Labour's liberal reforming legislation 1964-1970

Question 1

What was the capital punishment and legal reform?

Answer 1

• 1957, Tories had reduced number of offences carrying the death penalty
• 1965, on a free vote, hanging was abolished for a trial period of 5 years
• 1969 this was made permanent
• majority verdicts for juries
• 1967 beating prisoners ceased

Question 2

Why was the capital punishment and legal reform needed?

Answer 2

• Ruth Ellis case in 1955

Question 3

Who were the key figures behind the capital punishment and legal reform?

Answer 3

• Sydney Silverman (Labour backbencher) who campaigned for total abolition
• Jenkins refused to authorise beating of prisoners and brought in majority verdicts for juries

Question 4

What was the significance of the capital punishment and legal reform?

Answer 4

• helped convict many dangerous and professional criminals

- abolition of hanging did not significantly reduce the number of murders or violent crimes as supporters hoped.

Question 5

What was the divorce reform?

Answer 5

• until the 1960s law demanded evidence that one party had committed adultery.
• Divorce Reform Act in 1969. Meant couple could divorce if: they had lived apart for 2 years and both agreed to a divorce or had lived apart for 5 years and 1 wanted the divorce

Question 6

Why was the divorce reform needed?

Answer 6

• the previous law meant divorce was often impossible especially for poorer people.

Question 7

Who were the key figures behind the divorce reform?

Answer 7

• Jenkins, who believed previous legislation was out of date

Question 8

What was the significance of the divorce reform?

Answer 8

• huge increase in number of divorces. In 1950 there had been fewer than 2 divorce decrees per 1000 married couples but by mid 1970s nearly 10 in every 1000

Question 9

What was the abortion reform?

Answer 9

• until 1967 abortion (unless on strict medical terms) was illegal
• The Abortion Act permitted legal termination of a pregnancy with the first 28 weeks, under medical supervision and written consent of 2 doctors

Question 10

Why was the abortion reform needed?

Answer 10

• only way to get an abortion was a private clinic if you could afford it or backstreet abortionist
• between 100,000 and 200,000 illegal abortions performed each year and 35,000 admitted to hospital due to complications as a result.
• 1958-1960 82 women died after backstreet abortions

Question 11

Who were the key figures behind the abortion reform?

Answer 11

• The Abortion Law Reform Assosciation who’d campaigned from 1945
• Thalidomide Disaster 1959-62
• Liberal MP David Steel led reform campaign in Parliament
• Roy Jenkins ensued an all night Commons sitting in order to pass the bill

Question 12

How significant was the abortion reform?

Answer 12

• hopes that the availability of more effective contraceptives and better education would limit abortions proved false.
• abortions increased from 4 to every 100 live births in 1968 to 17.6 in 1975 (35,000-141,000)

Question 13

What was the homosexuality reform?

Answer 13

• 1967 Sexual Offences Act. It did not make it legal but decriminalised it when 3 conditions were met: both had to consent, had to be in private and had to be over 21

Question 14

Why was the homosexuality reform needed?

Answer 14

• Conservative had rejected the Wolfenden recommendation to decriminalise it and the Labour government was divided
• Up to 1960s men could be imprisoned for two years for participating in homosexual acts.

Question 15

Who were the key figures behind the homosexuality reform?

Answer 15

• Leo Abse Labour backbencher thanks to Jenkins got enough parliamentary time for his private members bill to become law

Question 16

How significant was the homosexuality reform?

Answer 16

• welcomed by men who’d previously been afraid or hiding it.
• the Act was strictly interpreted. In ‘private’ meant no-one else in the building so prosecutions still happened over homosexual acts.