The 1964 General Election Flashcards
‘Thirteen Wasted Years’ & ‘White Heat of Technology’
- ‘Thirteen Wasted Years’: Wilson’s slogan against the Conservatives
- In 13 years there was still economic problems
- Constant cycle of ‘stop-go’ policies
- White Heat of Technology’: Wilson’s idea to solve Britain’s long-term economic problems
- Required full use of STEM, science, tech, maths, engineering
- Produce more scientists, keep them in the country, make them the source of the economy
‘Youthful Harold Wilson’, Unification of Labour
- Labour campaign was based around Wilson being plugged as a man of the people
- Wilson was a strong campaigner, confident in dealing with the media
- Managed to unite the party under his rule after the deaths of Gaitskell and Bevan
- Wilson marketed contrasted himself heavily to the previous PMs by following social/cultural trends that were taking place in the ‘Swinging 60s’
The Night of Long Knives
- Macmillan reorganised his cabinet
- Sacked 7 ministers
- Most brutal cabinet reshuffle in political history
- 1/3 of government were sacked, including Chancellor Selwyn Lloyd
- Generally accepted that the reshuffle was mishandled
- Serious damage to Macmillan and Conservative Party
Spy Scandals
George Blake (1961): MI6 spy, worked as a double agent for the Soviets,
- Became communist, worked for Soviet Intelligence during the Korean War
- Discovered in 1961, imprisoned for 42 years, escaped in 1966, fled to USSR
John Vassal (1962): gay clerk, worked at the admiralty
- Photographed at a gay sex party in Moscow by the KGB
Profumo Affair (1963): Defence Secretary, John Profumo having an affair with an escort, Christine Keeler
- Keeler was also involved with a Soviet military attaché
- Profumo lied about the relationship
1963 EEC Rejection
- Conservative splits over Britain’s relations with Europe
- Macmillan planned to enter the EEC as those in their were benefitting from rapid economic growth
- Applied to join 1961
- French President, de Gaulle vetoed Britain’s application in 1963, last-minute
- Claimed Britain were too close to the Americans and weren’t as committed to Europe
Long-Term Economic Problems
- Started to become more apparent during the 1960s
- Slow economic growth
- Low productivity
- Inflation
- Balance of payments deficit
- Difficult to keep economy stable with ‘stop-go’ policies
- 1961: Britain had to go to the IMF to ask for a loan=humiliation
The Beaching Report
- 1961
- Recommended massive cuts in Britain’s rail network
- 30% of rail network cut
- Caused massive public outrage
- Hundreds/thousands of branch lines and stations were closed
Changing Tory Leadership
- Public were tired of Conservative rule
- Same old, upper-class, Eton/Oxbridge educated men from a small elite
- Represented the traditional establishment
Rise of Political Satire
- Growing lack of deference to authority
- Sense of impatience with the old ‘Establishment’
- Desire for generational change
- E.g. ‘Private Eye’, ‘The Week That Was’
Revival of the Liberal Party
- Liberals were unpopular during the post-war era
- 2.5% voters post-war
- 1960s began to grow under Jo Grimond
- Liberals won 11.2% of votes and 9 seats in 1964
- Possible that votes taken by Liberals from the Conservatives had just tipped the balance in such a close election race
