answer 32

Harold Wilson was from the north and very working class so he tapped into Britains mood.