Wilson And Labour Governments Flashcards
Who was Harold Wilson
Leader of Labour Party, was a humble down to earth man who was a great moderniser and had a good media image.
Wilson’s ideology
Supported nuclear deterrence and attempted to reform trade unions. And was a bevanite.
Wilson’s leadership
He was conscious of balancing out his potential rivals and relied heavily on a personal team of trusted advisors. Wilson’s team was dominated by the personality of Marcia Williams, his personal political secretary.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
Modernisation intentions
Modernisation of the British economy was one of the key priorities for the government and buying 1964. It was widely except that Britain was lagging behind other countries such as West Germany.
Economic policies and problems, including devaluation
Economy
Britain’s economy seemed to be trapped in a cycle of stop, go with bars of prosperity, always leading to inflation, runs in the pound and regular crisis over the balance of payments, breaking out of this cycle was the aim of Wilson government.
Economic policies and problems, including devaluation
How much debt was inherited by labour
£800 million, the two classic economic solutions to this kind of problem were deflation and devaluation, but Wilson and the chancellor of Exchequer James Callaghan did not want to do either.
Economic policies and problems, including devaluation
The problem with deflation
Deflation would support the value of the pound, but deflation was the old,Stop go approach that labour was trying to break away from. There were fears of the labour party stopping its commitment of extra spending on welfare.
Economic policies and problems, including devaluation
The problem with devaluation
Evaluation would make imports more expensive and help exporters by making British goods cheaper, but it would only make Britain look weak in the world because it would have to scale back as activity across the globe.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
The department of economic affairs (DEA) led by George Brown
Brown set growth targets and devised national system of “economic planning councils”. He tried to establish voluntary agreement about wages and prices withtrade union leaders. the aim was to secure the restraint needing to prevent inflation rising.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
Outcome of Brownes (DEA)
Brown’s economic proposals came to nothing, and they did not have united government support some blamed Brown, as he could be impulsive and inconsistent.
Economic policies and problems, including devaluation
1966 foreign affairs minister
In 1966, Wilson moved brown to the ministry of foreign affairs, and the Department of economic affairs was abandoned in 1967.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
Prices and incomes policy and sterling crisis
The government brought in a prices and incomes policy to keep down inflation, but there was another sterling crisis in 1966, caused by a bitter strike by the national union of seaman.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
Outcome of the prices and incomes policy
The government, defeated strikes, but many on the left was shocked by Wilson’s critical attitudes to the strikes, and the trade unions, Frank cousins resigned from the cabinet over the incomes policy.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
1967 outbreaks of war and strikes
In 1967, an outbreak of war in the Middle East affected oil supplies and the major national duck strike in August affect the balance of payments. The government decided that devaluation could not be avoided.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
Devaluation crisis
The devaluation crisis damaged labours credibility, Britain’s second application to join. The EEC was rejected hard on the heels of the deep devaluation crisis and made the governments economic policies look futile.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
Callaghans replacement as chancellor
Roy Jenkins replaced Callaghan, who had been in strong favour of devaluation. Jenkins use deflationary methods and he raised taxes and tightened up government spending, giving priority to improve in the balance of payments.
Economic policies and problems including devaluation
Outcome of Jenkins deflationary methods
The measures were unpopular but by 1969, Jenkins had achieved a balance of payment surplus. however, 1969-1970, inflation was still running at 12%. improvement in the economic situation was a key factor in making labour confident of victory in the 1970 election.
Industrial relations and the trade unions
Employment and trade union content
Post war consensus
Both conservative and labour had seen a key element in the PWC to maintain full employment and to keep the unions happy. in opinions poll in early 1960s, nearly 60% of people said they had a favourable view of unionists.
Industrial relations, and the trade unions
Wilson and Frank cousins 1964
In 1964, Wilson made the trade unionist, Frank cousins minister of technology, and Wilson was relying on union corporation with his prices and income policies.
Industrial relations, and the trade unions
1966 and 1967 deterioration
Industrial relations with the trade unions began to deteriorate. strikes by the semen and dockers caused economic problems for the government. the strikes demonstrated that the old style union bosses were losing control.
Industrial relations and trade unions
Strikes
A lot of strike started with wildcat strikes by local local activist who would not take orders from the top.
Industrial relations and trade unions
Barbara castle
Wilson employed new minister Barbara Castle, started planning to use the Law to limit unofficial strikes. She believed in a powerful trade union movement, but responsibly. She produced in place of strife knowing it to be controversial
Industrial relations and trade unions
In place of strife 1969
Barbara’s policy proposals had key aspects that the union had to accept, this included a 28 day calling off period before strikes went ahead and the government to impose a settlement when unions were in dispute with each other.
Industrial relations and trade unions
Response to in place of strife
Voters like castles proposals and were supported by labour MP such as Roy Jenkins, but the left of the labour party hated them, and there was a storm of protest from powerful union leaders.
Other domestic policies
Lack of expertise
Wilson wanted to emphasise technology and science in modernising Britain’s economy. the government was hindered by lack of expertise. Roy Jenkins admitted that he had difficulty understanding his briefings because of his non-scientific mind.
Other domestic policies
Who was Tony benn 1966
Took over as minister, and the department performed better but all of the labour domestic policies were overshadowed by economic problems.
Other domestic policies
Research and development
Research and development was costly. although Britain pursued some project, such as the supersonic plane which developed in the partnership with the French government, it cannot compete with the USA.
Labour divisions
After the death of bevan
Wilson had a merged as the conciliatory leader of the party and concentrated on the labour party as the party of technological modernisation, and united both the left and right. He minimised underlying tensions such as that over clauseIV.
Labour divisions
Personal rivalries
There was still personal rivalries between Wilson and his most powerful cabinet colleagues. Wilson always said that he might face a leadership challenge from Brown or Calligan or Jenkins.
Labour divisions
Brown
Brown was resentful that he lost the leadership election to Wilson, and was disappointed that he had not made Foreign Secretary in 1964, Wilson was rumoured to have undermined brown reputation by keeping a record of any embarrassing incident that he was involved in.
Labour divisions
Wilson and Jenkins
Wilson was suspicious of Jenkins because he didn’t really support Jenkins, liberalising legislation at homes secretary, and when the semen strikes caused a sterling crisis Jenkins, tried to get a cabinet to support devaluation.
The “troubles” in northern island
Ireland after the Irish war of independence 1919
Ireland was partitioned between six countries in the north of Ireland that would remain part of the Uk and the other 26 countries, which would be the Irish free state would become the Republic of Ireland.
The “troubles” in northern island
Irish partition
The partition was controversial at the time, leading to the Civil War with the unionists supporting the union with Britain and the nationalist supporting United Ireland.
The “troubles” in northern island
Catholics and Protestants
The majority were Catholic, but the majority of people in Northern Ireland were protestant. This meant that the Belfast Parliament at Storment in Northern Ireland was dominated by protestant unionists
The troubles in Northern Ireland
1960s and the Catholics
By mid 1960s, there was evidence that Catholics in Northern Ireland were discriminated against in employment and housing. no accusations that the Irish police force was biased against Catholics.
The troubles in Northern Ireland
The 1964 civil rights movement
The civil rights movement in Northern Ireland started to challenge Catholic discrimination intentions rose as some unionists fears that the Irish Republican army would start a new campaign.
The troubles in Northern Ireland
The civil rights March 1968
The marches were held in 1968, to protest against discrimination, but were attacked by loyalists. The Catholics complained that the Irish police force didn’t protect them.
What were the Irish unionists
Support of the union of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to form the United Kingdom.
What were the Ireland nationalists?
Someone who supports independence for Scotland or Wales, or is in the favour of the united Ireland
Who were the Irish Republican Army?
An organisation that fought for independence in the Irish war of independence, it did not accept the partition of Ireland
What were the apprentice boys?
A loyalist organisation that marches annually to commemorate the closing of the gates to the city of derry to catholic forces.
The “troubles” in Northern Ireland
1969 and the loyalist apprentice boys
The apprentice boys went ahead with that annual March in Derry, and were attacked by nationalist in the Catholic area of Bogside. The Irish police tried to storm the bogside, but were held back in two days of rioting.
The troubles of Northern Ireland
The battle of Bogside aftermath 1969
broadcasts across the world showed the Irish police officers beating Catholics. riots spread to other towns cities and the government offered concession housing in electoral boundaries. Wilson sent British Army troops in attempt to keep the peace.
The end of the post war consensus
By 1970. There were signs of the post war consensus breaking down and britains economic problems did not seem to be solved by the consensus policies.
The end of the post war consensus
Trade unions
Trade unions were more uncooperative, forcing even the Labour Party to try and reform industrial relations.
The end of the post war consensus
Left of Labour Party
The left of the labour party was dissatisfied by the moderate consensus labour policies. And Social problems and poverty had not been ended.
The end of the post war consensus
Conservative party, Edward Heath
Edward and his shadow cabinet was starting to doubt the elements of the postwar consensus. They were questioning whether the state should take a role in ensuring Full employment, and identified the need for trade union reform
The loss of the 1970 election
Wilson and Jenkins achievements in Labour Party
The victory of Conservative winning the election was a surprise. Jenkins was credited with achieving economic and financial stability, and Wilson was considered to be a master campaigner.
The loss of the 1970 election
Heath’s strengths as leader of conservatives
He was hard-working, conscientious, and had an image of competence, even if he was perceived as dull.
The loss of the 1970 election
Enoch Powell
Enoch made his famous rivers of blood speech, which warned against further immigration. Even though Heath sacked Enoch from the shadow cabinet, some believe that Powell made voters, more likely to vote, conservative.
The loss of the 1970 election
The postwar consensus
The concern that the postwar consensus was not working, meant at the Conservatives new ideas gain support.
What was the prices and incomes policy
The governments intervention to limit price and wage increases, wages to be restrained and negotiations between unions and employers.
What was the sterling crisis of 1966
When the value of the sterling came under pressure because the market feared that Labour would devalue the currency so as to be able to implement a looser monetary
