1970-1979 Flashcards
who was in power 1970-74
Edward Heath
Why did the conservatives win the 1970 election
Heath was hard working and had image of competence
conservative ideas were attractive
post war consensus was failing
Enoch powell effect- Heath sacked him after speech, made him appear strong and voters who secretly agreed w powell votes conservative
what was heaths appeal
leader of opposition for 5 yrs
clear principles for modernisation
state school educated
chief EEC negotiator 1961-63
why was heath not appealing
stiff and prickly when dealing w ppl
too honest- not skilful in pleasing political allies
good at policies not politics
what were Heaths aims
tax reforms
better law and order
reform to TU
immigration controls
cuts to public spending
end public subsidies of lame duck industries
find solution to problems in Northern Ireland
what reforms did heath make
school leaving age raised to 16
local gov was reorganised into more streamlined two-tier counties and districts council system
currency went decimal bringing it into line w other European countries
positive economic indicators 1970-74
1973: gov investments to modernise industry were working
unemployment fell to 500,000
negative economic indicators 1970-74
1970- Anthony barbers attempts to encourage economic investment by cutting taxes led to stagflation
unemployment edged towards 1m
1971- U-turn on stopping lame duck subsidies
October 1973- Yom Kippur war
define stagflation
high inflation and high unemployment
what lame duck industries were invested in
rolls royce nationalised
gov poured money into upper Clyde shipbuilders
what did the Yom Kippur war lead to
stopping of exports, price of oil 4x higher and long queues at petrol stations
strengthened hand of miner when they demanded a huge pay rise in 1973
what did heath inherit in 1970 and what did he have to deal with
increasingly uncooperative attitude from TU
dealt w dockers, large pay settlement for dustmen, postal workers strikes and “go slow” by power workers leading to power cuts
what act was introduced 1971
industrial relations act 1971
what was the industrial relations act and what were the attitudes towards it
provided cooling off period (similar to in place of strife proposals) trades union congress (TUC) and confederation of British industry (CBI) opposed to it
What did Heath abolish?
National Board for Prices and Incomes
who strikes in the 1972 major strikes
miners, ambulance drivers, firefighters, civil servants, power workers, hospital staff and engine drivers
how many working days were lost to strikes
23,909,000- highest since 1926
what did the miners strike lead to
3 day week
how did heath try to deal with the strikes
industry act 1972 and aimed to involve the gov, TUC and CBI in agreeing wages, prices, investments and benefits
who were there further disputes with
fire fighters and power workers
what did the nov 1973 OPEC crisis lead to
increased wage demands from miners and an overtime ban.
3 day week from jan 1 1974
what happened at the same time of the 1973 OPEC crisis
NUM called a national strike and demanded huge pay rises
when was the who governs britain election
28th feb 1974
what was the outcome of the who governs britain election
led to hung parliament