End of the Post-War Consensus 1970-79 Flashcards
Prime Ministers 1970-79
70-74 Ted Heath
74-76 Harold Wilson
76-79 Jim Callaghan
Characteristics of Ted Heath
Lower-Middle Class
Grammar school educated (first Tory leader), went to Oxford on scholarship
First Tory leader elected by party
One-Nation Tory
Selsdon Man (free marketeer)
Europhile
When did Heath join the EEC?
1973
Why did the Conservatives win in 1970?
Labour Weaknesses:
-Poor economy
-Liberal Legislation
-Failure to TUs under control
-12% inflation
-Failure to condemn Vietnam
-Devaluation
Tory Strengths:
-Heath was new blood
-Promised to get unions under control
-Promise to get Britain into Europe
-Promised to end subsidies to lame duck industries
-Enoch Powell (2.5m)
When was decimalisation
1971
How many votes did Powell give the Tories in 1970?
2.5m
How many Labour and Liberals switched to the Tories after hearing Rivers of Blood
18% of Labourites
24% of Liberals
Who was Blair Peach
Anti-Nazi League member, demonstrated against racism, killed by police on a race-march in 1979. Police brutality.
NI: What was Bloody Sunday
1972
1 Para fired on unarmed protestors in Bogside, Derry killing 14.
Turned nationalist group against the British Army.
British embassy in Dublin burned down.
NI: What was Operation Demetrius
Imprisonment without trial of suspected PIRA sympathisers in 1971.
2,500 arrested (95% Catholic)
ECHR described interrogation methods as torture
Caused nationalist backlash
Ended by Labour
Which law outlawed sex-based discrimination
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Wage gap closure during 70s
59p/£ in 1970 -> 70p/£ in 1977
How did employers get around equal pay loopholes?
Give female employees marginally different job descriptions so that it’s technically a different job
When was The Pill made available on the NHS?
1971
How many immigrants had arrived from the Commonwealth by 1974?
1 million
February 1974 elections
Hung parliament with a Labour minority government
Labour got the most seats by 5
Liberals got 20% of the vote but 14 seats, beginning their campaign for PR
Nationalist parties got a foothold
Tories couldn’t form a coalition with the Liberals as they demanded Heath step down
Heath’s two chancellors
Ian Macleoud, skilled chancellor who kept most of the Conservative’s plans in his head as Shadow Chancellor. Died soon after the 1970 election.
Anthony Barber, deregulated banking sector (Barber’s Boom), introduced VAT at 10%
Who was Keith Joseph
Prominent cabinet minister in post-war Tory governments, publicly apologised for the Conservatives’ commitment to maintaining the P-W C when he renounced it, becoming the first monetarist and the fore-runner to Thatcher. Never ran for office as he said some nasty things about working class women.
Education under Heath
School leaving age increased to 16
Thatcher ramped up comprehensivisation despite personally opposing it
What was Heath’s U-Turn?
Nationalising Rolls-Royce and Upper Clyde Shipbuilders in 1971.
Rolls-Royce saved 80,000 jobs
What was the Barber Boom?
Anthony Barber’s 1972 budget massively deregulated banking, leading to large increases in lending which spurred inflation.
Growth was promised to be 10% within two years.
End of the Post-War Consensus
What was the economic situation under Heath that was previously thought to be impossible
Stagflation
Oil prices under Heath
Ramped up after OPEC sanctioned West during Yom Kippur War starting in 1973.
$3 -> $12 a barrel
Massive driver of inflation
When did North Sea drilling begin
1975
When did Barber float the pound
1972
When was the first post-war recession?
1973-75
How did Heath try to tackle inflation?
Statutory Incomes Policy. After talks between the government, CBI and TUC broke down, Heath froze wages and prices.
Contradiction as he abolished the Prices and Incomes Board earlier.
What did unemployment break a million?
January 1972
What was unemployment in 1974
550,000, fell due to Keynesian strategies
How did Heath deal with unions?
Industrial Relations Act 1971
Set up an Industrial Relations Court to deal with disputes, and enforced a cooling down period. Essentially just a passing of In Place of Strife. Labour would later repeal this, and Thatcher would finish them off.
Called the 1974 election with the slogan “who governs?”
What’s an example of an old generation of trade unionists being replaced by new militants?
Joe Gormley of the NUM being replaced by Arthur Scargill. Scargill had already been creating strikes around the back of Gormley.
How many days were lost to striking in 1972?
24,000,000 (highest since the General Strike)
Major strikes under Heath
NUM strike Jan-Feb 1972:
Led by Gormley, but Scargill played a big part
Flying picketers were sent to other mines to try and start strikes there
State of emergency declared
Battle of Saltley Gate
43% pay rise
COBRA created
NUM strike 1974:
Real wages had been falling (less than the Wilberforce Inquiry recommended)
Opportunist jump on three day week and fuel shortage
Miners rejected a small pay rise and went on strike for two weeks
Prompted Heath to call the 1974 election to give himself a mandate on ‘who governs?’
Wilson gave them a 35% pay rise and called another election
What was the Battle of Saltley Gate?
During the 1972 NUM strike, clashed with the police and closed down a coke depot which housed coal stockpiles.
Flying pickets came in from other industries to join the blockade.
30,000 strikers in total
How many babies were baptised in the 70s
Less than half of them
NI: What was the bloodiest year of the Troubles
1972
500 died
10,000 shooting incidents
2,000 explosions
NI: What was Sunningdale
Attempt at a powersharing agreement in 1973. Rejected by unionists.
Called for a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and for Ireland to have a say in governing NI in the Council of Ireland.
Led to protests and a general strike from unionists. Ireland would have to drop their constitutional claim to NI.
NI: Direct Rule
Devolved status of NI, including their PM was abolished in 1972, establishing home rule. Lasted until Good Friday Agreement
NI: Name of the unionist group opposed to Sunningdale
UUUP
NI: Why was Labour more concilliatory towards nationalists than Heath?
Heath relied on UUP votes for his coalition and Wilson’s constituency had a lot of NI Catholic immigrants
What was the Three Day Week?
1973-74
Due to high fuel prices from Yom Kippur and NUM strikes, the government declared that fuel rationing would be implemented so that firms would only have fuel for three days a week. This was effectively a three day working week, due to the low productivity of British industry in this period, little production was lost, and most saw it as a holiday.
Some had to work 18h days
Embarassing for Heath.
Wage inflation under Heath
Double inflation (14% v 7%)
How much did lending increase during the Barber Boom?
43% in 1973
How many days were lost to strikes under Heath
60 million 1970-74
What was inflation at in 1974?
19%
Ford under Heath
Ford threatened to pull production out of the UK due to strikes
Social Contract
Plan drawn up by Labour when they were in opposition.
Food subsidies
Housing subsidies
Repeal Heath’s Industrial Relations Act
Institute voluntary pay restraints
Govt would work with unions
Pensions increased
Contrased with the contractionary policies and austerity that other countries imposed to deal with the early 70s recession
When it was implemented it led to lower strikes, but didn’t solve the underlying problem of millitancy
What was Labour’s policy on Europe?
Tony Benn convinced Wilson that a referendum should be held.
In the 1975 election, Wilson and the party remained neutral, allowing for cabinet ministers to publicly debate each other (Jenkins v Benn).
When the Yes campaign won, and Benn conceded Labour became pro-European
1975 Referendum
Should the UK remain the the EEC?
Yes:
Jenkins, Heath, most of the cabinet, most of the shadow cabinet, businesses, most of the media
No:
Benn, Foot, Castle, Powell
Ended in a 17m-8m win for the YES campaign
Value of the pound decrease
$2.30 (pegged) -> $1.67 in 1976 (floating)
Why did Wilson resign?
He had reached the age of 60, and thought he was now too old. 1966, Callaghan won the leadership election despite being older that 60.
What was the foreign policy mood during the 70s internationally
Détente
What shows that Callaghan was an experienced politician
Only person to have held all four Great Offices of State
Heath on Vietnam
Publicly supported the American bombing of Vietnam
All other European countries protested it
Other restrictions along with the three day week
50 mph speed limit
TV turns off at 10:30
BoP deficit Wilson inherited in 1974?
£3bn
How was 74-76 Wilson different to 64-70 Wilson?
Older, less energetic, less paranoid, gave ministers a lot of independence, minority government
Heath’s policy towards the Americans
- Cared less about the special relationship due to his Europhilia.
- Stopped America using British bases in Cyprus for recon, and using European NATO bases to deliver weapons to Israel out of feat of a further oil embargo.
- Rejected Kissinger’s attempts to use - UK as a pawn in the EEC
- Only European leader to support the increased bombing campaign in Vietnam
The Angry Brigade
Anti-Consumerist AnCom terrorist organisation in 70s
Who were the Situationists
Avant-guarde, anticonsumerist movement of 60s and 70s. Student-based.
King Mob was the British branch of this ideology
Who was Chancellor under Wilson 2 and Callaghan?
Denis Healey (right of party)
What did Healey raise taxes for the rich to in 1974
85% top band of income tax
98% for unearned income
Inflation and wage increases in 1975
23% inflation
Going rate of wage demands was 30%
CBI survey of businesses’ view on Europe
In 1975, 415/419 wanted to join the EEC
Spending breakdown of the 1975 EEC referendum
Yes outspent NO 10:1
National Enterprise Board
Benn’s plan:
-Large control of economy
-Second wave of nationalisation
Reality:
-Underfunded
-Impotent
-Controlled government shares in private firms
Castle’s pension scheme
SERPS
Large increase in pensions for the old as it was based off of their highest earning years, not their most recent
Scrapped by Tories for being costly
Helped women gain a financial foothold especially
How did Callaghan’s cabinet differ to Wilson’s?
Jim purged a lot of prominent ministers, especially the left (eg Jenkins and Castle), and replacing them with Rightists (Owen, Williams and Rodgers)
What did Wilson and Callaghan nationalise?
Wilson:
British Leyland
Steel
Callaghan:
Shipbuilding
Aircraft manufacturing
How did Callaghan and Healey counter inflation?
A £6 a week pay limit to half pay increases
Led to real wages falling under Callaghan
Alternative Economic Strategy
Plan drawn up by Benn to deal with 1976 sterling crisis of a seige economy.
Sweeping nationalisation, high tarrifs, withdrawal from Europe, higher taxes on the rich
IMF Crisis
aka 1976 Sterling Crisis
High deficit spending, BoP deficit and inflation meant that the value of the pound was unstable
Callaghan and Healey asked for $3.9bn from the IMF, the largest ever debt given by the IMF.
Bankers were given authority over elected politicians.
IMF made Callaghan cut public spending by £1bn (he haggled down from £4bn)
It turns out that the loan wasn’t needed as statistics were wrong
Only half of the loan was ever used, and it was paid off by 1979. Embarrasing though, as Callaghan was seen as having to go cap-in-hand to the IMF.
1976 Labour Party Conference
PM Callaghan gave a speech rejecting Keynesian economics, claiming that it had resulted in inflation and unemployment.
Displayed new monetarist leanings.
Why was the IMF loan not needed
Public expenditure was at 45% not 60% as civil servants said
When did inflation get back to single digits?
1978, went back up during WoD
How much North Sea Oil was being drilled
500,000 barrels per day by 1977, and was selfsufficient in gas
LibLab Pact
From 1977-78 Callaghan made a pact with David Steele’s Liberals to tide over his Parliamentary minority.
Liberals would get consultation rights in exchange for them caucusing with Labour.
What was Callaghan’s blunder?
Not calling a general election in Autumn of 1978 when he was ahead in the polls. Things got worse for him after WoD dooming him to loss in 1979.
How did the UK wean away from full employment
Conservatives:
Heath was 50/50 on the P-W C, nominally supporting it, and being a One Nation Tory, but also prefering market-based approaches. Thatcher fully abolished the Tory commitment to it.
Labour:
After a string of crises, a strain on public finances, and his disillusionment with Keynesianism, Callaghan weaned Labour away from full employment.
Unemployment never hit 4% during the P-W C, after 1976 we never went below it
Unemployment under Wilson 2
Doubled to 5.5% under Wilson2
Devolution
As part of the LibLab Pact, Callaghan promised referenda on devolution for Scotland and Wales.
The referenda were held in 1979.
Scotland voted for it, and Wales against it.
The results were dependant upon 40% of the population voting for it instead of most of the electorate, so neither of these passed.
First SNP MP
1967 Hamilton by-election
First Plaid Cymru MP
1966 Carmarthen by-election
Wod: What triggered the WoD?
The TUC rejecting the government’s proposal for wage increase limits of 5%, leading to increased wage demands being put forth by TUs
Wod: How did The Sun report Jim Callaghan’s quote about Wod?
CRISIS?
WHAT CRISIS?
Wod: When was Wod?
Winter of 1978-79
Wod: What ended Wod?
Valentine’s Day Concordat
A deal with the TUC
What did inflation peak at in the 70s?
27% in 1975
Wod: Days lost to strikes in 1964, 1972 and 1979
1964 - 5m
1972 - 24m
1979 - 30m
Wod: Examples of industries went on strike in the WoD?
Ford workers (first)
1,000,000 NUPE workers (public sector)
Liverpool gravediggers (iconic)
Firemen (Demanded 22% rise)
How did Callaghan fall?
He lost due to a vote of no confidence that won by a single vote. He called nationalists voting him out “turkeys voting for Christmas”
Wod: Average pay increase achieved
10%`
1979 Election
Conservative majority under Thatcher
Tory Strengths:
-Positioned themselves away from DemSoc
-“Labour isn’t working”
Labour Weaknesses:
-Ageing
-Winter of Discontent
-Callaghan made an underwhelming manifesto, ignoring those who pushed for putting the abolition of the Lords in the manifesto
Majority of 44
NI: What was the name of the strike in protest of Sunningdale?
Ulster Workers Council Strike;
Crippled the new Northern Ireland Executive and caused Faulkner to resign as head of the NIE.
NI: Blanket protest
5 year long protest starting in 1976 surrounding IRA prisoners in Maze Prison having their Special Category Status removed.
Characterised by prisoners refusing to wear the normal inmate clothes they now had to wear, and the ‘dirty protests’ (smearing excrement on cell walls)
Culminated in the 1981 Hunger Strike and Bobby Sands’ death
250 involved by 1979
NI: How did Wilson try to solve the Troubles after Sunningale collapsed?
He established the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975, an elected body made up of both unionist and nationalist parties.
Unionists won a majority, and were opposed to any power-sharing agreement, so the Convention didn’t lead anywhere, and was dissolved in 1976.
What happened to the Equal Pay Act?
Originally proposed by Labour, Conservatives took it on it 1970, passing the Equal Pay Act in 1970.
When was International Women’s Day declared by the UN?
1977
Which organisation pushed for second-wave feminism?
Womens Lib, started in 1970 but spread across the country.
Protested a Miss World Contest in 1970.
Organised marches in London and Liverpool
Demanded 24hour childcare and equal pay
Feminist newspaper
Spare Rib
First rape crisis centre
1976, London
Domestic Violence Act 1976
Women can now take out court orders on abusive partners
Feminist reaction to the Yorkshire Ripper
Reclaim the Night marches
Which tribunal did the Equal Pay Act establish?
Equal Opportunities Commission
Dealt with enforcing Equal Pay Act and Sex Discrimination Act
Only 9 investigations in its first 8 years
Only 10% of workplace discrimination claims were successful
Which law enabled maternity leave?
Employment Protection Act 1975
Also outlawed dismissals based on pregnancies
TUs position of women in the workplace
Thought they would drive down wages originally so opposed them
TUC published Equality for Women within Trade Unions charter, showing they changed their mind on this in 1979
Heath on immigration
Passed Immigration Act 1971 which further restricted migration to those who had jobs lined up
70s Racial law Wilson passed
Race Relations Act 1976
Tightened restrictions on race-based discrimination, especially in employment
Established the Commission for Racial Equality which investigated racism in the workplace claims.
Where was the National Front active in 70s?
Brick Lane and Southall
National Front membership peak
20,000 in 1976. Britain’s fourth largest party, was able to debate in TV debats
What were the Conservatives plans for immigration in opposition?
Thatcher wanted to cut it to prevent British culture being swamped.
Bumped up to 11 points ahead in the polls after announcing this
Anti-racist organisations
Rock Against Racism (100,000 in 1978 concert)
Anti-Nazi League
How many Met Police Officers were black in the 70s?
0.3%
Racial clash in the 70s
1976 Notting Hill Carnival turned into a riot
Anti-immigration subculture
Skinheads, developed from Mod culture
First black player on the England team
Viv Anderson, racially abused in the stands
Blackface comedy show in 60s and 70s
The Black and White Minstrel Show
New youth music bands
The Clash
Sex Pistols
New York Dolls
Punk subculture
Nihilistic, antiestablishment, rebellious, social alienation, meant to shock middle England (Anarchy in the UK).
Vivienne Westwood was the fashion designer that pioneered punk fashion
English Disease
Football hooliganism became a growing issue with skinheads.
Chelsea Headhunters was a hooligan organisation
What happened to Enoch Powell
Fell out with Heath over Rivers of Blood, and banned from campaigning in 1970, but was allowed to run.
In 1974 he left the party and told his followers to vote Labour for EEC reasons.
Left to join the UUP in NI and faded into irrelevancy
George Markov Affair
Bulgarian defector and critic of the communist regime in his homeland was assassinated on British soil by the KGB
October 1974 election
After Wilson made peace with the NUM be called another election (22% pay rise, rising to 35% next year)
Majority of three seats (soon eroded away)
Emergence of Thatcher
Challenged Heath to a leadership election in 1975
Didn’t seem like she could win, as she had little cabinet experience and was a woman
Won the leadership election due to conviction, Neave’s skillful campaigning, and a ‘anyone but Ted’ mindset
Made Willie Whitelaw (Heath’s prominent NI minister) Deputy PM to secure the support of ONCs
Example of women’s financial independence now
In 1971, women could for the first time apply for a mortgage without a male guarantor being there
When did the sterling drop below $2?
1976
Which NUM trade-unioinist said his goal was to “bring down the government”?
Mick McGahey
