Why did support for the Conservative Party decline?

Question 1

What was established in 1960 but by 1961 what happened?

Answer 1

The European Free Trade Association as a rival to the EEC

The scale of Britain’s economic difficulties convinced him of the need to join the Common Market

Question 2

What happened in 1963, why, and what did it reveal?

Answer 2

CDG rejected EEC application

Reservations about commitment to Europe, thought Britain would take the American side, and differences in farming (25% vs 4%)

Question 3

What did the EEC rejection reveal?

Answer 3

How weak the country was

Question 4

Why did Macmillan reshuffle his cabinet in July 1962?

Answer 4

Declining economy resulted in losses in by-elections (the Liberals overturned a majority of 14k in Orpington)

Labour had a 6% lead

Cabinet appeared old

Question 5

What happened in July 1962?

Answer 5

1/3 of the cabinet was replaced

Question 6

What did the cabinet reshuffle result in?

Answer 6

Mac the Knife

Damaged party unity

Labour gained a lead of 11%

Question 7

What did Lloyd argue?

Answer 7

‘Macmillan did not possess a claim to authority’

Question 8

What did Adelman suggest?

Answer 8

That the scandals of 1963 delivered the ‘coup de grace’ to the Conservative government’

Question 9

What did the inquiry into the Vassall Affair suggest?

Answer 9

That the government was not in control of its departments

Question 10

What happened with the Argyll divorce case?

Answer 10

Two government ministers were supposedly on the list of 88

Question 11

What happened with the Philby scandal?

Answer 11

The security service had failed to identify a traitor in the Foreign Office for so long

Question 12

What were the consequences of the Profumo Affair?

Answer 12

Raised issues of risk to national security

His denial of the affair and then admission that he had lied to parliament raised doubts about Macmillan’s control of the party

Raised questions as to the fitness of the government to lead

Appeared as if the government was out of touch

Question 13

What did Butler claim?

Answer 13

That people are divided between ‘haves and have-mores’

That the education system had given greater opportunity to all young people, as did the ‘property-owning democracy’

Question 14

What was a growing problem?

Answer 14

Increasing tensions that the government struggled to manage

Question 15

What happened in 1958?

Answer 15

Riots broke out in London, Bristol, and Nottingham as Britain struggled to adapt to being a multi-racial society

Question 16

Why did Britain struggle to adapt?

Answer 16

Migrants blamed for housing and job shortages

Question 17

What was set up following the riots?

Answer 17

The Salmon Inquiry which concluded the trouble was due to increased immigration

Question 18

What happened in 1962?

Answer 18

Commonwealth Immigration Act limited the number of immigrants but the rush of immigrants to avoid restrictions further fuelled concerns

Question 19

What other social problem was the government facing?

Answer 19

The development of a youth sub-culture

Question 20

Why did a youth sub-culture develop?

Answer 20

Greater affluence

Not lived through the war

Didn’t feel bound by hierarchial structures and a respect for authority

New forms of entertainment

Question 21

What increased?

Answer 21

Anti-social behaviour as not all young people gained from the increasing affluence and felt alienated

Question 22

How did the government contribute to a youth sub-culture?

Answer 22

Scandals contributed to the loss of respect for those in authority

Question 23

What did youth-sub culture help to do?

Answer 23

Undermine the Conservatives who were lampooned in the Private Eye and That Was the Week that Was

Question 24

What happened in 1963 and what did this confirm?

Answer 24

Sir Alec Douglas-Home was chosen as Macmillan’s successor

That the party was out of touch

Question 25

What happened from 1961 onwards and what were they unable to do?

Answer 25

The economy went downhill

Campaign on ‘don’t let Labour ruin it’

Question 26

What did Britain appear to be?

Answer 26

Lagging behind the rest of Europe, which had faster rates of growth

Question 27

What did unemployment reach by the end of 1963?

Answer 27

800k

Question 28

What happened to the number of days lost to strikes?

Answer 28

1951: 1694
1955: 3781
1959: 5270
1962: 5798

Question 29

What was the impact of the establishment of the NEDC and NIC?

Answer 29

No noticeable impact

Question 30

What was the BOP deficit?

Answer 30

£402mn

Question 31

What had little impact?

Answer 31

Government attempts to reduce the BOP deficit (pay pause)

Question 32

What was the dept to GDP ratio?

Answer 32

102.4%