Chapter 6

Question 1

When did Roy Jenkins become labour home secetary

Answer 1

December 1965

Question 2

What was the cultural situation by the late 60s

Answer 2

Some of the old taboos and prejudices which Roy Jenkins had deemed prejudicial to civilised society had begun to break down.

Question 3

What is the reason for liberal change in the late 60s in society

Answer 3

It was a gradual evolution, greater affluence, youth culture and spread of technology also played a part, it can be argued that changes from the top were only a result of changes from the bottom

Question 4

Did the labour goverment set out with a liberalising agenda

Answer 4

Their manifestos made no mention of moral issue.

Question 5

What is free vote

Answer 5

Individual mps can vote according to their own conscience rather than following an official party line, this approach was usually taken on moral issues

Question 6

What impact did private members bills have

Answer 6

The 1960s saw backbench mps bring for war a number of reforms through this mechanism, they were successful because Roy Jenkins was sympathetic and so enabled enough parliamentary time for these bills to be passed

Question 7

Who was Ruth Ellis and what impact did she bring

Answer 7

She was a young mother convicted of murdering her abusive boyfriend in 1955, this gave a boost to the anti hanging campaign

Question 8

What was the homicide act

Answer 8

Was passed In 1957 by the Tory goverment and categorised the type of murder you could be hung for

Question 9

Who was the Labour backbencher who introduced the abolition of the death penalty

Answer 9

Sydney Silverman

Question 10

How did the moors murderers impact the abolition of the death penalty

Answer 10

Their arrest came four weeks after the suspension of the death penalty so received life sentences this created support for hanging

Question 11

What were the details of the murder act of 1965

Answer 11

Abolished death penalty and replaced with life imprisonment
Act was made permanent in 1969
The act left four capital offences: High treason, “piracy with violence”, arson in a royal dockyard, and espionage.
Last execution in the uk was in 1964

Question 12

When was the death penalty finally and completely abolished

Answer 12

1998, by the human rights act and the crime and disorder act

Question 13

What was the impact of the 1965 murder act

Answer 13

Was a huge change
Statistics do not show that it made any significant difference to crime rates
There was a still a large number of people that wanted the death penalty back
In 1994 parliament rejected the return of the death penalty for the last time.

Question 14

What changes in attitude were there towards homosexuality during 50s and 60s

Answer 14

Saw a relaxation in attitudes

Question 15

What legislative restriction was there towards homosexuality prior to the sexual offences act of 1967

Answer 15

Up until 1960s homosexuality was a crime punishable with a prison sentence of 2 years

Question 16

What can be marked as the start of change in attitudes towards homosexuals

Answer 16

The Wolfenden report 1957 it recommended that consenting adult homosexuals should be able to have sex in the privacy of their own home. People were beginning to realise that homosexuality was not a curable illness and punishment was not the right awnser however the conservative goverment rejected the report

Question 17

What was the Impact of the wolfenden report

Answer 17

A group of distinguished people came together to support it. They became the homosexual law reform society.

Question 18

What attitudes where there towards homosexuality when Wilson won the election for the first time

Answer 18

Was a feeling of pity as it was seen as a medical condition and they couldn’t be cured

Question 19

Who were the main promoters of a new bill in July 1966

Answer 19

Lord arran and leo abse

Question 20

What was the issue with the bill proposed in July 1966

Answer 20

The fear older men would prey on younger men, abse conceded that the age of consent should be 21, however opposition was still faced from George brown who saw corruption of the young as an issue, other opposition came from those who saw homosexuality as immoral

Question 21

What was the main reason for success

Answer 21

Roy Jenkins as home secretary

Question 22

When did the sexual offences act become law

Answer 22

27th of July 1967

Question 23

What parts of the uk did the homosexual law apply to

Answer 23

Only applied to England and wales
Only became legal in Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1980s

Question 24

What were the details of the sexual offences act

Answer 24

Both partners had to consent
Both had to be over the age of 21
It had to be in private

Question 25

What was the situation concerning abortion before the abortion act 1967

Answer 25

Until 1967 abortion had been illegal unless the mother’s life was in danger. Before this act the number of backstreet abortions was said to be around 100,000 per year

Question 26

What was the thalidomide crisis

Answer 26

Was given to pregnant woman to prevent morning sickness, infants were born with disastrous malformations of the limbs, abortions took place in order to stop these babies from being born it seemed highly hypocritical to allow abortions for this

Question 27

Who introduce the private members bill for abortion

Answer 27

David steel he was supported by Jenkins

Question 28

Details of the abortion act 1967

Answer 28

Abortion must be agreed on by two doctors because of psychological or medical needs