Revision Topic Sheet 1: 1964-1970 Flashcards
Fashion Killa
What social reforms were enacted by Harold Wilson?
- Education
- Health
- Housing
- Gender Equality
- Price Controls
- Pensions
- Provisions for disabled people
- Child Poverty
How did Wilson come into leadership?
Shadow Chancellor from 1955 to 1961 and Shadow Foreign Secretary from 1961 to 1963
What effect did his government have?
- Supported the liberalisation of laws on censorship, divorce, abortion and homosexuality
- Abolished capital punishment
- Decrease in discrimination towards women and ethnic minorities
What was his outlook on foreign affairs?
- Wanted to maintain Britain’s world role by keeping the Commonwealth united
- Maintained good relations with the USA despite not helping them in the Vietnam War
- Applied to join the EEC but was denied
Why did he have to reshape Britain’s role?
- Overstretched military
- £800 million balance of payments deficit
- Sterling crises (worth of the pound)
What was the Defence Review and what was the DEA?
The Defence Review was a plan between 1964 and 1965 to reduce defence spending to improve Britain’s economy. The Department for Economic Affairs was a government body focused on improving Britain’s economy.
What was the basis for his style of government?
Belief that investment in science and improved education would ensure economic growth and end the stop-go cycle
Why did his Labour government win the 1964 election?
- 13 years of exhausting Conservative rule
- Scandals under the Conservatives, e.g. the Profumo Affair
- Denied EEC application showed Conservative weakness
- Growing impatience with the ‘Establisbhment’ - needed new rule
- Increased Labour support - Wilson was seen as a good successor with good leadership and media skills
- Bevanite/Gaitskellite split was over
What were the 2 main Labour difficulties in government?
- Setting up a strong economic policy
2. Industrial relations and relations with trade unions
What was the 1964 National Plan?
Policy to reduce inflation and avoid the stop-go cycle through decreased government controls
Why was the 1967 devaluation caused and why was it significant?
Sterling drop from $2.80 to $2.40 as a result of decreased oil supplies due to a war outbreak in the Middle East in 1967 and having to approach the International Monetary Fund for another loan despite borrowing £1 billion three years earlier.
This was significant as it implied major economic and political issues in the British government from not being able to handle their finance- made the country look weak and made it harder to join the EEC
What were the problems that Wilson had with the trade unions and industrial workers?
Prices and Incomes Board set up in 1966 to regulate payments after the success of the election made Wilson confident in freezing wages and government spending. This angered the trade unions and made the TGWU leader Frank Cousins resign as Minister of Technology. This then led to sudden “wild-cat strikes” from local activists between 1966 and 1967.
What was the White Paper “In Place of Strife”?
A 1969 campaign by Barbara Castle to prevent future strikes by setting legal restrictions on the right to strike:
- Ballot votes had to be done with a majority vote to make strikes legal
- There was to be a 28 day “cooling-off” period before a strike could take place
- Industrial relations court could prosecute anyone who broke these rules
However, this backfired and led to immediate divisions so this White Paper could never be passed
True or False, Labour divisions were still apparent after 1964?
True - rivalries between Wilson and three colleagues (Brown, Callaghan and Jenkins) made Wilson paranoid of being replaced and he was criticised for spending too much time trying to keep the party united instead of keeping his colleagues from challenging his position
What were the troubles in Northern Ireland?
Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland feuded over discrimination claims, with the Catholics claiming they were discriminated against in housing and employment. In 1969, deaths started to occur from attacks and there were terrorism fears in London over this political feud. After troops were sent in, the dormant IRA (Irish Republican Army) targeted these troops and caused riots in several towns and cities.
