chapter 1 Flashcards
what were the results of the 1951 general election?
conservative victory, churchill is PM
321 tory seats, 295 labour
48.0% tory votes, 48.8% labour
what was the public perception of churchill?
war hero, wisened and experienced
world statesman
why was churchill’s self perception of a world statesman not useful?
good during the war for international relations, afterwards he was just seen as neglectful
what was another alternative style of leadership from churchill?
didnt believe in party politics & liked to stick all the parties together
what were the results of the 1955 election?
eden as PM
345 tory seats, 277 lab
49.7% tory votes, 46.4% lab
what were eden’s weaknesses?
anxious abt making decisions and conscious of his lack of knowledge in economics
wasnt assertive - wanted to move macmillan to treasury but it took 3 months for it to happen
what was eden’s major mistake?
suez crisis - took military action in 1956
didnt consult allies which strained special relationship and exposed him as a liar
what was the result of the suez crisis?
financial crisies
macmillan succeeded eden’s early resignation in 1957
what were the results of the 1959 election?
macmillan as PM
365 tory seats, 258 lab
48.8% tory votes, 44.6% lab
what were the terms of the post-war consensus?
-mixed economy; involvement from state and private enterprise
-support for NHS and welfare state
-ensure full employment
-work with both trade unions and employers
what were the promises of the tory gov in the 1951 manifesto?
300,000 houses built a year
-new education system. introduces grammar schools
-social reforms
what was a weakness of the labour party?
huge internal divisions
main split between bevan and gaitskell
G wanted to introduce perscription charges and bevan did not
what was a general belief of the labour left?
opposition to unilateral nuclear disarmament CND
when did labour’s political position begin to improve?
after 1960
what was a cause of macmillan’s downfall?
his out of touch perspective becomes more obvious
all gov is in establishment
too old and out of touch with modernising britain
what was the night of the long knives july 1962?
a third of mac’s cabinet is sacked in order to rejuvenate the gov but actually just weakened it
what other political event weakened tory perception?
the three major spy scandals of the early 1960s
what were the spy scandals?
george blake is convicted of soviet double agent in 1961
1962 vassall was found to be blackmailed of his homosexuality to give russian secrets
profumo affair 1963
how was macmillan physically not an effective leader?
illness and operations that kept him in hospital and weak
