Untitled Deck

Question 1

What does ‘consensus politics’ refer to?

Answer 1

‘Consensus politics’ refers to broad agreement between political parties on key issues such as the economy and the development of the welfare state.

Question 2

What key policies did both the Labour and Conservative parties agree on up to the early 1970s?

Answer 2

Both parties agreed on achieving full employment, a mixed economy, the welfare state, the National Health Service, and cooperation with industry and trade unions on wages and prices.

Question 3

How did consensus politics moderate the political left in Britain?

Answer 3

Consensus politics moderated the political left by continuing policies from Labour’s 1945 victory, even after the Conservatives took power.

Question 4

What was the common foreign and defense policy endorsed by both Labour and Conservative parties?

Answer 4

Both parties endorsed confronting the USSR during the Cold War and investing in nuclear weapons.

Question 5

What was the political context of the 1945 General Election?

Answer 5

The Labour Party intended to withdraw from the wartime coalition, and Churchill expected to be rewarded for his wartime leadership, focusing his manifesto on foreign policy.

Question 6

Why did Churchill’s 1945 election campaign struggle?

Answer 6

Churchill’s campaign was hampered by bitter memories of Conservative pre-war governments and his controversial claims that a post-war Labour government would rely on a ‘gestapo’ for social reforms.

Question 7

What were the key promises in Labour’s 1945 election manifesto?

Answer 7

Labour’s manifesto, ‘Let Us Face the Future,’ promised reforms on housing, jobs, social security, and a national health service.

Question 8

What was the outcome of the 1945 General Election?

Answer 8

The Labour Party won a landslide victory in the 1945 General Election.

Question 9

What were the key reforms introduced by the Labour government from 1945 to 1951?

Answer 9

Major reforms included the establishment of the NHS, National Insurance Act, National Assistance Act, Housing Act 1949, and the implementation of the Education Act 1944.

Question 10

What did the Housing Act of 1949 achieve?

Answer 10

The Housing Act 1949 extended local authorities’ power to build public sector housing for all income groups.

Question 11

How did Labour perform in the 1950 General Election?

Answer 11

In 1950, Labour lost five seats, despite polling over 1.5 million more voters than the Conservatives.

Question 12

Why did Labour’s vote decline after the 1949 House of Commons Act?

Answer 12

The Act reduced Labour’s safe seats by redrawing constituency boundaries, which led to a decline in Labour’s overall popularity.

Question 13

How did the size of the working class change between 1931 and 1951?

Answer 13

The proportion of British society identifying as working class dropped from 78% in 1931 to 72% in 1951.

Question 14

What were some of the main dissatisfactions with Labour during this period?

Answer 14

Dissatisfactions included continued rationing, austerity measures, and high taxation rates (45% in 1949 and a top marginal rate of 90%).

Question 15

What challenges did Attlee face within his party in 1951?

Answer 15

By 1951, Attlee struggled to control the Labour Party, facing exhaustion and the loss of key ministers, including Ernest Bevin.

Question 16

How did the resignation of key ministers affect Labour in 1951?

Answer 16

Labour lost key figures like Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin and Chancellor Sir Stafford Cripps, further weakening the party’s leadership.

Question 17

How did Britain’s involvement in the Korean War impact Labour’s government?

Answer 17

The Korean War led to increased military spending and an austerity budget in 1951, which included charges for glasses and dentistry.

Question 18

What were the effects of the 1951 austerity budget?

Answer 18

The austerity budget introduced prescription charges for glasses and dentistry, which led to public dissatisfaction.

Question 19

How did Attlee’s leadership falter in 1951?

Answer 19

Attlee lacked authority in 1951 due to party divisions and exhaustion after five years of government, which contributed to Labour’s defeat in the election.

Question 20

Why did Labour lose the 1951 General Election despite gaining more votes?

Answer 20

Labour won more votes but fewer seats due to the first-past-the-post electoral system and the concentration of Labour voters in urban constituencies.

Question 21

What role did the electoral system play in the 1951 General Election results?

Answer 21

The first-past-the-post system and the concentration of Labour voters in fewer, urban constituencies resulted in Labour winning more votes but fewer seats.

Question 22

How did rationing affect post-war British society?

Answer 22

Wartime rationing continued after the war, with restrictions on basic goods like bread, which contributed to public dissatisfaction with Labour.

Question 23

What was the political significance of the 1951 General Election for the Conservative Party?

Answer 23

The Conservative Party won the 1951 General Election, benefiting from Labour’s internal divisions, the electoral system, and public dissatisfaction with austerity measures.

Question 24

What was one of the major social reforms introduced by the Labour government in 1948?

Answer 24

The establishment of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948 was one of Labour’s major social reforms.

Question 25

How did the decline of the working class impact Labour in the 1950s?

Answer 25

As the working class shrank, Labour’s traditional voter base declined, which led to a decrease in their popularity and a loss of seats in the 1950s.