Labour Divisions Flashcards
1
Q
What did Morgan argue about the period of Wilson’s administration?
A
- Period of economic disarray
- political indirection
- paranoia from Wilson
2
Q
Who was Wilson fearful of rivalry? *
A
- Feared he might face a leadership challenge from Brown, Callaghan and Jenkins
- Brown hugely resentful that he had lost the leadership elections (and that denounced to FO)
- Jenkins - a Gaitskellites –> Seaman’s Strike of 1966 caused sterling crisis Jenkins tried to get the cabinet to support devaluation.
- Wilson interpreted as a plot to replace him and Brown with Callaghan and Jenkins –> paranoia
3
Q
What did Morgan argue about Wilson’s skills?
A
- suitable for political survival
- remained master of his party in parliament and in the country
- popular personality
- Out maneuvered the Tories and often made heath seem humorous and foolish
4
Q
What was the Donnelly-Wyatt Revolt and when?
A
- 1965
- Came from the Right, it concerned the re-nationalization of the steel industry
- By 1965 Labour’s overall majority reduced to three
- Two labour backbenchers (Wyatt and Donnelly) blocked the nationalisation Bill
- Wilson forced to surrender and steel nationalisation was delayed until after the 1966 elections.
5
Q
In 1965 who was Harold wilson’s opponent in the 1966 election?
A
Edward Heath
6
Q
What did Wilson do that was regarded as a missed opportunity ?
Why?
A
- Dismissed a 1965 election causing many to believe he had missed a golden opportunity
- A Hull by-election in Jan 1966 vindicated Wilson’s decision to hang on
7
Q
What was Wilson’s campaign in the 1966 elections?
A
- Labour had done what they promised now needed opportunity to finish the job
- Labour handled economy better than the tories
- if there were still difficulties it was because of the previous administration
- Labour would negotiate its way into the Common Market in compared to Heath’s anti-European stance
8
Q
What was the result of the 1966 elections ?
A
- The 1966 result was only the second election to give labour a big enough majority to secure full parliamentary term without third party support
9
Q
How did Wilson attempt to reform the House of Lords?
A
- Wilson attempted to fundamentally restructure the House of Lords in 1968
- Hereditary peerages would now be replaced by a two-tier system of appointments, while all peers entitled to vote would be appointed by the Prime Minister
- This aroused fears
- 27 Labour MPS voted against it
- In 1969 the Bill was withdrawn
10
Q
How did Wilson attempt to reform the Local Government? *
A
- The Reedcliffe-Maud report of 1969 proposed that the land be divided into 8 provinces, with 3 metropolitan authorities in Merseyside, Birmingham and Manchester
- Met with much resistance and in early 1970 nothing achieved by time of 1970 election
11
Q
What did Wilson do in terms of nuclear power? *
A
- WIlson’s administration abandoned labour’s identification with unilateral disarmament
- Ignored the election pledge to get rid of nuclear weapons
- canceled the Polaris project
- Went ahead with four of the five projected submarines and to ensure their deployment as part of the NATO defence.
12
Q
What nationalist movements emerged in 1960s? *
A
- significant movements of both Scottish and Welsh nationalism
- Both the Scottish Nationalists and the Plaid Cymru performed poorly at general elections down to 1966
13
Q
How were nationalist movements reinforced in Wales?
A
- By the growth of The Welsh Language Society, with a strong student following + with nationalist leader , Saunders Lewis
- The Welsh language movement saw direct physical action against government building, post offices, television masts ect.
- english-only road signs destroyed all over Wales
14
Q
How was Wales doing in by elections ? *
A
- In Wales, by-election of July 1966 saw the election of Gwynfor Evans (Plaid Cymru leader) –> able to build on public disillusion with Labour’s economic policy and it’s newly created Welsh Office
15
Q
How was Wales doing in terms of elections?
A
- Welsh nationalism growing
- In Rhondda West in 1967 and Caerphilly in 1968, Plaid Cymru came very close to winning these traditionally rock-solid Labour seats.
- Official labour seemed old and demoralised
16
Q
How was nationalism doing in Scotland?
A
- The nationalist challenge was more powerful still
- Labour majority of 16,000 at Hamilton was overturned by Mrs. Winifred Ewing of the SNP in Nov 1967
- -> sweeping Nationalist gains in local elections followed
17
Q
What did Wilson do in response to Nationalism? *
A
- Wilson turned to the old remedy of a Royal Commision on the constitution
- This would consider the issue of Scottish and Welsh government, or self government but would take several years over it
- There were more subtle strategies:
- George Thomas, the Welsh Secretary orchestrated the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969, as a boost to unionist feeling
18
Q
How was Ireland divided?
A
- 6 counties (Ulster) remained part of UK and other 26 counties would be part of the Irish Free state –> later the Republic of Ireland
- controversion
19
Q
How was Northern Ireland divided?
A
- Majority of people in Ireland as a whole were Catholic but the majority of people in Northern Ireland were Protestant
- Ulster remained dormant under one-party Protestant Unionist rule
- Catholic complains of discrimination in jobs and housing, of political gerrymandering and of a one-religion police force ignored.
20
Q
What happened due to Catholic unrest? *
A
- Summer of 1968, the long campaign of civil rights which had begun in 1964 exploded in violence in the Catholic areas of Londonderry’s Bogside and the Falls Road in Belfast
- Civil Rights marches to protest discrimination were attacked by loyalists
- Catholics complained that the RUC failed to protect the them
- Violent clashes between RUC: 10 people killed, including 9 year old boy
21
Q
What happened to the situation with Northern Ireland in 1969? *
A
- Situation deteriorated even further
- The Loyal Apprentice Boys went ahead with their annual march in Derry and were attacked by nationalists
- RUC tried to storm the Bogside but were held back in 2 days of rioting
- TV cameras broadcasted across the world showing RUC officers beating Catholics
- Riots spread
22
Q
How did Callaghan handle the crisis of Northern Ireland?
A
- home secretary –> handled with great skill
- Callaghan visited Northern Ireland and virtually took control.
- British troops sent in to take over from RUC
- The hated B specials, a Protestant paramilitary force was abolished
- RUC left unarmed
- He turned vigorously on socio-economic causes of discontent
- A Downing Street Declaration led to a new non-party commision for housing, an attack on discrimination in jobs and political manipulation, and long term economic initiatives to combat Ulster’s heavy unemployment problem
23
Q
What were the effects of Callaghans handling of Northern Ireland?
A
- calm returned and the British army were hailed as protectors of their freedom by Catholic communities
- In early months of 1970 seemed peace had returned to Northern Ireland –> political victory for labour
- However, alarming signs of activity from the left wing and terrorist Sinn Fein whilst Ulster loyalist were also arming –> but people of Ulster plunged back into abyss following Bloody Sunday in 1972
24
Q
How was the Post-War Consensus breaking down?
A
- Breaking down by 1970
- Britain’s economic problems did not seem to have been solved by consensus policies
- Trade unions were seemingly uncooperative
- The Left of the Labour was dissatisfied by moderate consensus Labour Policies
- Social problems and poverty not ended
- Conservative questioning the effectiveness of key elements of the Post-War Consensus
