1964-70: Liberal reforming legislation Flashcards
Why were some of the permissive changes that the Labour government introduced ahead of their time?
The abolition of capital punishment, the Abortion Act, the Sexual Offences Act, and divorce reform all met with a good deal of media criticism and public hostility.
What is a private members’ bill?
Backbench MPs are allowed to propose legislation through private members’ bills rather than it being part of government policy.
What did the 1960s see backbench MP’s bring forward?
A number of reforms through this mechanism. They were successful as Jenkins (Home Secretary), was sympathetic, enabling enough parliamentary time to be available for the reforms to be passed.
What did Jenkins do about capital punishment?
It was temporarily abolished in 1965 and made permanent in 1969.
Why was the abolition of capital punishment not completely successful?
Jenkins brought in ‘majority’ verdicts (10 instead of 12) to the jury which helped to convict criminals, but this did not significantly reduce the number of murders of violent crimes.
Until the 1960s, what did the divorce law demand evidence of?
That one party had committed adultery - the rich used private detectives and cameras, but for others, a divorce was often impossible.
What did Jenkins believe about divorce?
That its laws were out of date so the Divorce Reform Act was passed in 1969.
What were the terms of the divorce act?
Couples could divorce if:
- They had lived apart for 2 years and both partners agreed to a divorce.
- They had lived apart for 5 years and one partner wanted the divorce.
Give an example of an MP who opposed the Divorce Reform Act.
Conservative MP Victor Goodhew - ‘erosion of Christian upbringing’.
What effect did the Divorce Reform Act have?
A huge increase in the number of divorces:
- In 1950 there had been fewer than 2 divorce decrees per 1000 married couples.
- By mid 1970s nearly 10 in every 1000 marriages ended this way.
What happened as a result of abortion being illegal between 1958 and 1960?
82 women died after backstreet abortions.
As well as this, up until 1967 when the abortion act was passed, 35,000 women were admitted to hospitals with complications.
What swayed public opinion in favour of the legalisation of abortion?
The thalidomide disaster of 1959-1962.
Give evidence to suggest that people were still against abortion.
In 1966 the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child was set up to oppose any liberalisation of the law.
Why did the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child oppose abortion?
They feared that any extension of abortion beyond strict medical grounds would lead to abortion on demand.
What did the Abortion Act permit?
The legal termination of a pregnancy within the first 28 weeks, under medical supervision and with the written consent of 2 doctors.
