Political Developments: Divisions in the Labour Party

Question 1

Who were the two key figures in the Labour Party split?

Answer 1

Bevan and Gaitskell

Question 2

What side were Bevan and Gaitskell on in Labour?

Answer 2

Bevan was left, Gaitskell was right

Question 3

Why did the Gaitskell-Bevan split get bigger in 1955?

Answer 3

Gaitskell became the new party leader

Question 4

Which Labour Left organisation opposed Nuclear Weapons?

Answer 4

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

Question 5

What does Unilateral nuclear disarmament mean?

Answer 5

Policy of ending possession of nuclear weapons without any international agreement

Question 6

Name a Labour MP who was a CND member

Answer 6

Michael Foot

Question 7

What did Gaitskell propose abolishing in 1959?

Answer 7

Clause IV

Question 8

What is Clause IV?

Answer 8

A part of Labour’s policy which committed them to nationalisation

Question 9

How did Labour try and use the 1959 election as an opportunity to criticise the Conservatives?

Answer 9

Criticise the Suez Crisis management

Question 10

Why was the time of the 1959 election bad for Labour’s favour economically?

Answer 10

There was a period of economic prosperity

Question 11

What was the Tory slogan for their 1959 campaign?

Answer 11

“Life’s better with the Conservatives. Don’t let Labour ruin it.”

Question 12

How many seats did Labour lose in 1959?

Answer 12

20 seats

Question 13

How many seats did the Conservatives lose in the 1959 election?

Answer 13

Conservatives lost 20 seats

Question 14

What organisation may have caused Labour to not do well in the 1959 election?

Answer 14

The CND