the sixties 1964-70 Flashcards
L18 - Why did Labour win the October 1964 election?
Conservatives began to lose popularity due to being associated with the establishment and scandals
Wilson created a modern image for his campaign relying on science and technology
Wilson is from a common background so is relatable
Stop Go is inconsistent under the conservatives
Youth are more independent and the conservative ideas are out of touch with them
They had a majority of 4 votes, 317. Only won because conservatives lost support and ti went to Liberals instead, their votes increased from 1959 election
What is Wilson’s ideology?
Promised a ‘dynamic first 100 days’
Wants change as PM
Scientific revolution, Britain is going to be forged in the white heat, need a leading stance by investing in science
He had left and right elements so unified the party. Left - resigned with Bevan and challenged Gaitskell for leadership in 1961. Right - served in gaitskells cabinet and supported the nuclear deterrent and to reform Trade unions
What are some economic problems in 1964?
Balance of payments £800mil
Unemployment 873,000 by 1963
Aimed to end stop go due to inflation
Lack of investment so nationalised industries suffer
Manufacturing decline, stagflation by 1963.
Behind economics of USA, Japan, west Germany
Changing from industrial to post industrial as manufacturing industries were shrinking and service and finance ones grew.
Solution 1: deflation
Wage freezes and increased interest rates to reduce spending to increase value of currency.
Helps BOP as exports are cheaper and imports dearer
Prices are cheaper so demand increases
Helps to combat inflation
But
Continues with Stop go
Unemployment
Solution 2: devaluation
Deliberate downward adjustment of a currency’s value
Helps BOP as exports are cheaper and imports dearer
Wages aren’t affected so demand stays
But
Deliberate adjustment done by government makes them look bad and have poor economic management
Labour did it in 1949 aswell so they look like the party of devaluation
What was the DEA and national plan 1965?
Wilson and Callaghan wanted to avoid both solutions.
So department for economic affairs headed by George Brown was set up. Devised National Plan signed by government, industry and TUs.
National plan aimed to stimulate production and exports by encouraging co-operation between these 3. Annual growth of 3.8%. End stop go
Why did NP and DEA fail by 1967?
Brown and DEA faced hostility from Treasury, another ministry.
Role of DEA overlapped with that of the Treasury so civil servants didn’t know who to listen to
Brown was compulsive, lacked consistency, alcoholic.
Trade unions became more left wing and difficult to work with through the NP. Strikes etc
Wilson was busy elsewhere to help
What was the Concorde?
English and French agreement in 1962. Share resources to develop a supersonic aircraft. Faster than the speed of sound. Exemplified white heat of technology
How was department of education and science strengthened?
More funding for expansion
1964, Robbins Report on higher education was implemented: 7 new universities by 1966, more scientists as government advisors
L19 - what were the results of the March 1966 snap election?
Labour won 364 seats majority of 98. Called snap election to increase this as they were unstable and could risk losing the government
How did Labour win the 1966 election?
Heath replaced Home in the opposition in 1965 but wasn’t as popular as Wilson. Labours manifesto of Time for Decision emphasised labour’s achievements in the last 18 months and focused on modernisation with a national transport plan and an ambitious house building programme, appealing to the public. The conservatives manifesto focused on old ideas, no new fresh ideas.
What is industrial relations?
Relationship between the government and trade unions
How did industrial relations decline?
Trade unions strikes and created economic problems for Wilson
What did James Callaghan introduce in 1966?
Prices and incomes policy, which limited price rises and wage increases to 3.5% to address inflation
What happened with government spending?
It was cut and taxes were increased. Frank cousins resigned and Labour left were disappointed and TUs hated it
Who went on strike on 16th may 1966 and what happened?
National Union of seamen. Aimed to get higher wages and reduce working week from 56 to 40 hours. Caused great disruption to shipping. The disruption of trade damaged Britain’s BOP, that exports worth £40mil were delayed by the strike as dead ships blocked ports. It provoked a run on the pound and threatened the 3.5% plan. Ended on 1 July 1966.
What were the consequences of the strike?
Wilson was critical of it and blamed communists for it who were trying to bring him down. His tactics split the Labour Party into left and centrists. Wilson had to go to the IMF for a loan in 1967 and blamed the industrial troubles for Britain’s increasing balance of payments deficit.
When was the pound devalued?
November 1967 it dropped by 14% to $2.40, whereas before it was $2.80
Wilson informed the public on TV and tried to justify it by saying the British pound is still the same in the country.
What does the devalued pound now mean?
Cheaper for countries to buy from Britain, exports
More expensive for Britain to buy from other countries, imports
So BOP will correct itself and Britain will make greater profit and be more productive
What were some arguments against devaluation?
Foreign travel is dearer
Imported goods will be more expensive and a potential shortage of goods
Makes government look incompetent
Why did devaluation damage labour?
Wilson delayed and dramatised by announcing on TV. If he did it earlier, could have been seen as a financial adjustment. Appears as a major failure economically and politically. James Callaghan resigned.
Wilson blamed trade unions for the economy.
What did Wilson apply to?
EEC in may 1967. Backed by conservatives and liberals but not by 36 Labour MPs. Rejected in November. It was a lukewarm application. Now they can’t freely trade.
Who replaced Callaghan as chancellor?
Roy Jenkins in 1967. He pursued a tight fiscal policy. Introduced deflationary methods to increase taxation and decrease government spending. By 1969, there was a BOP surplus of £387 mil, but it made government unpopular.
What was the 1969 white paper of ‘in place of strife’
Growing number of wildcat (strikes without union leaderships authorisation) strikes. Paper proposed that union members were balloted and that members would have to agree by a clear majority to have a legal strike. There would be a 28 cooling off period before a strike could happen so the government could prepare and an industrial relations court was set up to prosecute people. Popular with public but 50 Labour MPs were ready to rebel and Callaghan was.
What happened to the white paper?
Labour left are pro trade union (Labour is meant to support TUS) and don’t think this should happen and see it as a betrayal, and the purpose of strikes has been reduced. Callaghan said it was a conservative piece of legislation and doesn’t want the relations to worsen. Therefore, it never went ahead under labour.
L20 - what were the troubles?
A term used to describe a period of conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from late 1960s to Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
What were nationalists?
Generally catholic
See themselves as Irish
Want Ireland to be independent
Main nationalist parties are SDLP and Sinn Fein, same aims but different methods
SDLP- democratic, peaceful
Sinn fien - associated with IRA
Extreme nationalists are referred to as Republicans
What are the IRA and INLA?
Republican paramilitaries. A paramilitary group is an unofficial army, not funded by the government. Use violence to achieve aims
What are unionists?
Generally Protestant
Believe in a Union with GB and NI
Think a Union is good for their economy
Some fear a united ireland would lead to discrimination against Protestants
Ulster unionist party is the main party, committed to peaceful democratic methods
Democratic unionist party is extreme
Main paramilitary are Ulster defence association and Ulster volunteer force, use violence
Extreme unionists are loyalists
Orange marches in summer, after William of orange
Controversial
Origins of a divided Ireland
Between 1919-21, the Irish war of independence fought against British rule in Ireland. In 1922 Ireland was partitioned by Britain. 26 counties became the Irish free state, part of the British empire but had its own flag, administration. Remaining 6 counties formed Northern Ireland, under UK. In 1949, free state became Republic of Ireland
What was the problem with this division?
Northern Ireland was part of UK but geographically was in Ireland. Most in Ireland were catholic and most in north were Protestant. In the 6 counties, there were 1million Protestants and half a million catholics. In 1921, the parliament of Northern Ireland was set up, home rule or stormont. Over the following decades, the Protestants used their majority to dominate parliament and accused of discriminating against catholic minority through anti catholic laws
How did Ireland first become property of Ireland?
Lord of Ireland was also king of England after king Henry II in 1171 supported by pope invaded Ireland. Lordship became kingship in 1542, Henry 8th brought Protestantism to England, Ireland is catholic. Scotland, England and Ireland share the monarch, and in 1609, James I sends people there to gain control of Ulster, lots of rebellion here against England, successful in spreading Protestantism. Irish catholic confederation vs Scottish and English colonisers to resist Protestantism Catholics are successful until Cromwell, since he was a puritan and wanted to wipe them out
What happened in Williamite war?
James married a catholic and became catholic, over England Scotland and Ireland. He had a son, James Stuart, now in front of Mary Stuart for succession. Mary and her husband William of Orange overthrow James as Protestants, joint monarch. War of James and Irish vs William and England and Scotland. William won and Ireland is in Union from 1801
Ireland in the 1900s
1914, home rule bill passed for Ireland to have own parliament, not implemented due to WWI. Easter rising 1916 was an attempt to end Britain rule but failed. Sinn Fein won 73 seats in 1918, nationalists, want independence and they formed irelands parliament but this wasn’t internationally recognised. Home rule act 1920 divides north and south Ireland, parliament in Belfast and Dublin.
Anglo Irish treaty
Rename south to Irish free state, but still recognised as part of empire, currency flag etc is independent. Sinn Fein split to pro treaty vs anti treaty and caused a civil war
Ireland civil war
Irish free state are pro treaty and happy, anti treaty wanted more. Pro treaty won, 1937, referendum, cuts all British ties to the free state. If it got a majority the free state would no longer be in the empire. 56% in favour so it was now Ireland. Now caused conflict between catholic and Protestants of if NI belongs to Britain or Ireland
Who was Terence O’Neill?
1963, Unionist Prime Minister in north. Visited a catholic school and promised reforms for catholics and invited the Irish PM to Stormont in 1964. Nationalists were frustrated with how limited the reforms were and and Unionists didn’t want concessions for catholics.
What is NICRA?
Made due to nationalist frustration at lack of progress in 1967. Consists of moderate nationalists and unionists, left wing trade unionists, IRA. They wanted one man one vote, to end gerrymandering, (because unionists could control catholic areas by changing boundaries) council houses on a fair points system, end of discrimination in gov jobs.
How did unionists react to NICRA?
Interpreted it as a nationalist plot to overthrow Northern Ireland’s government. Paisley, unionist leader responded to Dungannon March Aug 1968 with 1500 unionists meeting 2000 nicra. No violence
First Derry March Oct 1968
Originally banned because it clashed with another march of Apprentice boys. RUC responded with force, water cannons on peaceful marchers
Who were Peoples Democracy and how did people respond?
Radical student offshoot of the NICRA. Unionists attacked the marchers. RUC didn’t intervene.
