chapter five

Question 1

when did wilson/labour win the election

Answer 1

october 1964

Question 2

when was labours reelection victory under wilson

Answer 2

march 1966

Question 3

when was the devaluation crisis

Answer 3

novemember 1967

Question 4

when was britains eec application rejected

Answer 4

november 1967

Question 5

when was wilsons government defeated in the general election

Answer 5

june 1970

Question 6

wilsons public image

Answer 6

great moderniser and down-to-earth

Question 7

the white heat

Answer 7

wilsons promise in campaign speeches that britain would catch up with the technological advancements of places like america and west germany

Question 8

what were two things wilson disagreed with the left of the labour party about, despite being seen as leftist

Answer 8

agreed with nuclear deterrent
attempted to reform trade unions

Question 9

why was labours link to modernisation so effective as a campagin in a general election

Answer 9

contrast to conservatives 13 wasted years and embracing change contrasted conservatives rigidness and old-fashioned views; it was also generally accepted by 1964 that britain was lagging behind countries like japan and west germany

Question 10

wilsons kitchen cabinet

Answer 10

his trusted inner circle including people from outside of parliament or government were his main advisors; due to intense paranoia and insecurity about his leadership; reinforced suspicions of party disunity and prevented ministers from having access to him

Question 11

what was the deficit labour inherited in 1964

Answer 11

£800 million

Question 12

devaluation

Answer 12

lowers the value of a currency in comparison to others in a fixed exchange system

Question 13

why was labour forced to devalue the pound

Answer 13

due to the high deficit; the only options were devaluation or deflation; but deflation was used in the stop go policies labour had criticised conservatives for

Question 14

result of devaluation

Answer 14

increases price of imports; but decreases price of exports in other countries; leading to a smaller balance of payments deficit; however would make britain look weak

Question 15

when and who had last devalued the pound

Answer 15

clement atlee/labour; 1949

Question 16

chancellor under wilson

Answer 16

callaghan

Question 17

when was the seamen strike and what the result of it

Answer 17

1966; sterling crisis

Question 18

frank cousins and his resignation

Answer 18

the leader of tgwu (the largest trade union in britain) resigned from cabinet in 1966 over wilsons reaction to the seamen strikes; the beginning of the breakdown between the government and the trade unions

Question 19

who did wilson replace callaghan with and when

Answer 19

roy jenkins; 1967

Question 20

jenkins economic policies as chancellor

Answer 20

raised taxes; tightened government spending; prioritised balance of payments

Question 21

results of jenkins economics

Answer 21

balance of payments surplus by 1969; but inflation was still at 12%

Question 22

post-war consensus on trade unions

Answer 22

prioritise a good relationship with them

Question 23

wildcat strikes

Answer 23

sudden unofficial local disputes begun without referance to national leadership

Question 24

percentage of public with favourable views of the unions in the early sixties

Answer 24

60%

Question 25

white paper

Answer 25

a document written by the government that sets out a possible policy direction but makes no commitments

Question 26

who proposed in place of strife and when

Answer 26

barbara castle 1969

Question 27

in place in strife

Answer 27

attempted to make strikes more organised and less economically disasterous for the government; including a 28 day cooling off period; and the imposition of strike ballots

Question 28

who didnt support in place of strife

Answer 28

unions, the left of the labour party

Question 29

who did support in place of strife

Answer 29

voters, many labour mps (more central/right typically)

Question 29

what happened to in place of strife and when

Answer 29

was replaced with a TUC (trade union congress) negotiation in june 1969

Question 30

effect of failure of in place in strife

Answer 30

embarassing for labour; showed they had no real power of trade union leaders

Question 31

critism of wilson regarding party unity

Answer 31

spent too much of his attention was spent attempting to keep the party united and his position secure; rather than focussing on what was best for the country

Question 32

what did unionists support

Answer 32

the role of britain in northern ireland (usually protestant)

Question 33

what did nationalists support

Answer 33

a united ireland that was independant (usually catholic)

Question 34

why were catholics in northern ireland unhappy

Answer 34

they were being discriminated against in employment, housing and electoral boundaries which were moved to prevent catholics from being elected

Question 35

irish republican army

Answer 35

organisation that fought for indpendance in the irish war of independence; it did not accept the partition of ireland

Question 36

paramilitary

Answer 36

a non state military force

Question 37

apprentice boys

Answer 37

a loyalist (unionist) organisation that marches annually to commemorate the closing of the gates to the city of derry to catholic forces in 1688 by 13 apprentice boys

Question 38

battle of the bogside

Answer 38

during an apprentice boy march in a catholic area; a riot was started which lasted 3 days and involved a lot of police mistreatment; in derry 1969

Question 39

when did wilson lose the election

Answer 39

1970

Question 40

when was enoch powells rivers of blood speech made

Answer 40

1968

Question 41

impact of enoch powells rivers of blood speech

Answer 41

caused a lot of controversy; was removed from labour party but still painted the party as unsympathetic which deterred its more left wing voters