Labour's 1960s Liberal Social Reforms

Question 1

The Abortion Act (1967)

Answer 1

• Thalidomide disaster: drug prescribed to pregnant women for morning sickness, found to produce congenital deformities in the children born when taken during early pregnancy, increased majority in the favour of abortions
• Liberal MP David Steel led the abortion reform campaign, introduced a private members bill, supported by Labour
• Permitted legal termination of pregnancy within the first 28 weeks, under medical supervision
• Allowed if the child or mother was at physical risk and now mental health of the mother was considered too
• 1968-1975: number of abortions increased from 4 per 100 live births to 17, 6 per 100 live births

Question 2

The Sexual Offences Act 1967

Answer 2

• Until 1960s, men could be imprisoned up to 2 years for being gay
• 1958: Conservative gov rejected Wolfenden Report, recommended decriminalisation of homosexuality
• Labour backbench MP, Leo Abse given enough parliamentary time for his private members bill to be passed
• Law based off ideas from the Wolfenden Report, females unmentioned as being lesbian was never made illegal
• Didn’t legalise homosexuality but decriminalised it, under 3 conditions
• Both partners had to consent, both had to be over the age of 21, all acts had to occur in private
• Act was welcomed by gay men, didn’t stop prosecution occurring

Question 3

End of Capital Punishment (1965)

Answer 3

• Anti-hanging campaign received a boost after the case of Ruth Ellis (1955), a young mother who murdered her unfaithful lover
• 1957: Conservative gov reduced the number of offences carrying the death penalty
• Labour backbench MP, Sydney Silverman, campaigned for total abolition
• 1965: temporarily abolished for 5 years
• 1969: permanently abolished
• Abolition didn’t reduce the numbers of murders/violent crimes as supporters of the act had hoped

Question 4

Divorce Reform Act (1969)

Answer 4

• Until 1960s, divorce law demanded that one party had to have committed adultery for divorce to be filed, made it often impossible to get one
• Reform introduced by Roy Jenkins himself
• Allowed for ‘no fault divorce’
• Couple could now divorce after living apart for 2 years if both partners agreed to a divorce
• If only 1 partner wanted divorce, live apart for 5 years
• Caused a huge increase in the number of divorces
• 1950: fewer than 2 divorces per 1000 marriages
• Mid-1970s: nearly 10 divorces every 1000 marriages, explained by growth in female independence