harold wilson (1964-1970) Flashcards
british political history: harold wilson's premiership 1964-1970
When was Wilson’s white heat speech.
1963.
Purpose of Wilson’s white heat speech.
Explain Labour’s plan of diving into the modern technological age.
How Wilson catered a popular image.
- Classless.
- Northern Yorkshire accent.
- State-school education.
- Used a pipe.
Wilsons ‘kitchen cabinet’.
Wilson’s network of inner circle MPs, trusted civil servants and out-of-government advisers.
What did Labour inherit in 1964.
£800m deficit.
Why did Labour want to avoid devaluation.
Attlee’s unpopular devaluation of 1949.
When was the DEA set up and with whom as leader.
1964 with George Brown.
Why did the DEA not gain support.
Brown was in competition with Callaghan and the anti-labour, orthodox treasury economists. Brown was seen as impulsive as well.
When was the DEA abandoned.
1967.
Why did the 1966 sterling crisis happen.
A seaman strike in response to the new prices and incomes policy.
Results of the 1967 Middle Eastern War.
- Oil supplies decreased.
- Dock strike.
- Balance of payments crisis.
- Pound devalued, dropping 14% to the dollar.
Labour policies with the 1967 pound devaluation.
- Hire purchasing restrictions.
- Defence cuts.
- Heightened interest rates.
Roy Jenkin’s policies as Chancellor.
- Deflationary tactics.
- Spending moved into balance of payments.
By when did the balance of payments gain a surplus.
1969.
By 1970, what was inflation running by.
17%.
Barbara Castle’s ‘In Place of Strife’ (1970) suggestions.
- 8 day cooling period between strikes.
- Government could impose settlements in situations where unions were in dispute.
- Strike ballots could be imposed.
- Industrial relations courts could prosecute those who broke rules.
When did Wilson give in to Jack Jones on the ‘In Place of Strife’ matter.
1970.
Jack Jones.
Leader of the Transport and General Worker’s Unions.
Joy Jenkins, Minister of Aviation, comment.
That he had a non-scientific mind and often did not understand his briefings.
Frank Cousins, Minister of Technology, comment.
That he had little interest in technological developments.
Technology department improvements under Tony Benn.
Project of Concorde with France.
Who did Wilson have tensions with.
Jenkins, Callaghan and Brown.
When was Northern Ireland created.
1922.
When did civil rights movements in Northern Ireland begin.
1964.
When were paramilitaries set up against the IRA.
1964.
The 1969 Apparentice Boy incident.
The Unionist group Apparentice Boy organisation marched through the Catholic area of Bogside, and were attacked by nationalists. Two days of rioting followed, where the RUS beat Catholics.
How did Northern Irish government try and soothe the issues of the Apparentice boy incident.
Stormont government offered concessions appealing to the Catholics, with the unionists protested.
When did Wilson send in British troops to Northern Ireland.
1969.
