Revision Guide 1964 - 1979: Politics

Question 1

Why did labour win in 1964?

Answer 1

Role of conservatives and scandles

White heat of technology

Douglas home no match

Labour Party reunited

Question 2

Why did Wilson win in 1966?

Answer 2

Heath unable to connect with voters

More in tune with popular culture and society

liberation laws under Jenkins

Question 3

Why did Wilson chose to not devalue?

Answer 3

Devaluation would have made his party look like a devaluation party, Attlee did it in 49.

wanted to economically catch up with foreign competitors through modernisation.

Question 4

What is modernisation?

Answer 4

Economically catching up with the rest of the world.

Question 5

What is the DEA?

Answer 5

Department of economic affairs, created to modernise the economy

Question 6

What happened to the DEA?

Answer 6

It failed

Question 7

Why did the DEA fail?

Answer 7

DEA overlapped with the Chancellor and Treasury. Callaghan didn’t know who to listen to.

Brown was impulsive, created National Plan. Had the support of unions but not the united government.

Wilson was trying to keep everyone happy rather than picking the best for the role.

Question 8

Features and reasons for prices and income policies

Answer 8

Aim was to keep down inflation

Question 9

What were the key events that lead to devaluation?

Answer 9

1966 sterling Crisis, part because if National Union seamen strike

1967 major docks strike

Nov 67- devaluation. Dropped 17% to £2.40

Question 10

1967 EEC update

Answer 10

Rejected.

Devaluation crisis damages labour credibility

Rejected by deGaulle on economic grounds

Question 11

What did Jenkins do when chancellor?

Answer 11

Used deflationary methods

Raised taxes and tightened up govt spending

Unpopular but achieves a balance of payments surplus, improving situation by 69

Question 12

How did people feel about the trade unions?

Answer 12

60% favourable votes in 60’s

Question 13

What did Macmillan and Wilson do in relation to TUC?

Answer 13

Tried to remain a good relationship, relied to union corporation when bringing in prices and income policies.

Question 14

What did the wild cat strikes mean.

Answer 14

TUC leaders were losing control because they were done by local activists

TUC govt relationship was deteriorating by 66-7

Question 15

Features of A Place In Strife

Answer 15

28 day cooling off period

Strike ballots would be imposed

Strengthen unions in dealing with employers

Industrial relations court would deal with those who borne the rules

Question 16

What did A Place In Strife do?

Answer 16

Upset TUC and labour, lead to protests like the National Union of Mineworkers

Question 17

What was the result of the months of strikes.

Answer 17

Having to deal with strikes, Northern Ireland and Rhodesia, lead to his compromising with the unions

Humiliating climb down bu govt

Question 18

Strengths of Labour

Answer 18

Education, break down class barriers

Liberation laws, Abortion act 67 etc

Jenkins economics

66 election, 98 seat majority

Question 19

Weaknesses of Labour

Answer 19

DEA failure

Not devaluing in 64 making it look like Tori’s mistake, doing it in 67 made it look like their mistake

Trade unions, seamen’s and dockers strike, In Place of Strife etc

Failure of EEC

Question 20

What was the balance of payments labour inherited from the Tori’s?

Answer 20

£400 million deficit

Question 21

Why Labour lost the election

Answer 21

Trade Unions

Devaluation

67 EEC rejection

Balance of payments, DEA

Question 22

Why Conservatives won the election

Answer 22

Heath greater strengths and was not part of the establishment

Chosen because people diddnt like labour

Liberal votes went to Tories

Question 23

Heath Features

Answer 23

New breed- state school, social background

‘Good at policies not politics’

5 years in opposition made him well prepared for govt

EEC experienced

Question 24

What were heaths aims

Answer 24

EEC Entry

Resolving troubles in Ireland

Resolving economic problems and modernisation

Avoiding TUC and industrial disputed during modernisation

Question 25

What were heaths three setbacks?

Answer 25

1971 U-Turn

1973 OPEC Oil Crisis

1974 Miners Strike

Question 26

What was the 1971 U Turn?

Answer 26

71- helping Rolls Royce. Powell, Thatcher and Joseph opposed govt intervention in industry

Question 27

What were heaths 2 priorities?

Answer 27

Europe

Ireland

Question 28

Priority 1- Europe

Answer 28

The issue was getting parliamentary support

Tories, some held onto the idea of an empire, some were distrustful of Europe, others supported EEC

Labour, pro-marketers vs hostile s vs party unifier

Passed with 69 rebel labour votes of support

Labour divided more, Wilson had to promise an EEC referendum when they get back into power

Question 29

When was the DEA created?

Answer 29

Oct 1964