Conservative governments

Question 1

What is a first-past-the-post electoral system?

Answer 1

A system where the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins a seat in Parliament.

Question 2

When did Winston Churchill retire?

Answer 2

1955

Question 3

What was the politics of this period often known as? (after the war)

Answer 3

post war political consensus

Question 4

When was Anthony Eden PM?

Answer 4

1955-57

Question 5

What led to Eden’s downfall in 1965?

Answer 5

the Suez Crisis

Question 6

When was Harold Macmillan PM?

Answer 6

1957-1963

Question 7

What were the weaknesses of the Labour Party opposition? (what did they disagree on?)

Answer 7

CND
Clause IV
Free Prescription

Question 8

Who was on the Left of the Labour Party?

Answer 8

Bevan, Wilson, Castle

Question 9

Who was on the Right of the Labour Party?

Answer 9

Gaitskell

Question 10

What can the fall from power for the Conservatives be partly explained by? (with examples)

Answer 10

• shift in social attitudes in the 1960s eg. Conservatives appeared out of touch
• growing economic problems e. g the Stop-go inflation
• political scandals eg. Profumo Affair
• appointment of Wilson as new Labour Party leader after death of Gaitskell in 1963

Question 11

Which election saw the Conservatives increase their majority to 100 seats?

Answer 11

1959 election

Question 12

Which affair contributed to the fall of the Conservative government?

Answer 12

The Profumo Affair

Question 13

What was the order of PMs?

Answer 13

Churchill
Eden
Macmillan
Douglas-Home

Question 14

What was the Profumo Affair and when?

Answer 14

1961

Profumo, the Defense Secretary, had a brief relationship with a woman who was also sleeping with a Soviet Spy which raised questions about possible leaks of Cold War secrets.

Question 15

What is an example of satire against the Conservative government?

Answer 15

Beyond the Fringe
- a satirical review made by uni students

Question 16

What affair culminated due to influential figures being caught spying for the Soviet Union? (Cold War)

Answer 16

Vassal Affair
- Philby (an MI6 agent) fled to SU in 1963

Question 17

What were some reasons for Conservative success?

Answer 17

• economic policies like low unemployment and increased standard of living
• Britain world power (nuclear weapons)
• housing market improvements - 300,000 new homes built under Churchill

Question 18

What were some domestic policies?

Answer 18

• broad support for British Welfare state
  eg. importance of NHS
• gov intervention in economy for maximum growth
• foreign policy consensus
  = support USA and oppose USSR + communism
• independence of colonies