Conservative dominance from 1951 and postwar consensus Flashcards

1
Q

Conservative majoity 1951

A

17

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2
Q

Why was a second election called by Attlee in 1951

A

He only had a majority of 5

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3
Q

Labour government was unpopular

A

The continued policies of rationing, housing shortages, and a period of austerity

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4
Q

Conservative promises over house building

A

300,000 houses a year

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5
Q

How did Churchill appeal to the public

A

Amidst the Korean War his credentials as a worlds statesman were favourable
He promised to set people free from socialist rules

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6
Q

How did Woolton revitalise the conservatives

A

He appealed to party members and business for £1 million for campaigning
He encouraged the selection of candidates from a variety of social backgrounds

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7
Q

Conservative membership by 1952

A

Grown to 2.8 million, including many young members

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8
Q

What policies of the Attlee government did the conservatives accept

A

Keynesian economics and positive relations with the unions

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9
Q

When was rationing ended

A

1954

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10
Q

When were ID cards abolished

A

1952

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11
Q

Why was the period 1945-70 labelled as a postwar consensus

A

Similarities in economic policy, mixed economy was best and aimed for full employment

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12
Q

How did Churchill’s government contribute to the post war consensus

A

Many nationalised industries remained and unions were given a prominent role

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13
Q

Bevanites

A

The left of the Labour party who argued for greater state control and direction of the economy and society
Wanted large trade unions

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14
Q

Unilateralists

A

Wanted a reduction in nuclear power as they believed that it would save Britain money to spend on the under privileged

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15
Q

CND Movement

A

Anti American and pro Soviet who didn’t want to see the Soviet Union fall too far behind the West in the arms race

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16
Q

Gaitskell’s decisions over the internal disputes

A

He stood on the moderate centre right of the party and believed that he had the mandate to steer the party apart from Bevanite views

17
Q

Increased disputes after the 1959 election

A

Gaitskell accused the left of weakening the party by their demand for unilateralism
Whereas the left attacked Gaitskell for dropping nationalisation as a primary policy

18
Q

CND

A

A group created after the 1959 election to support Gaitskell which argued that it was undemocratic for the left to influence the leaders of large trade unions

19
Q

1960 Labour Party Conference

A

A victory for the left of the party as the unilateralists forced their policy on the party using the voting block of the major unions

20
Q

1955 general election results

A

Conservatives won 345 seats, a majority of 58

21
Q

Eden Suez Canal crisis

A

Sent British troops to protect the canal against the nationalisation of the Suez Canal, but then had to withdraw them
Main reason why Eden resigned

22
Q

1959 election results

A

MacMillan won an easy election victory of 365 seats, a majority of 100

23
Q

1959 Budget

A

Massively boosted the economy

24
Q

The Rent Act 1957

A

Allowed landlords to charge higher rents to help improve their property
810,000 properties moved out of rental control

25
Life Peers Act 1957
Introduction of peers into House of Lords rather than an inheritance
26
Homicide Act 1957
Reserved the death penalty for 5 cases of murder | Gradually abolished capital punishment
27
What happened to the economy in 1963
It stagnated
28
Unemployment in 1963 under MacMillan
900,000
29
Stop go policies
A real issue for the conservatives which failed to address industrial decline There would have been greater affluence without these policies
30
Issues with trade unions
Union reform was not tackled or wage freezes introduced They were excluded form the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Act 1956 Blamed for limited production
31
Days lost in 1957 due to strike action
8.5 million working days
32
Orpington by-election
A loss for the conservatives who saw their majority go from 15,000 to a Liberal majority of 8000
33
MacMillan's cabinet reshuffle
A response to the poor performance in the Orpington by-election, nicknamed the Night of the Long Knives where 7 members were sacked
34
Profumo Affair
MacMillan's Secretary of State for War had an affair with Christine Keeler, who was already in a relationship with a Russian naval attache It led to Profumo resigning and damaged the credibility of the conservatives