The Sixties 1964-1970 Flashcards
Who won the 1964 election ?
Harold Wilson leader of the Labour Party
What is significant about Wilsons “white heat” speech ?
-It allowed the Labour Party to enter a new era of modernisation and unity.
-Created a clear contrast between conservative and labour
-Moved labours image away from communism and towards development of technology and science.
Why was Wilsons unification of the party important in order to win the 1964 election?
-The Labour Party was a weak opposition because there were quarrels within the party between Bevanites and Gaitskellites.
-Created a more electable image.
What was Wilsons public image like ?
-He was deemed relatable due to his humble background
-he was relaxed and skilful on TV
-Smoked a pipe and had a thick Yorkshire accent
-seen to be in touch with the modern society
What was Wilsons ideology ?
-He gained support of the left and challenged Gaitskells leadership
-He supported Britains nuclear deterrent
-attempted to reform trade unions
-Wanted a more liberal society (relaxed laws around divorce, abortion, homosexuality)
What were Wilson’s political skills ?
-Passed many popular acts to create a more liberal society
-he was ambitious and optimistic
-he was a convincing politician
What was Wilson’s leadership style like ?
-He relied heavily on his trusted team of advisors from outside of govt and the civil service
-He had an inner circle of MP’s (the “kitchen cabinet”)
-he believed in unity and modernisation
who was Labour’s chancellor between 1964 and 1967?
Callaghan
who was Labour’s chancellor between 1967 and 1970?
Jenkins
What was the majority of the Second election in 1966?
96 (increased from 4-96)
What was the Balance of Payment deficit inherited from the Conservative government?
£800million
Why was the Labour Party allied to the trade unions?
Party Funding
What were some of Wilson’s economics aims?
-Reduce inflation
-Adress the balance of payments deficit through exports
-Improve the economy and make Britain more competitive
-Maintain the value of the pound ( £1=$2.80)
Why did Wilson say he would never devalue the pound?
-He was involved when labour devalued the pound in 1947 and did not want to be the man who devalued twice.
How many runs on the pound were there in 1964-1970?
7
Why was devaluation not an option in 1964?
-Fear of knock on effect in the USA (run on the $)
-Would reduce the savings of hardworking, labour voting families
-Feared devaluation would make him lose his tiny majority
What economic route did Wilson take in 1964?
Used stop and go economics:
-Increase taxes
-Limit wages
-Increase tarriffs
-Cut govt spending
What deflationary charge was brought in in the autumn of 1964?
15% charge on all imports was introduced
What were the Autumn 1964 and Spring 1965 budgets?
Increased income tax, tax on alcohol, tobacco and petrol.
How much revenue did the Autumn and Spring budgets raise?
475million
What did the government spend the revenue from the budgets on?
-Commitments to their manifesto pledges (pensions, welfare state and abolition of prescription charges)
What did Wilson do after the 1966 election which angered the unions?
-Mandatory wage freeze and prices for 6 months
Why was the Department for Economic affairs created?
To coordinate national planning to make industry more competitive.
When was the National Plan published ?
September 1965
Was the National plan extremely ambitious?
Yes
What did the National plan cover?
All aspects of britains economic developments for the next 5 years.
What did the National plan pledge?
-Increase national output by 25% by 1970
How did the National plan aim to reach a national output increase?
-Annual growth rate of 3.8% over 6years
-An increase in exports of 5.25% per year to deal with the balance of payments deficit
How many initiatives were in the National plan?
39
What board was created as part of the National plan?
National Board for Prices and Incomes
Why was the National board for prices and incomes created?
To ensure wage increases would only be granted if accompanied by increases in productivity
Were Wilson and Callaghan committed to deflation?
yes
How were measures used contradictory?
-the measures were in contradiction to the deflationary policies required to defend the value of the pound
Why was the DEA closed in 1969?
There was a lack of cooperation between Callaghan(treasury) and Brown(Dea)
Why did the national board for prices and incomes have no power to inforce its decisions?
It relied on the support of the unions who did not support wage restraints
What happned in May 1966?
The seamen went on strike which damaged British exports and poor trade threatened a run on the pound
What happened in September 1967 ?
There was a walkout of the dockers in major export sites.
-Good for export piled up and contibuted to a large deficit in trade
What was the trade deficit in September and October 1967?
-September = £52million
-October = £107million
What was unemployment in 1967?
2.5million which was unusually high
Why did the head of economics section of Whitehall (sir Alex Cairncross) in November 1967 write to Wilson and Callaghan?
He argued devaluation was neccessary
What was Britains deficit in in Novemebr 1967?
£1500million
Why did Cairncross argue devaluation was needed?
-No more international loans were available
-Reserves had been spent trying to defend the value of the pound
What happened on the 16th of November 1967?
Wilson announced devaluation to cabinet
Why was their a run on the pound in November 1967?
As news of the devaluation had leaked
What happened on the 18th of November 1967?
Devaluation was announced to the public (£1 was now $2.40)
Who took over as chancellor in 1967?
Jenkins
What did Jenkins budget in Spring 1968 do?
Increased taxation by £923million
Were Prescription charges reintroduced?
Yes and this was humiliating after they had been abolished in 1964 by Wilson
Did the Devaluation in November 1967 cure the economic state ?
No as in march 1968 a crisis in the US due to the Vietnam war caused a run on the pound
By 1969 were there signs of improvement after devaluation?
yes as teh balance of payments showed a surplus and the value of sterling rose
Why was Wilsons “pound in your pocket speech” in November 1967 problematic?
-People did not understand how their money would be worth the same to them.
-Average person could not understand what wilson was saying and made him seem very contradictory.
Why were Trade unions very influential and problematic to the Labour Party?
-The Unions had Block voting sysetms
-they heavily funded the party
Was Callaghan a large supporter of the Unions?
yes as he was a unionist before gaining his position in government
Who was the elected president of the TUC?
Victor feather
How many days were lost due to strike in 1970 compared to 1964?
-increased by over 8million rose from 2million to just under 11million
What was the problems with the rising days lost to striking in the 1960s?
-It impacted production
-It impacted the balance of payments
-Caused the relationship between labour and the unions to be strained
Why was legislation addressing industrial relations deemed necessary by 1969?
-Unions were ignoring wage restrictions
-Increase in wildcat strikes
-1966 wages were rising 3x the recommended rate
-Conservatives proposed a radical new legal framewrok which made wilson realise he had to do something
What were the core proposals of “In place of Strife” 1969
-Strike ballot required before strike could commence
-28days cooling period during which workers returned back to work
-Industrial relations courts backed up with fines to enforce legally binding decisions
Why was a strike ballot proposed?
-Reduce the number of wildcat strikes
-As Union leaders are often more left wing than their members so therefore more likely to want strike action
Why was a 28day cooling off period proposed?
-Opens a space for negotiation before strike action occurs and could avoid the strike
What was one of the most important reasons why ‘In Place of Strife’ fail?
The Cabinet (Callaghan)
Who was Home Secretary from 1965 to1967?
Roy Jenkins
Who was home secretary from 1967-1970 ?
James Callaghan
When was the abolition of the death penalty?
1965
What was the Murder act of 1965?
-Jenkins, Butler, and Callaghan were all in favour of the removal of the death penalty.
-It was decidedly against public opinion
-abolished for a trial period of 5 years in 1965 and ended for good in 1969.
When was the Education reform act ?
1965
What was the Education reform act ?
-Largest expansion of comprehensive schools.
-ending the 11+ exams
-Joined local grammar schools with secondary moderns
When were the two race relations acts ?
1965 and 1968
What did the race relations acts do ?
-Went against public opinion by prohibiting discrimination in public facilities, housing, employment and commercial services.
Why were the race relations acts brought into place?
-In a 1965 London survey it was found that 2/5 white Londoners knew someone who was not white.
-1/5 objected to having to work alongside black or Asian people.
-Half said they would refuse to live next to a black or Asian person.
-9/10 objected to mixed raced marriages
-Refusing to rent a property or provide services to someone based on skin colour was acceptable and common.
When was the sexual offences act ?
1967
What was the Sexual Offences act?
-Decriminalised sexual activity between consenting men aged 21 and over
-the argument was that private sexual activity was not a matter of the law.
-A 1963 poll found that 93% viewed homosexuality in men as an illness.
When was the NHS family planning act ?
1967
What was the NHS family planning act ?
-Contraception available to all on the NHS
-Centred on helping low-income families to limit family size to avoid economic struggle.
-Access to family planning was not controversial
When was the Family Planning (abortions) act?
1967
What did the family planning (abortions) act do?
-Legalised abortion
-Aimed to put an end to backstreet abortions(estimated to be around 100,000 a year) and self-induced miscarriages
-Society was split on the matter of abortion.
When was the Society for the protection of the unborn child set up?
1966
Did the number of abortions increase after 1968 ?
Yes - from around 35,000 in 1968 to 141,000 in 1975
When was the Commonwealth immigrations act ?
1968
What did the Commonwealth immigrations act do?
-Divisive issues with the public generally in favour of further restrictions.
-Decided to invalidate the papers of the Kenyan refugees and limit numbers to 1,500 per year.
-act left a loophole for commonwealth citizens who were more likely to be white.
Why was the Commonwealth immigration act put in place?
-Kenya had become independent and pursued an Africanisation programme which prioritised black Africans for Jobs.
-Thousands of Asians living in Britain decided to leave for Britain.
-Rise in popularity for groups such as the British KKK and National front.
What was the theatres act of 1968?
-Abolished censorship of the stage for the first time since the 1500s.
-this act had widespread support
What was the representation of the people act 1969?
-the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18
-lowering the voting age had widespread support
-The election first held under new rules was the 1970 election
what was the divorce reform act of 1969?
-“Irretrievable breakdown” of the relationship was now a reason for divorce
-The act simplified the process and made it less expensive.
What was the Matrimonial property act 1970?
-The contribution of the wife must be considered in divorce proceedings.
-Divorce was no longer a financial disaster for women
-The assets of a couple would be split in a way that the court deemed just.
What was the Equal pay act of 1970?
-Legislated for equal pay for equal work
When did Wilson found the Open University?
1969
What were the reasons for tensions between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland by the 1960s?
-Gerrymandering
-Favouring of Protestants in Housing and workforce(Voting had to be a property owner)
-Stormont and Socioeconomic System was dominated by protestant majorities
-1969 - Loyalist Apprentice boys went ahead with annual march in Derry
-RUC and loyalists
-IRA
