Consensus Politics

Question 1

1945 Election

Answer 1

-5 July 1945 2 months after WW2 ended
-Labour won 48% of seats in a landslide victory -> largest number since 1906 that the Tories hadn’t won
-Surprising due to Churchill guiding them through the war, thought he would win again

Question 2

1945 Election Results

Answer 2

LABOUR: 393
TORY:213
LIBERAL: 12
OTHERS: 23

Question 3

Clement Atlee PM Labour

Answer 3

-Middle class background
-MP for limehouse in 1932 and party leader 1935
-Interested in social work

Question 4

Ernest Bevin- Foreign Secretary

Answer 4

-Working class -> worked from age 11
- Became leader of transport and general transport unions. Minister of Labour during the war

Question 5

Anerin Bevan- Minister of Health

Answer 5

-Former welsh miner
-Introduced NHS in 1948

Question 6

Mistakes made by the Conservatives

Answer 6

-Failed to run an effective election campaign as they assumed that Churchill would win the election
-Believed that election was inevitable because of personal popularity. Conservative Manifesto was called “Mr Churchills Declaration to the voters”
-People thought Churchill was very out of touch with British people.
-Did not support Beveridge report

Question 7

Strengths of Labour Party

Answer 7

-Clear Manifesto
-Would adopt Beveridge report
-WW2 helped Labour -> displayed domestic competence in Government
-More domestic help
-Increased unemployment benefits and extended unemployment insurance
-Trade union movements strengthened.