chapter nine Flashcards
when did heath win the election
1970
when was the decimalisation of the currency
1971
when was bloody sunday in northern ireland
1972
when was british entry to eec
1973
when were miners strikes and imposition of three day work week
1973
when did heath lose the election
1974
what were heaths main goals as prime minister
modernisation of britain
joining the eec
fixing industrial relations
how was heaths education different to the rest of the conservative party
was the first state educated leader of the conservatives
conservatives 1970 manifesto
tax reform
better law and order
reforms to trade unions
immigration controls
cuts to public spending
end to public subsidies of failing businesses
lame duck industry
one that is unable to compete and survive without support from the state
how did heaths belief in one nation toryism affect the manifesto
he still believed in the post-war consensus and had interest in fighting for the ‘ordinary man’ rather than prioritising the business class (in ideology at least)
reforms under heath
school leaving age raised to 16
british currency went decimal
decimalisation
this had been agreed in 1965 but came into force 1971, new British currency would have 100 pennies rather than the previous 144 pennies in a pound, bringing it more in line with the currencies of other European countries
stagflation
a word invented by economists to describe the unusual combination of inflation and stagnant economic growth (which often produces unemployment) occurring at the same time
why did stagflation occur under heath
Barber introduced cuts in public spending + tax cuts to try and encourage investment but instead caused inflation
however, inflation was not causing economic growth like usual; unemployment was growing (super unusual in periods of high inflation)
who was the chancellor under heath
Anthony Barber
u turn
a reversal of previous policy; Edward heaths u-turn in 1971 to 1972 was his retreat from the free-enterprise economic principles his government had tried to follow from 1970
result of the u turn
by 1973 governments intervention seemed to be working, unemployment fell back to 500,00
what countered the positive effects of the u turn
the oil price crisis of 1973 and then the following energy crisis
when was the oil price crisis
october 1973
what caused the oil price crisis
yom kippur war!!! in the middle east
the war prompted (opec) most oil providers to declair an oil embargo so exports suddenly stopped, increasing demand and stopping supply = crisis
what domestic issues were caused by the oil price crisis (not economic)
the miners union (num) took the opportunity to demand a huge pay rise in november 2973 due to energy shortage
heaths early industrial policies
abolishment of national board for prices and income
the industrial relations act;
set up an industrial relations court
required ballots for striking
required a cooling off period for striking
response to industrials relations act
both traade union coongress and the confederation of british industry were opposed
led to major strikes in 1972 across lots of industries (firefighters to hospital staff to civil servants)
1972 saw highest number of days lost to strikes since the general strike in 1926