ADV INFO - The Gov of Harold Macmillan Flashcards
who was chosen as Eden’s successor
Harold Macmillan
what did Macmillan do at the start of his premiership
he restored Conservative morale after Suez, being popular with both his cabinet and the public and immediately made good use of television to boost his appeal
what political appointments did Macmillan make
he appointed an impressive array of younger talent to his cabinet, including Julian Amery, Iain Macleod and Reginald Maudling.
what was Macmillan committed to
the principles of consensus
what had Macmillan done before becoming PM
he had been housing minister, working hard to fulfil the pledge to build 300,000 new houses a year
where had Macmillan spent time as an MP
in the deprived North East during the depression
how did Attlee describe Macmillan
he was a ‘real left-wing radical in his social, human and economic thinking’
what did Macmillan say that showed his opinions on the post-war consensus
he claimed ‘i can never forget the impoverishment and demoralisation which all this brought with it. I am determined … never to allow this shadow to fall again upon our country’
When was the next election
1959
why did Macmillan win the 1959 election
living standards were rising
what were the results of the 1959 election
conservatives won 365 seats
Labour win 258 seats
what was the conservative majority after 1959
100
what had the 1959 budget done
it had boosted the economy and even beer duty had been cut (which was very popular)
what was the issue for labour with the electorate
the electorate was not convinced by Gaitskell’s pledge to increase benefits while keeping income tax at existing levels
how was Macmillan’s popularity exploited during the campaign
he spoke at 74 meetings during the campaign
what did Macmillan pass in 1957 in reference to housing
the rent act
what did the rent act 1957 do
it allowed landlords to charge higher rents to help improve their property
what did labour say about the rent act
labour claimed it was a ‘landlords’ charter, which would exploit vulnerable tenants
what was the result of the rent act 1957
810,000 properties moved out of rent control. The act also allowed for rent increases in the remaining 4.3 million controlled properties
what was passed in 1957 in reference to the house of lords
the life peers act 1957
what did the life peers act do
it introduced peers to the House of Lords who were appointed, rather than inheriting their title. By safeguarding the position of existing hereditary peers. the act did not go far enough for those seeking radical reform or the abolition of the Lords
what happened in 1957 in reference to prisoners
it reserved the death penalty for fice special cases of murder
what was the aim of the homicide act
the aim was to gradually accustom the public to the idea of abolishing capital punishment by monitoring the effect of reducing the deterrent
what was the homicide act passed in reference to
controversial hangings, including that of Ruth Ellis (the last woman to be executed in Britain)
what policies of the Macmillan government have been seen as successful
decolonisation, reforms to the lords and criminal justice and growing affluence
what is decolonisation
the process by which countries within the British Empire gradually became independent, most remaining as part of the Commonwealth
when did the economy start to stagnate
1963
what was unemployment during January 1963
900,000
what had conservative chancellors failed to do
find a solution to the issue of how to stimulate economic growth and a balance of payments surplus without causing spiralling inflation
what policies were reactive and short term
the stop-go policies
what are stop-go policies
short term policies, which combine economic stimulation packages in times of economic downturn and measures to cut growth during periods of high inflation
what did the stop-go policies fail to do
address deep-seated problems of industrial decline and the fact that British exports were hampered by its isolation from the European Economic Community
what could it be argued about living standards
there would have been greater affluence without the negative impact of stop-go policies, which limited long term prosperity
why was the issue of union reform not tackled
the positive relationship with the unions
what policies that were necessary were not introduced
necessary wage freezes
what was excluded the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Act of 1956
the unions
who has been blamed for limited productivity
the unions
what were industrial relationships like in 1957
8.5 million working days were lost to strike action
what had happened to Macmillan by 1962
he appeared vulnerable
which by-election did Macmillan lose
Orpington
what happened in Orpington
a conservative majority of almost 15,000 became a Liberal majority of 7,855
what was Macmillan’s response to the Orpington by-election
there was a brutal cabinet reshuffle called the night of the long knives
what happened during the night of the long knives
seven members of the cabinet, including Chancellor Selwyn Lloyd, were sacked
what was the issue with the night of the long knives
it did not have the effect that Macmillan wanted, leading both to internal party divisions and to the growing impression of a government in crisis
what weakened Macmillan further
the Profumo scandal
who was John Profumo
Secretary of State for War
who had John Profumo been introduced to
Christine Keeler, by Stephen Ward in 1961
who was Christine Keeler
a showgirl and model
where did Keeler and Profumo begin their affair
at Lord Astor’s home at Cliveden
why was Profumo’s affair a scandal
Keeler was also in a relationship with a Russian Naval attaché, Captain Ivanov, making his behaviour a huge security risk at the height of the cold war
when did rumours start to circulate about the Profumo affair
March 1963
what did Profumo tell the commons
there had been ‘no impropriety in his dealings with Keeler and that their relationship had ended in 1961
what did Profumo do when the affair emerged as being true
he resigned from, the cabinet and as an MP
what was the issue of the Profumo affair on Macmillan
he found it distasteful and struggled to talk publically about it.
what did Harold Wilson do with the Profumo affair
he used it to attack Macmillan for his weakness and complacency in the light of the Soviet threat.
what was the Rachman affair
Peter Rachman was a London landlord whose widespread exploitation of his tenants reflected severely on the gov’s decision to pass the rent act.
what controversially happened in 1963
the appointment of Alec Douglas-Home
