British History: Topic 3 Flashcards
When was industrial relations act
1971
What did industrial relations act do
essentially completed ‘in place of strife’
- Restricted the right of workers to strike by introducing a new concept of ‘unfair industrial practice’
- National Industrial Relations Court (NIRC) was created with the authority to judge to validity of strike action
- Unions had to put themselves on government register if they wanted to maintain their legal rights
Who was head of department for Trade and Industry
John Davies
Who was John Davies
- not conventional politician
- Came from CBI outside of parliament
- advised government against helping lame ducks
What was Anthony Barber’s role
Chanellor of exechequer
Anthony Barber’s policies
- Income tax cuts
- Reductions in government spending
- Scrapping of Price and Incomes Board
- Cuts in subsidies paid to local authorities
Who did Anthony Barber replace
Ian Macleod
Margaret Thatcher’s role in government cuts
took away free milk for school children
nicknamed Margaret Thatcher milk snatcher
Heath’s U-turn
- 1972 the government announced an attempt to counter inflation by returning to a policy of controlling prices and incomes
- DTI began to help businesses that were failing (‘lame ducks’) just as they said they wouldn’t – for example in 1971 the government nationalised Rolls-Royce
- Subsidies granted to other private companies in difficulties like the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders who they granted a subsidy of £34 million to
What level of inflation did Heath inheret from WIilson
15%
What pay increase do miners get in 1971
14%
When was battle of Satley gate and what was the outcome
feb 1972
flying pickets under Arthur Scargill
Pay increaseof 21% for miners
When was 3 day week introduced and ended
December 1973 - March 1974
When was The Yom Kipper Arab-Israeli War and what did it cause
oct 1973, it caused dramatic inflation
When did heath call snapshot general election and what did he ask
Feb 1974 and he asked ‘Who governs?’
October 1974 labour majority
3 seats
Pay increase for miners in oct 1974 after Wilson wins the election
35%
Impact of oil crisis
- affluent society were dependant on oil so the price increase had drastic effects
- Household essentials soared
- Inflation hit 2 figures
- Miners saw situation as an opportunity
Facts/ timeline of international oil crisis
- From 1960s OPEC members began to establish more control over their own oil industries
- Arab members used oil as a weapon in their long running conflict with Israel
- Arab members reduced their oil supplies to Western countries they believed sided with Israel
- OPEC also raised price of oil exports
- Main target USA but other Western states suffered
- Oil based products like plastics became more expensive
- Britain suffered severe recession
When did Britain join the EEC
1973
Advantages of EEC membership
- access to European markets
- Benefited from final end of wartime antagonisms
- Britain is now more attractive to global business
- British regions entitled to European development grants
- British workers had right to work in other EEC countries
- Greater opportunity of movement for British people within Europe
Disadvantages of EEC membership
- Britain was no longer able to buy cheap food from Commonwealth
- Britain had to make higher contributions to EEC budget than it recieved grants from Europe
- Common Agricultural Policy’s dear food policy meant higher prices for British consumers
- Common Fisheries Policy restricted Britain’s right to fish in its customary grounds
- Britain had to impose value-added tax (VAT) on most commodities
- Britain joined a protectionist organisation that appeared dated in an era of global markets
what did oil crisis show
showed that Britain and Europe were susceptible to events in the outside world that they didn’t have control over
EEC referendum turnout and % or votes to stay/leave
64%
67% stay
33% leave
Conservative views on EEC in the time of the referendum
stay
Labour views on EEC in the time of the referendum
Labour government wanted to stay but party in the commons and country wanted to leave
When was the EEC referendum
5th June 1975
When did James Callaghan announce decimalisation
1st March 1966
When was decimal day
15th February 1971
Liberal vote share from 1970-74 elections
1970 - 6 seats
1974 - 14 seats
