chapter 9 Flashcards
what was a major success of heath’s leadership?
was able to achieve EEC membership, which his predessecors had not
what was heath’s background and how did it impact his image?
-the first tory leader to be educated through state schools
-more relatable
-very honest, so good at policies but not politics
what about heath’s career gave him experience for the EEC application?
-was chief negotiator 1961-63
in which year did thatcher replace heath as tory leader?
1975
what were key areas of tory campaign pre 1970 election?
-trade union reforms
-tax teforms
-immigration controls
-cuts to public spending
-end public subsidy of ‘lame duck’/failing industries
what were some reforms during heath’s premiership?
-leaving age of school raised to 16
-british currency went decimal
what was a negative effect of the cuts in tax and public spending?
although they were designed to create investment and a growing economy, they caused a rise in inflation
what was the name of the rapid rise of inflation?
barber boom
chancellor was named anthony barber
what is stagflation?
the inflation was not followed by economic growth, and unemployment went up
what was heath’s famous U-turn?
-unemployment began approaching 1 mil
-rolls royce is nationalised 1971
-gov money given to stop upper clyde shipbuilders going bankrupt
why were these economic policies seen as a u-turn?
policies at the beginning were to let dying industries die
what were the effects of the u-turn?
by 1973 unemployment had fallen back to 500,000
what began the oct 1973 oil crisis?
yom kippur war in the middle east
OPEC calls an oil embargo, and exports stop
what is the OPEC?
organisation of petroleum exporting countries
what happened to the oil prices after the oil embargo was called?
prices became four times the usual levels & very long queues outside petrol stations
why did the NUM demand a pay rise in nov 1973?
due to unaffordable petrol prices
what is the NUM?
national union of miners
what were major industrial disputes during heath’s premiership?
-dockers strike
-large pay settlement for dustmen
-postal workers strike
-‘go slow’ by power workers, causing power cuts
how did the government react to the industrial disputes?
-industrial relations act
-inspired by barbara castle’s white paper, ‘in place of strife’
-publishes the national board for prices and incomes
what did the industrial relations act create?
-strike ballots
-‘cooling off period’ before strikes may happen
but TUC and CBI were against it
what were the major strikes in 1972?
miners, ambulance drivers, firefighters, power workers & hospital staff
what was the highest number of days lost in strikes?
23,909,000 in 1972
highest since general strikes 1926
when did the miners strikes begin?
9 / 01 / 72
particularly harsh due to the weather
what was heath’s solution to the miner strike demands?
a three day working week to be reintroduced in the beginning of 1974
what was the issue with NUM and the gov?
NUM refused to accept pay offer and gov refused to treat miners as a special case
what was NUM’s retaliation?
called a national strike in Jan 1974
what was the intended effect of the three day week?
conserving electricity in response to a wave of industrial action by engineers
and the looming threat of a national coal strike in the middle of an energy crisis
when did heath call a general election?
28th february 1974
central issue intended to be ‘who governs britain?’
what was the result of the 1974 election?
labour won 5 more seats
results were inconclusive and led to a hung parliament
what is a hung parliament?
no political party has overall majority in house of commons
what were the two republican paramilitary organisations?
IRA, INLA
who was the leader of the UUP?
brian faulkner
Ulster unionist party
what policies did faulkner introduce in order to try and calm down the fighting in NI?
night-time curfews and internment in 1971
what was internment?
locking up suspects without trial
what was the effect of the policies in NI?
alienated nationalist communities
95% of people interned between 1971-75 were catholic
what is a quote which demonstrates the negative effects of the policies?
Jim McVeigh, IRA commander
‘internment was among the best recruiting tools the IRA ever had’
what was bloody sunday?
Jan 1972, 13 are killed by the british army and 26 total are shot
how was the british army percieved?
to catholics and nationalists, an enemy occupying power
which was the bloodiest year and what happened?
1972
1400 explosions
10600 shooting incidents
480 killed
what did heath do in march 1972?
brought in direct rule from westminster
appoints wille whitelaw as secretary of state
what were heath’s goals?
-defeat the IRA as wanted by union/loyalists
-look for a permanent political solution that ensures peace
who was ian paisley?
led loyalist opposition to catholic civil rights in 1960s
formed democratic unionist party and loyalist paramilitary organisations
when was the sunningdale agreement decided?
1973
what were the terms of the sunningdale agreement?
-power sharing executive of both nationalists and unionists
-both sides are guaranteed representation
-new NI assembly elected under system of proportional rep
-council o ireland has some input from ROI
what was the reaction to the sunningdale agreement?
extremists on both sides called it a sell-out
