Conservative Dominance, the age of affluence & labour divisions Flashcards
Who was Rab Butler?
‘Best MP Britain conservatives never had’
Played a key role in the reorganisation of Conservative party coming back to power in 1951
Architect in the 1944 education reforms
Took over as PM whilst Eden fell ill following the suez
Who was Harold Macmillan?
MP for Stockton on Tees
Successful housing minister - achieved ambitious target of 300,000 houses per year
What did Rab Butler’s budget promise?
When was this?
£134 million in tax cuts to the middle class In the run up to the 1955 election
What did economic indicators suggest in in 1952?
Men’s weekly wages roses from £8.30 in 1951 to £15.35 in 1961
Increase in private savings and car ownership
Increase in home ownership partly because of Macmillan’s 300, 000 new homes per year achievement
What launched in 1955?
What did this symbolise?
ITV -symbolised a new age of commercial broadcasting as advertisements were shown in between shows
What problems faced the Conservative party 1957 - 1959
In 1957 there was a financial crisis - inflation was on the rise because wages were ahead of productivity
- Thorneycroft believed monetarist policies could resolve the crisis however other cabinet ministers disagreed - lead to divisions in the party
- Thorneycroft then opposed Macmillan’s drastic spending cuts in 1958 until he was eventually overruled by Macmillan
- this led to Thorneycroft’s resignation along with the junior minister Enoch Powell
Why was the economic crisis of 1957 short lived?
The economy expanded so much that the 1959 budget allowed for £370 million in tax cuts
The sterling also regained its value against the dollar
What was Clause four?
Committed the party to nationalisation
Why was clause four problematic to Gaitskell?
Gaitskell intended on abolishing clause four however hostile opposition from unions and left wing MPs saw Gaitskell back down
