Labour Government 1929 To 1931

Question 1

May 1929 election results

Answer 1

Labour 288
Conservatives 260
Liberals 59

Question 2

Effects of Wall Street crash and depression

Answer 2

1929 to 31 value of British exports fell by half
Unemployment rose to 2,500,000 by the end of 1931 and 3 million by the end of 1932
South wales north England and Scotland worst affected by unemployment-30% of insured population
Scotland 1929 to 32unemployment went from 12 to 28%

Question 3

Economic advisory council

Answer 3

Set up by Macdonald 1930
Industrialists and economists gave advice
Mac D wary of new ideas
Needed to keep benefits hi but balanced-budget

Question 4

Philip Snowden

Answer 4

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Wanted balanced budget and maintaining gold standard

Question 5

Oswald Mosley

Answer 5

But workingman’s needs first with social reform

Mac Dees thought he was too radical

Question 6

May committee

Answer 6

Chaired by Sir George may
Proposed by liberals
31st of July published
Predicted budget deficit of £120 millionunless severe cuts were made
Recommended cuts of £96.5 million e.g. pay cuts for public sector 20% cut unemployment benefit

Question 7

Reaction to may committee

Answer 7

Cabinet divided
12th of August-members of cabinet economy committee met and agreed on pay cuts as well as 10% unemployment benefit
Overall cuts of £38 million

Question 8

Meeting with TUC leaders

Answer 8

McDonald’s and Snowden
TUC rejected cuts that affected unemployed
Put huge pressure on the cabinet

Question 9

Bank of England

Answer 9

Needed on loans from New York and Paris
New York would only agree if cuts to unemployment benefit were made labour disagreed with these cuts
Macdonald argued for vote

Question 10

Results of vote

Answer 10

23/8 cabinet go vote of approval by 11 to 9 votes

Split Labour so badly Macdonald went to King to resign

Question 11

Coal mines act

Answer 11

1930
wanted to improve industrial relations
reduced from 8 to 7 1/2 hours
Employers in titled fix minimum wages and production quotas
Commission set up in which unprofitable minds were faced out without affecting miners

Question 12

Agricultural marketing act

Answer 12

1931
Wanted to improve supply food to the public
Set up boards of food producers who could fix prices and arrange supplies efficiently

Question 13

Housing act

Answer 13

1930
Arthur Greenwood
Reintroduce government subsidies for council housing
Granted greater powers to local authorities to enforce slum clearance
1934 to 39-more slums cleared than half-century before

Question 14

Education bill

Answer 14

Would increase leaving age to 15
However catholic MPs said the Bill didn’t pay enough attention to catholic schools
Bill wasn’t passed

Question 15

London transport bill

Answer 15

1931
Law in 1933
Cheap and efficient transport

Question 16

Failures linked to social reform

Answer 16

Unpopular that Labour didn’t reverse trade disputes act

Liberals didn’t support

Question 17

Reasons for Conservative failure

Answer 17

‘Safety first’ slogan not very inspiring

Failure to control rising unemployment