Chapter 1- Conservative governments

Question 1

what were the 1951 election results

Answer 1

tories- 48%. 321 seats

labour-48.8%. 295 seats

Question 2

why did the conservatives win the 1951 election despite having less votes than labour

Answer 2

first past the post electoral system

Question 3

why was Churchill a very absent PM

Answer 3

suffered a serious stroke in 1953

Question 4

who ran the government in Churchill’s absence

Answer 4

acting PM, Anthony Eden

R.A Butler- chancellor of the exchequer

Harold Macmillan- minister of housing

Question 5

why were their tensions in Churchill’s government

Answer 5

Butler, Macmillan and Eden did not get on well

tensions between Eden and Churchill as eden became impatient over when Churchill would resign

Question 6

what were the results of the 1955 election

Answer 6

conservatives- 49.3%. 345 seats

labour- 46.4%. 277 seats

Question 7

why did Eden have a lack of economic knowledge

Answer 7

had only previously worked in foreign relations

Question 8

what was a demonstration of his economic and leadership weakness in October 1955

Answer 8

tried to move macmillan from foreign office to the treasury

macmillan did not want to and delayed the move until December

Question 9

what were the effects of the Suez crisis on Eden

Answer 9

colonial minister Anthony Nutting resigned

rebellion by nearly 40 tory MPs

Edward Heath was strongly against Eden

Question 10

what did the Suez crisis expose

Answer 10

Britain’s financial weakness due to pressure from USA

Question 11

when did Macmillan take over from Eden

Answer 11

1956

Question 12

what was macmillan known as by 1959

Answer 12

‘Supermac’

Question 13

what were the 1959 election results

Answer 13

conservative- 48.8%. 365 seats

labour- 44.6%. 258 seats

Question 14

what were the key elements of post war consensus

Answer 14

a belief in a mixed economy

support for NHS and welfare state

ensure full employment

work with trade unions and employers

Question 15

what reforms did Churchill make to housing

Answer 15

promised in 1951 manifesto to build 300,000 houses a year. this was completed and Macmillan oversaw this as housing minister

Question 16

what approach did the conservatives take towards education

Answer 16

stuck to tripartite system passed by the Butler act of 1944

grammar schools, technical schools, secondary modern schools

Question 17

what was the clean air act 1956

Answer 17

combatted the smog building in big cities

Question 18

what was the housing and factory acts of 1956

Answer 18

improved living and working conditions

Question 19

what was the homicide act of 1957

Answer 19

restricted when the death penalty could be used

Question 20

what did the Wolfenden commission suggest in 1957

Answer 20

homosexuality should no longer be a crime

Question 21

what was the main reason for labour divisions in the 50’s

Answer 21

after Attlee stepped down as leader Bevan (left) and Gaitskell (right) both went for the party leadership- Gaitskell won

Question 22

what lost the labour voters in 1957

Answer 22

many labour left wingers joined the CND

Question 23

who was frank cousins and what did he do

Answer 23

a left-winger who became leader of the transport and general workers union in 1956.

at labour conference in 1960 he voiced bitter opposition to gaitskell and especially his policy towards nuclear weapons

Question 24

what did Gaitskel want to abolish in 1959 and what was the result of this

Answer 24

clause IV

faced opposition and had to back down from putting it to vote in 1960

Question 25

what ddi Britain attempt to join in 1961 and what was the result of this

Answer 25

EEC

application rejected in 1963

Question 26

what happened in July 1962

Answer 26

the night of long knives

Question 27

what was the night of long knives

Answer 27

macmillan reshuffled his cabinet- sacking roughly a third of his ministers

process was rushed due to R.A Butler leaking it to the press

Question 28

what are examples of spy scandals in the early 60’s

Answer 28

George Blake found to be soviet double agent in 1961

civil servant John Vassal blackmailed to pass info to soviet union due to homosexuality in 1962

Profumo affair1963

Question 29

what was the Profumo affair

Answer 29

secretary state of war John Profumo lied to governement about his actions.

he had had an affair with Christine Keeler who had also had an affair with a soviet minister

Question 30

why did postal votes play a part in the tories winning the 1951 election

Answer 30

postal votes favoured the tories 10-1

Question 31

why were the tories a much ‘fresher’ party by 1951

Answer 31

class of ‘50

Question 32

what left gaps in the Labour Party in the run up to 1951 election

Answer 32

Ernest Bevan and Stanley Cripps sudden resignations

Question 33

what was the impact of the knight of long knives

Answer 33

50 junior ministers sacked

7 cabinet ministers sacked including chancellor Welwyn Lloyd