Wilson (1964 to 1970)

Question 1

Describe some of Wilson’s tensions with the unions.

Answer 1

After the 1966 election, Wilson pushed through with his ideas for cuts in public spending and a wage freeze.

A Prices and Incomes Board was set up with the power to regulate pay settlements.

Series of strikes in 1966 and 1967, such as the seamen’s and the docker’s unions.

Number of strikes in 1970 was 3906, compared to 2524 in 1964.

Question 2

Describe devaluation including when and what it was, and why it happened.

Answer 2

Reduction of the £ from $2.80 to $2.40 in late 1967.

Wilson blamed the need for it on the strikes, as Britain’s trade deficit grew. BOP deficit was at £461m in 1967.

Callaghan stood down as chancellor of the exchequer over it

Question 3

When and what was ‘In Place of Strife’?

Answer 3

A white paper which wanted to reduce the power of the TUs which was never passed.

Barbara Castle (Employment Minister) suggested 28-day cooling off period before action was taken and a vote before them

Led to tension in industrial relations. Wildcat strikes took place.

Question 4

When was Britain’s second attempt to join the EEC and what happened?

Answer 4

Wilson attempted to join again in 1967, but it was met with the same result; de Gaulle vetoed Britain’s application.

Question 5

When and what was Britain’s ‘withdrawal East of Suez’?

Answer 5

Announced in 1967, planned to take effect in 1971. It ended many of Britain’s military commitments in the Middle East and Asia

USA and host countries disapproved as they wanted more protection (especially during Cold War).

Was done due to extreme costs, extreme military resources, and decolonisation.

Question 6

Describe the Vietnam War riots, including the government’s position on the Vietnam War.

Answer 6

UK gave consistent diplomatic support to the war, which grew more and more unpopular as time went on as it was difficult to justify.

1968 anti-Vietnam war riots, attempted to storm the US Embassy in London.

Wilson condemned the violence and said they didn’t understand international relations or Britain’s financial position.

This showed Britain’s reliance on the US as they couldn’t afford to antagonise the country which effectively paid Britain’s bills.

Question 7

Why did Labour lose the 1970 election?

Answer 7

They failed to control the unions, with a very high amount of strikes taking place.

Devaluation & ‘In Place of Strife’.

Enoch Powell’s stance on immigration was popular which led to more Conservative votes despite him not being in the party anymore.

Conservatives won with a majority of 30.

Question 8

What percentage of the workforce were women by 1970?

Answer 8

35%

Question 9

Name all of the liberal and education reforms during this period that you should know about.

Answer 9

Abortion Act, Sexual Offences Act, Race Relations Act, Theatres Act, Commonwealth Immigration Act, Divorce Reform Act, Abolition of Death Penalty, Open University

Question 10

When and what was the Abortion Act?

Answer 10

1967

Permitted the legal termination of pregnancy where 2 doctors certified there was either a strong risk to the physical or mental health of the mother, or a strong risk the child would be born with serious abnormalities.

The Women’s Liberation movement campaigned for this and therefore contributed towards its introduction.

Question 11

When and what was the Sexual Offences Act?

Answer 11

1967

Legalised male homosexual acts in private between consenting adults.

Based on the recommendations of the Wolfenden Committee report of 1958.
Read and pushed through by Leo Abse in parliament.

Question 12

When and what was the Race Relations Act?

Answer 12

1965 & 1968
Responsible for:
- Prohibition of racial discrimination in public places and in areas such as
employment and housing
- Making incitement to racial hatred a criminal offence
- Setting up a Race Relations Board with the power to investigate complaints of racial discrimination
- Creating the Community Relations Commission to promote inter-racial
understanding

Question 13

When and what was the Theatres Act?

Answer 13

1968

Effectively ended theatre censorship by removing the outdated system by which plays had to be submitted to the Lord Chamberlain for approval before they could be performed.

Reduction in censorship had begun for a while before this, such as the Lady Chatterly case in 1960. Introduced by George Strauss.

Question 14

When and what was the Commonwealth Immigration Act?

Answer 14

1968

Prohibited new immigrants from settling in Britain unless they had family connections already established.

This built on a previous measure introduced by the Conservatives in 1962

Question 15

When and what was the Divorce Reform Act?

Answer 15

1969

Allowed couples to divorce after they had been separated for 2 years if they both desired a divorce, or 5 years if only one wanted a divorce.

Question 16

When and what was the Abolition of the Death Penalty?

Answer 16

Suspended the operation of the death penalty for an initial 4 years in 1965, but made permanent in 1969.

There had been protests for this to happen, despite opinion polls suggesting the majority wanted it to stay.

Question 17

When and what was the Open University?

Answer 17

1969

Enabled unqualified students to read for degrees by studying courses broadcast on radio and TV.

Also there was a desire to replace grammar schools with comprehension schools which would serve the full range of children.

Question 18

Give some examples of expansion in mass media, growth in leisure activities, and scientific developments.

Answer 18

Mass media => Worldwide TV connections, growth of Radio & TV communications (4/5 homes had a TV set by early 1960s), Murdoch buying The Sun in late 1960s.

Leisure Activities => Package holidays, cheap holiday camps such as Butlins, 90% of workers took an annual 2-week paid holiday.

Scientific Developments => Atomic Energy, jet engine, chemicals