How weak was the Labour Party?

Question 1

What was Gaitskell unable to do?

Answer 1

Resolve the division within the party over whether it wanted to move left or right

Question 2

What was the key issue that divided the party?

Answer 2

The future of socialism (Clause IV)

Question 3

What was the position of the Bevanites?

Answer 3

Believed welfare measures were the first step to a socialist Britain

Argued for more state control of the economy and society

Disagreed with the moderates

Question 4

What did Bevan publish in 1952?

Answer 4

‘In Place of Fear’

Question 5

What was the position on unions?

Answer 5

Left believed unions should have a say in the development of the party, right wanted policy to be decided by parliamentarians and not by powerful union leaders

Question 6

What was the party also split over?

Answer 6

Its attitude towards social reform and economic change

Question 7

What did Anthony Crosland argue?

Answer 7

That the emphasis should be on social equality rather than economic change, as capitalism had been ‘reformed and modified almost out of existence’

Question 8

What did the left want?

Answer 8

Greater commitment to Clause IV, calling to ‘secure for the workers … the full fruits of their industry’

Question 9

What was the position on nuclear policy?

Answer 9

Left wanted unilateral disarmament so more money was available for social reforms and so the USSR didn’t fall behnd in the arm race

Right wanted to maintain deterrent

Question 10

What was Bevan’s position on nuclear policy and NATO?

Answer 10

Rejected unilateralism at the party conference of 1957

Opposed the approval of the rearmament of Germany and its inclusion in NATO, believing it would alienate the USSR

Question 11

What happened in 1955?

Answer 11

Bevan was expelled from the party for challenging official Labour policy

Question 12

What happened in 1955 and what did this mean?

Answer 12

Gaitskell defeated Bevan in the leadership race

Gaitskell believed this gave him the go-ahead for centrism

Question 13

What happened in 1959 and what did Gaitskell argue?

Answer 13

Labour was defeated

That the left had weakened the party with unpopular views

Question 14

What happened at the party conference of 1960?

Answer 14

Left attacked the party’s nuclear policy, forcing a unilateralist policy using the block vote of the unions

Question 15

What happened in 1961?

Answer 15

Unilateralist policy was abandoned

Question 16

What were there also divisions over?

Answer 16

Nationalism as the left accused Gaitskell of abandoning it as a priority

Question 17

What was a further handicap for the party and why?

Answer 17

Its attitude towards Europe

Gaitskell continued anti-EEC stance

Question 18

What happened after the 1955 election defeat?

Answer 18

Attlee was succeeded by Gaitskell

Question 19

What did Gaitskell preside over in 1959?

Answer 19

A poor election campaign

Question 20

Why did Labour stand a chance of winning in 1959?

Answer 20

Suez and unsound budgetary policies

Question 21

What was the result of the 1959 election?

Answer 21

The Conservatives increased their majority to 100

They won 49.4% of the vote

Labour lost 19 seats

Question 22

Why were the Conservatives fortunate?

Answer 22

The election coincided with a period of economic recovery and they were allowed to claim ‘life is better with the Conservatives’

Question 23

What mistake did Labour make?

Answer 23

Promised an increase in state pensions without a rise in taxes. Had few questions for how it would be funded

Question 24

What did the Conservatives do in 1959 and what did they appear to offer?

Answer 24

Cut taxes by £370mn

Security and prosperity

Question 25

What happened in 1963?

Answer 25

Wilson elected leader

Question 26

What was the impact of Wilson?

Answer 26

Presented a youthful and working-class image, dominating the direction of the 1964 election campaign and promising to modernise the economy