Chapter 1: Conservative governments

Question 1

Who became prime minister in 1951 and how was this achieved?

Answer 1

winston churchill
- labour won more votes but conservatives won more seats due to the first past the post voting system

First past the post - candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins a seat in parliament

Question 2

What was the post war consensus and what were the main points?

Answer 2

agreement brtween main political parties on major issues
* belief in a mixed economy (state and private enterprise)
* support for NHS and welfare state
* ensure full employment
* work with trade unions and employers

Question 3

What was Winston churchill’s role in domestic policy?

Answer 3

inactive - more interested in foreign policy - wanted to prevent conflicy (particularly because nuclear war was becoming more of a threat)
- Day to day government run by Anthony Eden (acting prime minister), Rab Butler (chancellor of the exchequer) and Harold Macmillan (minister for housing)

Question 4

Who became prime minister in 1955?

Answer 4

Anthony Eden

Question 5

What was the public attitude towards Anthony Eden?

Answer 5

• most of his previous experience had been in foreign policy - some viewed him as inexperienced in domestic affairs - anxious decision maker
• wanted to avoid industrial conflict - too nice to the trade unions
• viewed as a weak leader

Question 6

Main aims of Anthony Eden

Answer 6

maintain Britains global influence

Question 7

Key policies/actions of Anthony Eden?

Answer 7

• decided to take military action during the 1956 Suez crisis - ended in disaster and damaged his reputation - also accused of lying to the house of commons - 40 conservative MP’s rebelled - also exposed Britains financial weakness

Question 8

Who became prime minister in 1957?

Answer 8

Harold Macmillan
- conservatives gain 365 seats and have a majority of 100

Question 9

What was the public attitude towards Macmillan?

Answer 9

• viewed as a safe choice - people prefered him over Rab Butler (reputation damaged after he introduced tax cuts before 1955 election)
• used the media to boost his popularity
• nicknamed supermac

Question 10

Main aims of Macmillan

Answer 10

• continue the post war consensus
• believed in an economic golden age

Question 11

Key policies/actions of Macmillan?

Answer 11

Successes
* Stop go economics - economic growth was at its peak from 1960 to 1964
* supports decolonisation (1957-1958) - all remaining colonies are liberated
* rebuilds special relationship with the USA
Failures
* Profumo affair - Profumo lies about his relationship with a sex worker which is a risk to national security - reduces public trust in the government
* failed to join the EEC - first PM to apply but faces a french veto
* night of the long knives (1962) - macmillan dismisses 7 cabinet members which makes him look desperate and silly

Question 12

What were the main conservative housing policies of 1951 - 1964?

Answer 12

• 1951 - manifesto promises 300,000 houses a year - replace slums - Macmillan was housing minister at the time
• 1957 rent act - abolished rent control and meant there were 6 million properties on the market

Question 13

What were the main reforms to education between 1951- 1964?

Answer 13

• tripartite system - grammar, technical and secondary modern
• limited success - not enough funding for technical schools and people question if the system is fair

Question 14

What were the main reforms to healthcare between 1951-64?

Answer 14

• 1956 clean air act - aimed to reduce smog
• housing and factory acts - aimed to improve living and working conditions
• 1957 wolfenden commission - said homosexuality shouldn’t be an offense

Question 15

Who was Aneurin Bevan?
What were his views about how labour should be run?

Answer 15

left wing labour - led the “bevanites”
- wants to maintain traditional labour principles
- wants to increase influence of trade unions
- Anti nato and anti nuclear - favours unilateral nuclear disarmament
- supports the welfare state - resigned in 1951 over introduction of NHS prescription charges

Question 16

Who was Hugh Gaitskell?
What were his views about how labour should be run?

Answer 16

right wing labour - led the Gaitskellites
* wants to modernise the party
* suggests abolishing clause IV (commits the party to nationalism) - suggests this is too socialist to attract the middle class electorate
* against the EEC
* doesn’t want trade unions to get too powerful
* pro-nato and pro-nuclear
* supports prescription charges

Question 17

Who was Frank Cousins and what was his role in the labour party?

Answer 17

leader of the transport and general workers union
* led union opposition against Gaitskells support off nuclear weapons - increased labour divisions

Question 18

What were the three main reasons for the conservative fall from power between 1951-1964?

Answer 18

• shifting social attitudes - tories are too traditional - many politicians (such as Macmillan) have aristocratic backgrounds which distances them from the general population
• growing economic issues - stop go policy has led to trade deficits and balance of payments issues - Britain is rejected from EEC
• political scandals - profumo affair shows a lack of integrity in government - John Vassall (a civil servant) is found to have been blackmailed into passing info to the soviet union (due to his homosexuality)