(!) 2:6 Liberal reforming legislation - Content Flashcards
Who was Wilson’s Home Secretary from December 1965?
Roy Jenkins
Jenkins found himself in a position needing to…
influence society by changing laws to allow for personal freedom to develop in Britain
What did Jenkins say in his book ‘The Labour Case’?
“there is the need for the State to do less to restrict personal freedom”
Laws on what are considered moral questions are usually…
free votes - where individual MPs can vote according to their own conscience and beliefs rather than official views dictated by their party
Although the vast majority of proposed legislation passing through Parliament is government bills, some liberal reforming legislation came through…
backbench MPs proposing legislation through private members’ bills
Why were private members’ bills particularly successful in the 1960s?
Jenkins was sympathetic and so enabled enough parliamentary time to be available for the reforms to be passed.
The anti-hanging/anti-death penalty campaign had been advancing in the…
1950s
What event boosted support for the argument against capital punishment?
The case of Ruth Ellis - a young mother who had murdered her unfaithful and abusive lover in 1955 and was hanged. Many thought this punishment wrong.
What did the Conservatives do in 1957 against capital punishment?
They reduced the number of offences carrying the death penalty
Which Labour backbencher continued to campaign tirelessly for a full abolition of the death penalty?
Sydney Silverman
What major advancement was made in 1965?
Hanging was abolished by the Murder Act of 1965, on a free vote, for a trial period of five years.
What major advancement was made in 1969?
The abolition of the death penalty was made permanent.
Before 1969, a divorce could only be allowed if…
one party had evidence that the other committed adultery. This was often only accessible by the rich, as they were the only ones who could afford cameras and private detectives.
What did the Divorce Reform Act of 1969 do?
It allowed for a ‘no fault divorce’ following the ‘irretrievable breakdown’ of a marriage. Couples could divorce if:
> they lived apart for 2 years and both agreed to a divorce
> they lived apart for 5 years and one agreed to a divorce
Although Jenkins was in support of this legislation, why were some MPs against it?
They believed it went against Christian values and traditions.
What was a consequence of the Divorce Reform Act?
There was a huge increase in the number of divorces in Britain.
How many divorces were there in 1950 in England and Wales?
Less than 2 divorces per 1000 married couples
How many divorces were there in the mid-1970s in England and Wales?
Nearly 10 in every 1000 marriages ended in divorce
Why might the Act not be fully responsible for this growth in divorces?
There was also a rise in female independence at the time
What was the legality status of abortion before 1967?
Illegal, except on strictly medical grounds
Illegal, except on strictly medical grounds
> Find a private clinic, but only if you could afford the fees
Find a backstreet abortionist
How many illegal abortions were carried out each year in Britain?
Between 100,000-200,000 abortions
How many women were admitted to hospital as a result of backstreet abortion complications each year?
Around 35,000 women
Between 1958-1960, how many women died after backstreet abortions?
82 women
Since what year had the Abortion Law Reform Association been campaigning for easier access to abortion?
1945
Which event swayed much of the public’s opinion towards the legalisation of abortion?
The thalidomide disaster of 1959-1962
How was the tripartite system viewed by the 1960s?
People no longer believed that the different types of secondary school were equal in status and did not create as much social mobility as proposed.
Why did the tripartite system not allow for social mobility?
Working class children only had a 1/10 chance of passing the 11+ exam, perhaps since wealthier families could afford to tutor their children. As a result, grammar schools were highly concentrated with middle-class children while most working-class children attended secondary modern or technical schools.
What were Local Education Authorities (LEAs) responsible for?
They were responsible for schools in a particular area.
What had the LEA begin establishing in some areas?
Comprehensive schools - schools that did not select its students based on academic ability and allowed every child similar opportunities to those in grammar schools.
