Labour govt, rise of consensus politics & political challenge 1945-79

Question 1

Post-war consensus

Answer 1

Continuation of a centralised economy, Welfare State, NHS.
Commitment to full employment and equal opportunity for all.

Question 2

1945-51

Answer 2

Labour nationalised industries - coal, shipbuilding, railways.
Introduced a Welfare State and NHS in 1948.
Struggled with economic problems - continued austerity, unpopular.

Question 3

1951-64

Answer 3

Conservatives won 3 elections - country enjoyed widespread prosperity as Western Europe recovered from war.
Growth of the ‘affluent society’ - Harold Macmillan famously said ‘most of our people have never had it so good’.
Balance of payments deficit, growing industrial disputes.

Question 4

The Suez Crisis

Answer 4

Britain and France invade the Suez canal in Egypt 1956.
Britain forced to withdraw - pressure from the USA, threatened to ruin the pound’s value, national humiliation for Britain.

Question 5

1964-70

Answer 5

Labour won the 1964 election - small majority of 4.
Economic struggle continued - devalued the pound by 14% in 1967.
Comprehensive education saw substantial growth.
Abortion and homosexuality legalised in 1967.
Death penalty abolished in 1969.

Question 6

1970-74

Answer 6

Edward Heath - committed to less state involvement.
Dominated by economic problems and industrial unrest - culminating in the ‘3 day week’ of 1973-74.

Question 7

1974-79

Answer 7

Economic problems and industrial unrest continued.
After 1976 the government began to retrench.
PWC was over.
James Callaghan’s Labour govt brought down in the ‘Winter of Discontent’ 1978-79.