Chapter 5: Wilson and the labour Government

Question 1

What were the five key aspects of Wilsons personality?

Answer 1

1. wanted to be more “modern and relatable - state educated and smoked a pipe
2. highly paranoid about plots against him - tight inner circle called the kitchen cabinet - selected advisors and MPS
3. mix of right and left wing (resigned over prescription charges but also supported nuclear deterrent and wanted to reform the unions)
4. mixed approach the trade unions
5. wants to create a technological revolution

Question 2

What was the value of economic defecit inherited by Wilson?
How did Wilson deal with this?

Answer 2

£800 million
- wants to avoid deflation (would limit spending on welfare and tech) and devaluation (would limit Britains global activity and make it look weak)
- Wilson set up an appartment of economic affairs (DEA) - led by George Brown

Question 3

What was the prices and incomes policy?

Answer 3

government intervention which set limits on price rises and called for wage restraint in negotiations with unions and employers
- went against workers interested so alienated trade unionists - Frank Cousins resigned - damaged relations between unions and gov

Question 3

How successful was the DEA?

Answer 3

Browns proposals (economic planning councils and voluntary wage and price agreements) came to nothing as there was not united government support - Callaghan opposed the DEA
- DEA abandoned in 1967

Question 4

What were the 1966 Seamen and docks strikes?

Answer 4

National union of seamen - aim to secure higher wages and lower working week
- targeted major ports which impacted imports - balance of payments deficit made worse
- 2,787,000 working days lost to strikes by 1967
- many are shocked by Wilsons critical attitude towards the strikers

Question 5

What was the 1968 Daghenham Womens strike?

Answer 5

• 187 women sewing machinists walk out - being paid 15% less than men
• Barbara Caste intervened - returned to work after their pay was brought to 92% of mens pay

Question 6

When was devaluation and why was it introduced?

Answer 6

1967
* war in the middle east impacted oil supplies and seamen strikes impacted balance of payments
* value of the pound dropped by 14% to 2.40 US dollars
* labour also introduced defense cuts and higher interest rates
* credibility of labour was damaged

Question 7

What was Roy Jenkins deflationary policy (1967) ?

Answer 7

• raised taxes (total of £923 million) and reduced government spending
• restored NHS prescription charges
• This is actually successful - balance of payments surplass by 1969 - key factor in labour success in 1970 election

Question 8

What were wildcat strikes?

Answer 8

unofficial local disputes which started without reference to the national leadership - local activists - loss of control for union bosses

Question 9

What did Barbara Castles white paper “in place strife” set out?
How did people react - public and unions?

Answer 9

aimed to limit wildcat strikes while not completely limiting unions
* 28 day cooling off period before a strike
* strike ballots could be imposed
* industrial relations court

Voters liked the proposals but unions and left wing labour members hated them - limited their right to strike and protest

Question 10

Define nationalist and unionist

Answer 10

Nationalist - someone who supports independence (in favour of a united ireland)
Unionist - in favour of the united kingdom

Question 11

Why was there rising tension in Northern Ireland in the sixties?

Answer 11

• most people in northern ireland were protestant - dominated by protestant unionists
• catholics in northern ireland are being discriminated against in employment and housing
• 1964 - unionists fear that IRA may start a new campaign - loyalists started to set up paramilitary groups
• 1968 - civil rights marches held to protest against discrimination
• 1969 - loyalist apprentice boys hold a march in Derry - attacked by nationalists at the catholic bogside
• August 1969 - Wilson sends in army troops to keep the peace