all

Question 1

Conservatives 13 yrs in power

Answer 1

1951-64

Question 2

1964 election

Answer 2

=Labour win with 50.3% votes due to;
economic situation worsened
EEC rejection humiliating
Conservatives scandals + Night of the Long Knives + JFK
IR; inc unemployment+ no. days lost to strikes
inc social tensions/riots
Labour less divided vs before

Question 3

1966 election

Answer 3

=Labour due to;
national plan showed plans for future
attempting to solve economic issues
Labour not appear divided

Question 4

1970 election

Answer 4

=conservatives with 46%= 3%> vs Labour, due to;
Wilsons complacency
dec labour party membership= dec votes
some felt too much £ had been spent on social reforms
young ppl busy protesting vietnam war so not voting
conservatives promised refrom IR
Defeat of ‘in place of strife’
Heath= popular; praised for his negociations with EEC+he=relentlessly attacked Labour’s economic record during their time in power+ he sacked Enoch Powell

Question 5

1974 election

Answer 5

=Labour win in ‘who governs Britain?’ , conservatives acc won higher %votes but Labour won >seats
due to;
conservative failure to deal with TU; 3 day week + state of emergency
Heath Uturn

Question 6

1979 election

Answer 6

=Conservatives won (=Thatcher) 'vote of no confidence in  labour' =lost by one vote, due to; 
winter of discontent 
economic difficulties 
failed to solve TU problem 
inc B debt 
inc B taxes 
public inconvenience inc due to economic issues (eventho had been issues before) 
liberal votes inc= dec Labour votes

Question 7

1983 election

Answer 7

=Conservative win (=Thatcher) with 42.4% vs labour 27.6% due to;
Falklands War= inc confidence + patriotism + inc Thatcher personal popularity
labour split over nuclear disarmament
liberals + SNP alliance succeeded in splitting anti-Thatcher vote

Question 8

1987 election

Answer 8

=Conservative win (=Thatcher) with 43.3%votes vs Labour 31.7% due to;
past elections confirmed labour weaknesses + conservative strengths
popular policies amongst key voters in society; council housing+private sector
low unemployment
strong £

Question 9

1992 election

Answer 9

=Conservatives win

Question 10

1995 election

Answer 10

on conservative party leadership =Major won vs Redwood

Question 11

1997 election

Answer 11

=Labour won =worst Conservative loss since 1906 due to;
major lack of authority
conservatives divisions over Europe
Labour revitalised under New Labour + Blair
b

Question 12

1997 election

Answer 12

=Labour won =worst Conservative loss since 1906 due to;
major lack of authority
conservatives divisions over Europe
Labour revitalised under New Labour + Blair
Blair youth + optimism
media representation of Labour was good (due to Blair)

Question 13

Attlee

Answer 13

1945-51 + Labour 
post war recovery 
1946 NHA created 
1948 National Assistance Act 
1949 NATO 
Korean War

Question 14

Churchill

Answer 14

1945-50 + Conservative

resigned

Question 15

Eden

Answer 15

1955-57 + Conservatives
1956 Suez Canal crisis
cold war

Question 16

Macmillan

Answer 16

1957-63 + Conservative 
1962 Night of the Long Knives= 'Mac the Knife' 
Commonwealth immigration act 
stagflation + 'stop/go' approach 
EEC rejection 
consumer/housing boom 
inc unemployment + days lost to strikes + riots 
1959 campaign 'never had it so good'
scandals; profumo affair
resigned

Question 17

Douglas Home

Answer 17

1963-4 + Conservative
not elected
inc property ownserhip
tax cuts

Question 18

Wilson

Answer 18

1964-70 + Labour

Question 19

Wilson social

Answer 19

controversy over new comprehensive school system (ppl support grammar skls)
tighter immigration laws + attempted dec racism but badly enforced (1965 race relations act= dec racial discrimiation in puclic)
wide range of social reforms;
1965 education policy- crossland expanding higher education=introduce new comprehensive system
introduced open uni
1964 property ownership inc=44% vs 25% pre WW2
1965 Murder Act - temporary abolishment of death penalty
1967 family planning Act- contraception allowed not just for married women on NHS
1967 Abortion Act- legal under certain conditions
1967 Sexual offences Act
1969 voting age dec from 21 to 18

Question 20

Wilson economy

Answer 20

1964 deflation= dec spendng power of ppl
1967 devaluation= B products cheaper= inc Xs
1964 BOP deficit= £800mn
1964= 1.7mn unemployed + 1967= 2.5mn
1964 foreign loans negociated =inc taxes on tobacco/alcohol+temporary Ms surcharge
1965 new DEA created; department of economic affairs
1965 National Plan- set ambitious targets for B industry; annual growth rate 3.8% over 6yrs inc Xs 5.25% yrly to wipe out BOP deficit + gov needed create new national board or prices/Y to ensure wage inc wld only b granted if inc productivity/provide investment for funds/improve workers’ skills + programme of regional development
=no success; NPBI had no power to enforce decisions+recommendations undermined deflation policy+treasury was jealous of new boards power
1969=signs of economic improvement; BOP surplus+£ inc value+IR reduced BUT=overall still bad as= high unemployment+B relative decline vs world+inflation inc =tackled ST=NOT LT problems (cld not fulfil promises of 1964 election)

Question 21

Wilson IR

Answer 21

common view B lagging behind other+needed inc efficiency but TU=issue
1966 Seamen strike= NUS declared national strike= first since 1911= wanted higher wages+cut working week down by 16hrs but =dec shipping into key ports+threatened run on the £ +=gov declared state of emergency BUT= eventually ended 2months later due to compromise with ship owners over pay
1969 ‘In Place of Strife’ (not law passed but= an agreement)- legal right workers join TU+ballot before strike+28 day cooling off period+industrial commission+financial penalties if disobey commission+unfair dismissal entitled to compensation BUT=defeated by TUC=failed
=impossible situation to reform IR especially for Labour as TU= their traditional allies

Question 22

Wilson politics/personal skill

Answer 22

political skill= maintained Labour unit (eg; over Europe)
not join Vietnam war + condemned USA bombings 1966
1967 Rejected from EEC
S.Rhodesia crisis; attempted personal diplomany+economic sanctions but=not resolved +1965= illegal declaration of independence by white minority gov

Question 23

Heath

Answer 23

1970-74 +=Conservatives

Question 24

Heath political/personal skill

Answer 24

1973 EEC full membership; believed it wld stimulate B industry through access to EEC markets/european competition (was it skill? or De Gaulle leaving office+demands of EEC= sacrificed remaining preferential trade deals with commonwealth+accepted policy of heavily subsidising french farmers
1973 Bloody Sunday- N Ireland=damaged his gov as Sunningdale agreement=failed
1973 Oil crisis
1970 Equal pay act

Question 25

Heath IR

Answer 25

1971 IR Act-workers right join TU+NIRC court/IR commission created which TU must register with+if not=liable for damages+members of NIRC/IRC get dismissal protection+gov ballot before strike+60day cooling off period
failed+=similar to ‘In place of strife’=not popular with TU+complicated Heath’s negotiations with TUC strikes over wages
+1972 legal judgement ordered release of some dock workers who had refused to appear before NIRC=undermined IR Act
1972 Miners’ strike= 280,000men demanded 47% pay inc=gov refused
=3 day week+state of emergency+used armed forces tpo deliver coal/break strike (eg; operation Cutter=7,5000 servicemen to move 1/2 mn tonnes coal weekly)
=U-turn awarded large pay inc
1973 Oil crisis= miners’ strike again=state of emergency=3day week; electricity supplies to businesses only at specified hrs+50mph speed limit to save petrol+tv off 10:30pm
=election for ‘who governs B’= loses
1970 no days lost to strikes 10.985mn
1973 no days lost to strikes 14.7mn

Question 26

Heath economy

Answer 26

1973 Oil crisis
U-turn; initial desire= dec state intervention+refuse to rescue failing businesses/’lame ducks’ BUT then saved 1972 Upper clyde shipbuilding by grating £35mn to safeguard 3000 jobs)
enormous welfare spending
‘Barber Boom’- some economic success from deregulation but oil crisis dec its positive effects
1970 B share of world Xs= 11%
1972 statutory policies- to regulate ps pay inc BUT=undermined by the oil p shock

Question 27

Heath social

Answer 27

enormous welfare spending enriched lower levels of society
high unemployment
1970 Equal pay act

Question 28

Wilson + Callaghan

Answer 28

1974-79 + Labour

Question 29

Wilson + Callaghan social/political

Answer 29

1975 negociated EEC contributions
1975 EEC referendum 2:1 remain
labour divided+shifting >to left+economic difficulties deepened them+but overall he maintained party unity (callaghan)
1977-8 Lib Lab pact= liberals support conservatives
1978 Winter of Discontent= TU demand pay inc= public inconvenience
1979 vote of no confidence in labour

Question 30

Wilson + Callaghan economic

Answer 30

inflation 30% + stagflation
world recession= B Xs dec= EG slump
Budget= inc taxes + dec GS
Formal Y policy= ceiling wage inc £6weekly+frozen at higher Ys= reluctantly TUs agreed
1975 negociated EEC contributions
1975 30% inflation= wage p spiral
wages in faster vs growth
BOP deficit
1976 IMF $3900mn loan= need cut gov spending by £2bn
1976 severe confidence crisis in £= ER devalued £= threatened push up p on foreign exchanges= threatened use up B currency reserves
1976 avg wage level inc by 10%

Question 31

Wilson + Callaghan IR

Answer 31

settled miners strike with 29% pay inc
Formal Y policy= ceiling wage inc £6weekly+frozen at higher Ys= reluctantly TUs agreed
1976 avg weekly wageinc= 15%
1974 social contract- TU agreed to cooperate on trying to control wage inc+gov promised keep p down/improve welfare ebenfits+wld=return free collection bargaining over wages/no statutory Y policy
=not legally binding=agreement with TU+unpopular=ppl thought TU got more out of it vs gov
1973 opinion poll= Jack Jones most powerful man in Britain (leader of transport union)
1975 30% inflation= wage p spiral
1978 Winter of Discontent= gov strategy for controlling inflation depended n TU agreeing to accept pay inc of more then 5% but TU believed they had abandoned social contract + Ford workers has won pay inc of 15%
= public inconvenience
1979 lorry drivers strike demanding 30% pay inc + NUPE demanded 40% pay inc =settled with pay inc

Question 32

Thatcher

Answer 32

1979-90 + Conservatives

Question 33

Thatcher Social

Answer 33

policy allowed tenants buy their council housing= property ownership inc 12%
1981 Brixton riots +in >6other major cities due to; unemployment+poverty+racial tensions+harsh economic conditions
1981 Scarman report; highlighted racial disadvantage issues which needed ‘urgent action’
1986 2 tier education system replaced with GCSEs in hoped it wld inc opportunities for those who leave skl at 16 but concerns that =at a lower standard
1981 cut uni budget (to mkae thme >self sufficient) +removed polytechnics= controversial

Question 34

Thatcher economic

Answer 34

policy allowed tenants buy their council housing= property ownership inc 12%
strong £ 
1973-9 inflation X2= eroded middle class savings+B industry inc but eventually slowed
1979 tax burden shifted from direct to indirect 
1980/1 dec GS + dec gov borrowing 
inc IR= inc confidence overseas but made loan repayments >difficult 
privatisation of nationalised industries= allowed ppl to buy shares of the company but =not happen as £=overvalued+other firms bought shares= not normal ppl 
dec taxation; capital gains+inheritance
many businesses shutdown+not helped by gov 
1986 Financial services act-; deregulation throughout London stock exchange in 'big bang' =inc inequality+N/S divide+London=GFC (promoted 'get rich quick attitude')
Lawsons boom= inequality
NHS partially privatised to inc efficiency+injected financial discipline but shifted attitude that profit>important vs patient care
1979 private shareholders= 3mn vs 1990=11mn
1987 stock market crash= 24% off share prices
1988 Poll Tax introduced (Local gov finance act)
1990 B join ERM; membership wld help combat domestic inflation+dec IR

Question 35

Thatcher political/personal skill

Answer 35

Falklands War; swift reaction
+UN support; 1982 UN security council demand Argentine withdrawal
+USA gave some suppport; defence secretary sent task force+weapons+provided vital military intelligence+use of airbase nearby allowed
=1982 victory (only last one yr)
1981 moved Prior from Department of employment+replaced him with Tebbit= her loyal supporter =enabled her to promote her other supporters (+not ‘the wets’)
1983 Raegan’s star wars initiative
1986 Single European Act- accepted by Thatcher who thought= essential step to free European market but acc= move closer to monetary/political union= inc Europe power/dominance= not what she wanted
1989 Thatcher fell out with Howe+Lawson abt economic policy+B role in Europe
=Howe demoted =makes speech vs her= part of her downfall
1989 IR inc= hit home owners hard =core voter group
1990 demonstrations in Trafalgar square vs Poll Tax
1990 Thatcher denounce plans for further European integration

Question 36

Thatcher IR

Answer 36

1980 Employment Acts- outlawed secondary picketing+inc rights of those not want to join TU+gov made £ available to encourage TU hold secret ballots+restricted sympathy strikes
=dec TU membership
1982 Employment Act- restricted sympathy strikes+allowed closed shops only if ballots=80% support+if sacked for not join TU=inc compensation
1981 Secret Whitehall Committee set up to build up coal stock piles
1984 miners strike after announcement of 20mines closing=20,000 jobs lost
=failed as Thatcher had made prep. for coal etc =limit strike effect
1982-90= TU membership dec by 2mn
1990 no. strikes at record lo in 55yrs
harsh economic conditions=inc unemployment= if strikes= large pool of workers to take their place= disincentived strikes= dec TU power

Question 37

Major

Answer 37

1990-7 + Conservatives

Question 38

Major economic

Answer 38

repealed Poll Tax
1992 Black Wednesday= B fell out of ERM; efforts to sustain falling £failed= depression
= ruined Conservatives rep. for good economic record+strengthened Euro-skeptics argument

Question 39

Major political/social

Answer 39

1991 Maastricht Treaty (=full European inetgration) +2opt outs = single currency+social chapter
European divisions
1995 won election
New Labour+Blaire= abolished clause IV; party constitution which pledges nationalise industry
=better image+ppl support their changes+unity+Blaire=young+good media presentation
1991 1st Gulf War = 45,000 B forced deployed= largest since WW2
1991 USSR collapse