chapter five Flashcards
when did wilson/labour win the election
october 1964
when was labours reelection victory under wilson
march 1966
when was the devaluation crisis
novemember 1967
when was britains eec application rejected
november 1967
when was wilsons government defeated in the general election
june 1970
wilsons public image
great moderniser and down-to-earth
the white heat
wilsons promise in campaign speeches that britain would catch up with the technological advancements of places like america and west germany
what were two things wilson disagreed with the left of the labour party about, despite being seen as leftist
agreed with nuclear deterrent
attempted to reform trade unions
why was labours link to modernisation so effective as a campagin in a general election
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
wilsons kitchen cabinet
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
what was the deficit labour inherited in 1964
£800 million
devaluation
lowers the value of a currency in comparison to others in a fixed exchange system
why was labour forced to devalue the pound
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
result of devaluation
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
when and who had last devalued the pound
clement atlee/labour; 1949
chancellor under wilson
callaghan
when was the seamen strike and what the result of it
1966; sterling crisis
frank cousins and his resignation
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
who did wilson replace callaghan with and when
roy jenkins; 1967
jenkins economic policies as chancellor
raised taxes; tightened government spending; prioritised balance of payments
results of jenkins economics
balance of payments surplus by 1969; but inflation was still at 12%
post-war consensus on trade unions
prioritise a good relationship with them
wildcat strikes
sudden unofficial local disputes begun without referance to national leadership
percentage of public with favourable views of the unions in the early sixties
60%
