4. conservative domination 1951-64 Flashcards
who won the 1951 election and with what majority
Conservatives won with a majority of 26 seats. Remained in office till 1964.
Labour won 130k more votes
Why conservatives won the 1951 election? Labour weakness
Asscoiated with austerity. High tax and rationing.
Korean war 1950 = increased defence spending. Causing cuts in NHS, Introduced payments for presciprtions.
Why conservatives won the 1951 election? Conservative strengths
compared to Better local organisation, finance and campaigned strongly
Party united over nationalisation
promise to build 300k houses
Standard of living in the 1950s
Unemployment peak was 500k in 1959.(sense of stability)
Real wage rose
25% home Owners 1951
1964 44%
Education changes
6000 more schools
Grammar schools for the poor
Uni increased
Teenage culture change
Teddy boys and mods
Increased gap between generations
Music clothes etc. manufacturing for young people increased
Multi cultural GB
Influx of immigrants from West Indies could lead to conflicts
After 1951 conservatives
Britian had some industry run buy state
There should not be a economic cuts in welfare and health spending
Important to maintain full employment
Butler and butskellism
Butler was chancellor, and his policies were similar to labour leader gaitskill.
Stop go what was it
Butler and butskellism
Butler was chancellor 1951-55
And his policies were similar to Hugh gaitskill of Labour Party
Stop go economics explained
Success of conservative economic policies
High level of Employment for most of the period
The economy supported a growth and welfare spending and house building
Many industries like cars and aircraft manufacturers expanded
Credit was available to increase SOL
Growth in infrastructure( motorways)
Failures of conservatives economic policy 1951-64
Economic growth lagged behind EU as They didn’t join EEC
Share of world trade fell
Defence spending was high
Persistent inflation and a lack of modernisation
Unemployment 1963 was 800k
Churchill as a peacetime PM 1951-55
Wartime leader rep and forgein affairs
At 77 he lacked Energy to offer strong leadership for the domestic affairs
1953 he has a stroke 
Eden 1955-1957
Churchill handed over leadership to Anthony Eden.
It’s very charming personable figure and was highly experienced
Edens 1956 suez disaster
Macmillian 1957 -1963
Similar to Eden.
Faced the result of suez crisis and his calm leadership made him popular everywhere.
Warm witty and tv performer.
Butler as home sec he moved towards ending death penalty
‘Never had it so good’
Restored USA relations
‘ a good butcher’
After 1961 MacMillan wasn’t able to stop growing econ problems
GB was not playing a significant part in major world events
John perfumo defence minister scandal compromised by his relationship with her.
Home 1963-64
MacMillan retired.
Home was a lord who served with chamberlain.
Wasn’t chosen by parties but just a small group of senior tories.
He was on power for just under a year as labour won 1964
Labour had lack of what
Unit
Labours opposition from 1951-64
Nuclear disarnment
Nuclear disarnment- argued it took money out of social reforms and encouraged arms race.
Others didn’t want to be defenceless
Labours opposition. Forein policy
Bevan disapproved of policy towards west Germany ( Join nato and re arm)
Rejected by leadership and bevan expelled in 1955
Other reasons for labours electoral failures 1955-59
Attlee not as robust as Eden
Negative attitude to joining EEC ( they seemed old fanshioned)
1959 election campagin( unconvincing about raise in Spending on social without tax going up
1959
Con- 13.7 m
Lab - 12.5 m
Lib - 1.6 m
Most votes went to con from lib
Other reasons for labour defeats and not their failure
Con offered low tax policies
Until 1961 economic prosperity
Macmillans personaitly
What does the victory in 1964 show about labours performance before that?
Labour won more support when
A younger and more classless leader
Looked at future more and modernisation and tech change
Divisions less obvious
