Economy (+ industrial relations)

Question 1

What did Wilson dub Heath?

Answer 1

Selsdon Man - after the Selsdon conference at which the Tories announced they would be moving away from Keynesian policies and towards monetarism

Question 2

Who was Chancellor under Heath?

Answer 2

Barber

Question 3

What was the growth rate as a result of the ‘Barber Boom.’

Answer 3

7.4%

Question 4

When was the Arab-Israeli war and what did this lead to?

Answer 4

1973 - an oil crisis and in turn a petrol shortage and unfavourable balance of payments.

Question 5

By how much were oil imports cut and how much did oil prices increase?

Answer 5

Imports were cut by 15% and the costs tripled.

Question 6

Industrial Relations Act

Answer 6

• 1971 - an attempt to moderate trade unions through cutting down strikes and curbing escalating wage demands.
• set up a NIRC with the power to enforce ballots for strikes and a 60 day ‘cooling off’ period
• requiring unions place themselves on a register if they wished to remain their rights.
• an extension of in place of strife in many ways

Question 7

Consequence of Industrial Relations Act?

Answer 7

• the unions opposed the Act bitterly. In February 1971, 140,000 union members marched through London chanting “kill the bill”.​
• the TUC told its members to de-register and defy the NIRC if an action was brought against them. ​
• unions exploited a loophole in the Act, by refusing to make agreements unless the employers accepted that such agreements were not legally binding.

Question 8

When was EEC entry achieved?

Answer 8

1973

Question 9

What did Barber believe the growth rate would be?

Answer 9

10%

Question 10

What was unemployment at by 1972?

Answer 10

1 million

Question 11

How much did Barber plan to add to the PSBR?

Answer 11

£3.4bn

Question 12

By how much did unemployment decrease by 1974?

Answer 12

50% - a total of 3.5% unemployed

Question 13

By how much had inflation risen by the end of 1571?

Answer 13

15%

Question 14

What companies did Heath save from insolvency? What did this mean?

Answer 14

Rolls-Royce and Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (employed over 13 000 men) - he had now done a U-turn

Question 15

Inflation rate in 1974?

Answer 15

16%

Question 16

When did the NUM first strike? Who were they led by?

Answer 16

1972 - led by Arthur Scargill who made effective use of flying pickets

Question 17

What happened in 1973 and what was this the result of?

Answer 17

Heath implemented a 3 day week due to the fuel crisis that had resulted from the oil crisis and miners strike.

Question 18

Who negotiated a pay rise in 1971 and how much was it?

Answer 18

Union boss, Joe Gormley, negotiated a pay rise of 14%.

Question 19

When were the two strikes?

Answer 19

1972 and 1974

Question 20

With whom did Heath have a rivalry?

Answer 20

Thatcher - she greatly condemned his decision to U-turn