The election of 1951 and the reason for Conservative victory

Question 1

Was the 1951 election Radical or Contemporary for Labour? .

Answer 1

Radical:
-Aim for total nationalisation
-Greater Trade Union representation in the party
-Internationalist socialist foreign policy
Contemporary: Socialist division of society: did it exist in the 1950’s? Capitalist ‘boss’ class vs the workers.

Question 2

The electoral system for the 1951 election

Answer 2

• 1950 election: Labour’s majority had been eroded to just 7, -> Attlee called the 1951 election in order to try and strengthen Labour once again.
• However despite winning the majority of votes in the October 1951 election, (48.8% compared to the Conservatives winning 40%) the Conservatives came out of the 1951 election with an overall majority of 17 seats – this was enough to form a government.

Question 3

The problems with nationalisation faced after 1951

Answer 3

– no infrastructural investments had been made

• cost the taxpayer £2700 million, and didn’t always change much, or improve efficiency, within the industries
• Diverse industries such as sugar and cement had been nationalised, which led many to question the merits of state ownership.

Question 4

Pritt’s thesis

Answer 4

• The Labour movement was not as unified in 1951 as it had been in 1945 and, therefore, it lost support.
• Pritt argues that the Labour Government was not Socialist enough as they failed to alter class structure or weaken the ruling class.
• This was reflected by events such as Bevan’s resignation from the Ministry of Health in 1951.
• Many in the Unions felt disappointed that more hadn’t been done after 1947.
• Labour figureheads Stafford Cripps and Ernest Bevin had to stand down from the government in 1951 due to ill-health, Attlee also suffered bouts of illness from 1950 onwards.

Question 5

The impact of the Korean War

Answer 5

Turned the 1949 surplus of £297 million into a deficit of 3419 million in 1950 .

1] Britain’s decision to send a Commonwealth Army to Korea meant that Britain’s economic recovery was stalled
2] The already high Defence budget was doubled in 1950-51 in order to pay for the war.
3] Many in the Socialist movement didn’t support fighting against ‘fellow socialists’ in Korea.
4] The reasons for the war were doubted by many in Britain as it was seen as being primarily a US concern.
5] The British had over 5000 casualties during the war e.g.At the battle of Imajin River (April 1951), the Gloucestershire Regiment lost 141 killed, 1,169 wounded, missing or captured OR In 1951 alone, nearly 1500 British soldiers were either killed or taken captive by NKPA forces

Question 6

The conservative strengths 1951.

Answer 6

• The party was much more focused on winning a domestic election in 1950 and 1951 than it had been in 1945.
• The Conservatives were able to utilise support among key newspapers (Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph) and at constituency level much more effectively than they had in 1945.
• David Reynolds argues that the popularity of many of Labour’s reforms were reflective of a ground-shift in British politics. By 1950, the Conservatives had become much more of a centrist party on issues such as welfare.

Question 7

The new tory image in the 1951 election

Answer 7

• This was an attempt to overcome their negative image in the 1930s as a party of the elite.
• Positive Campaign - “More red Meat“
• They campaigned to keep the Welfare provisions which Labour had brought in,
• promised to build ‘300,000 homes a year!’ –Pray on feeling amongst people that Labour had not tackled the housing problem.
• They embraced a democratic modern image – a party of the people
• What the can give, not what the can take, Attempt to engage with the masses.
• Churchill was the ‘man who saved the Western World’, Comparison to ill/ quitting Labour leaders