Conservative Dominance, 1951-64

Question 1

Who won the general election in 1955?

Answer 1

Anthony Eden, with 49.6% of the votes

Question 2

What was unemployment at by July 1955?

Answer 2

1% of the workforce / 215,000 people
- lowest rate in its recent history

Question 3

What was the Suez Crisis?

Answer 3

Eden agreed to participate in an invasion of the Suez Canal Zone.
- Eisenhower, US president, threatened to sell America’s reserves of British currency to collapse the value of the pound
- Britain forced to withdraw, Eden resigned in 1957

Question 4

Who got into power 1957?

Answer 4

Harold MacMillan

Question 5

Why was MacMillan government so popular?

Answer 5

There were rising living standards, low unemployment, declining social inequality, and a mixed economy

Question 6

What did some conservatives believe about McMillans gov?

Answer 6

That he was spending too much and racking up an inflation problem.

Question 7

What was the ‘Night of the Long Knives’?

Answer 7

• 1962, MacMillan’s gov was declining, he was perceived as privileged and out of touch
• MacMillan sacked 7 ministers and replaced them with younger, meritocratic men.
• Proved popular with public

Question 8

What were the three spy scandals?

Answer 8

1. John Vassall- blackmailed by soviet union
2. Harold ‘Kim’ Philby- spied and defected to USSR
3. John Profumo- 1963, admitted to having affair with a woman who was also sleeping with a Russian agent

Question 9

Who replaced MacMillan, 1963?

Answer 9

Sir Alec Douglas-Home, but he had an image problem that damaged Conservatives in the next election