Liberal Reforming Legislation 1964-1970 Flashcards
Roy Jenkins
Home Secretary 1965-1967
Passed much liberal legislation
Was tolerant to new ideas.
Private Members’ bills
Bills put forwards by individual MPs rather than gov or opposing parties.
When directed at ‘moral’ issues, parties usually allowed MPs to decide how they want to vote - ‘free votes’.
Usually unsuccessful unless gov enables progression, which Roy Jenkins did.
The end of capital punishment 1969
Influences - limits to no. of capital crimes 1957; case of Ruth Ellis, 50,000 signed petition for her clemency showing a strengthened support for abolition; campaigning of Labour MP Sydney Silverman who introduced the Murder Bill.
What happened - Cons tried to stall process by having it debated in Commons rather than Committee; was initially abolished for a 5 year trial in 1965.
Result - change made permanent 1969; attitudes not changed –> most people wanted capital punishment, especially after the Moors murderers were given life sentences instead of death penalty, increasing support for death penalty to 80%; no. of violent crimes/murders did not reduce significantly.
Divorce Reform Act 1969
Influences - second-wave feminism (‘The Feminine Mystique’ by Friedan explored women finding fulfilment outside of their traditional roles); law favoured husbands where reasons for divorce had to be proven –> had to prove adultery, drunkenness, insanity, desertion –> unfair as only the rich could afford private detectives; social stigma against divorce forced women to stay with unfaithful and violent partners; campaigning of Labour MP Leo Abse who introduced PMB for easier divorce
What happened - Divorce reform Act 1969 allowed ‘no fault’ divorce where marriage had broken down. Could divorce if lived apart 2 years and both consented, or 5 years and one consented.
Results - Divorces rose from 2/1000 in 50s to 10/1000 in mid 70s.
Abortion Act 1967
Influences - campaigning of Lib MP David Steel; illegal unless mother’s life in danger –> alternative private clinics expensive; 200,000 backstreet abortions/year; 35,000 women hospitalised/year; 82 women died 1958-60; Thalidomide disaster 1959-62 morning sickness pill increased abnormalities in foetuses.
What happened - 1967 Abortion Act legailsed it within 28 weeks of pregnancy with consent of 2 doctors; need a medical or psychological reason; opposed by Leo Abse.
Results - abortions ^ from 4/100 1968 to 17.6/100 in 1975; attitudes couldn’t be changed, some still opposed; did not encourage promiscuity as some oppositions thought; Society for the Protection of Unborn Children still existed.
Sexual Offences Act 1967
Influences - The 1957 cons Wolfeneden Committee recommended decriminalisation; People realising homosexuality not illness to be cured and imprisonment unfair (was pity though, not understanding); Backed by press –> Daily Mirror, The Times (although opposed by Sunday Express); campaigning of Leo Abse and Lord Arran; Homosexual Law Reform Society created; Religious attitudes changing, with support from Bishops of Bristol, London, St Albans, Birmingham and Exeter.
What Happened - Sexual Offences Act 1967 decriminalised homosexuality if both men 21+, both consented and in private.
Result - Homosexual men didn’t have to lead double lives; Some men still prosecuted due to the conditions; e.g. ‘private’ may not have included flats; attitudes –> some feared men preying on younger boys and corrupting them; Law only in England and Wales –> opposition in Scotland and Ireland.
What was the Tripartite System?
Grammar - 20% of children; GCE O-levels; prep for higher ed.
Secondary modern - 75% of childeren; most sat CSE, a few sat O-levels; prep for less skilled jobs and household management.
Secondary technical - 5-10% of children; less academic; prep to become scientists, engineers and technicians
What problems did the Tripartite system create?
Failed to create schools with equal status.
11 plus exam determined what school a student would go to.
Grammar school dominated by mid-class.
Secondary tech/mod pupils seen as failures. Many left ed before 16, while grammar students went on to uni.
Sibling rivalry.
Parents disappointed if child not in grammar school.
What did some LEAs (Local Educational Authorities) do before 1965?
began to establish comprehensive schools. Process sped up during Labour gov 1964-70.
What were the reasons for the introduction of comprehensive schools?
Wilson argued comprehensive school ensured all pupils could have grammar schools education.
Tony Crossland, supporter of comprehensive schools, became Minister of Education 1965.
1965 Crossland encouraged more comprehensive schools with Circular 10/65 (money given to new schools if comprehensive), requesting LEAs to convert to comprehensive schools.
What happened and what was the result of Educational Reform (comprehensive schools)?
What happened - 1964, 1/10 pupils educated in comprehensive schools (x10^ from 1951); by 1970, all but 8 LEAs had plans for comprehensive schools; by 1970 were 1145 comprehensive schools and 1/3 of state-educated pupils went to comprehensive school. Impact - initially disruptive due to merging of schools to create comprehensive schools; some mid-class parents turned to direct grant or independent schools to avoid comprehensive schools; grammar schools still existed so not everyone had equal ed.
The Robbins Committee set up in 1961
Was set up in 1961 to examine Britain’s higher ed. Confirmed fears that Britain fell behind other countries e.g. US, France, Germany. Led to expansion of higher ed.
How did Labour respond to the Robbins Committee to increase places and encourage study of science and tech?
Colleges of Technology became polytechnics concentrating on applied education.
Nine Colleges of Advanced Technology became unis.
‘New’ unis founded e.g. Bath and Bradford.
The expansion of higher ed meant by 1968 there were 56 unis and 30 polytechnics which opened opportunities for students (even though more established unis continued to enjoy higher status.
The Open University
Wilson claimed was his best achievement as it encapsulated his core aims - increasing social mobility for people who had been denied them before; modernising Britain.
Ed. Minister Jennie Lee oversaw its creation. Was woman from working-class family who recognised benefits from going to uni just like herself.
Opened in Milton Keynes 1969.
First courses started running Jan 1971.
Most students part time. Mostly came from less traditional background –> older people, women, working-class.
Courses largely studied remotely, with radio and TV to assist this.
by 1980, Open Uni had 70,000 students and awarded more degrees /year than Oxbridge combined.
How was liberal reforming legislation met in 1964-1970 and what was the overall impact?
Initially met with media criticism and public outrage.
By end of 1960s, some of the old taboos had been broken down.
These reforms laid the foundation for future reform/campaigns.
