Reasons For Conservatives Fall From Power

Question 1

By 1964 ( Election and conservatives)

Answer 1

Conservatives had been in power for 13 years = natural tendency for electorate to opt for change
Election was close in 1964 but labour won by 4

Question 2

Conservatives looked out of touch

Answer 2

• Social change in youth culture, immigration and social mobility
• Douglas home = unelected & memory of aristocracy
  Not like Wilson
• MacMillan = Out of touch

Question 3

Labour unity

Answer 3

Deaths of Bevan and Gaitskell who was succeeded by Harold Wilson as party leader
Wilson = United party
Labour was dynamic and progressive = embraced modern world and challenges unlike previous conservative government

Question 4

Spy scandal = George Blake

Answer 4

In 1961 - Blake convicted of being a soviet double agent

Question 5

Spy scandal = John vessel

Answer 5

1962 = civil servant discovered to have been blackmailed on the basis of homosexuality to pass information on to Soviet Union

Question 6

Profumo affair

Answer 6

Most famous scandal in 1961-63

John Profumo ( defence secretary ) had a brief relationship with alleged prostitute Christine keeler
Keeler was also sleeping with Captain Ivanov a soviet spy

• Raised questions about possible leaks of Cold War secrets and national security
• PM MacMillan = disgraced and damaged by readiness to accept Profumo excuses

Question 7

Conservatives failures

Answer 7

Economic failures and concerns = inflation , stop go economics , balance of payments , rejection of EEC in 1961 - rejected in 1863
By 1960s Britain being a great power was questioned

Question 8

MacMillan leadership

Answer 8

Position undermined by a series of illnesses
Had not given way doe anyone to succeed him
No real support for any one particular candidate
Home lacked legitimacy and a compromise