Reasons For Conservative Fall From Power

Question 1

What happened with Mac

Answer 1

-his political touch + success surrounding nickname ‘supermac’ began to slip
-growing concerns over economy + Br application join EEC 1961 rejected 1963
-Mac lost political touch + in response to problems he radically reshuffled cabinet July 1962 + sacked a third of it
-known as ‘night of the long knives’ + intended to rejuvenate gov’t but weakened it
-Mac seen as clumsy, out of touch + out of date due to image as Edwardian + part of Establishment

Question 2

What was the Scandal to do with George Blake 1961

Answer 2

-convicted being soviet double agent 1961
-made gov’t insecure + weak

Question 3

What happened with the John Vassal scandal of 1962

Answer 3

-was civil servant + discovered been blackmailed on basis of homosexuality to pass info to Soviet Union
-made govt look weak + not in control of its departments
-imprisoned Oct 1962
-entire press turn against Mac when journalist jailed for report on it + it transpired that the sources were fake

Question 4

What was the Profumo Affair 1963

Answer 4

-John Profumo defence secretary brief affair at 40 with Christine Keeler Russian prostitution for Russian embassy
-keeler also affair with soviet spy Ivanov which raised questions on possible Cold War secrets leak
-Profumo denied affair + lied to HOC + then forced resign
-damaged party by association + reinforced Mac as out of touch
-final straw for mac + raised concerns on his naivety as Profumo later confessed

Question 5

What was the final loss of conservative power

Answer 5

-Mac position finally undermined by serious illness
-had major abdominal surgery + hospitalised for weeks + resigned October 1963
-conservatives forced into divisive power struggle + was strong opposition to two main candidates Butler + Haulsham
-compromise candidate Lord Home emerged as leader
-whole business made the cons seem trapped in a bygone age

Question 6

What was the Argyll divorce

Answer 6

-1963 Duke Argyll sued wife grounds of adultery - part of Br aristocracy
-list names produced whom she had alleged group sex with
-rumoured include some gov’t ministers
-marked start of loss respect for establishment
-the Times (Tory paper) called for new PM

Question 7

What was the night of the long knives 1962

Answer 7

-Mac radically reshuffled cabinet + sacked 1/3 of it
-intended rejuvenate govt but weakened it + made Mac seem clumsy + out of touch
-Selwyn Lloyd chancellor was one sacked
-greatly impacted Mac public image + over 50% public no longer supportive