wilson and the labour governments Flashcards
wilson’s history with the labour party
originally a bevanite, resigning in 1950 over prescription charges
served in gaitskell’s cabinet#
challanged gaitskell for the leadership in 1961
critics of wilson
said he didnt seem to be of the left
- supported nuclear detterent and reform to trade unions
just an opportunist
wilson’s modern image
seen as classless
first PM educated at a state school
smoked a pipe
skillful performer on TV
wilson in private
anxious and insecure about his leadership
conscious of his rivals
kitchen cabinet
wilson relied on a personal team of advisers outside the government
modernisation of the british economy
key priority of the labour government
britain’s economy in 1964
it was widely accepted that britain was lagging behind west germany and japan
trapped in stop go
inherited a deficit of £800 million
deflation
would support the value of the pound and prevent inflation
would continue the old stop go approach
devaluation
would make imports more expensive and help exporters by making britain look weaker
labour would gain the reputation of the party of devaluation - atlee 1949
department of economic affairs
led by george brown
set growth targets
devised a system of economic planning councils
attempted to establish a voluntary agreement about wages and prices with TU
was DEA successful
NO
did not have united government support
in competition with the chancellor
why did economic reform fail
brown was impulsive and inconsistent
wilson tried to keep key personalities happy (brown) instead of picking right people for the job
prices and incomes
government brought in a prices and incomes policy to keep down inflation
implemented by prices and incomes board
sterling crisis
1966
caused by a long and bitter strike by the national union of seamen
aftermath of seamen strike
gov defeated the strike
trade unionist frank cousins resigned from cabinet over incomes policy
relationship between government and unions was starting to break down
devaluation 1967
outbreak of war in middle east affected oil suplies
major national dock strike in august
both affected the balance of payments
gov devalued the pound by 14% to £1 = $2.40
consequence of devaluation
made labour look so weak
had tried so hard to avoid devaluation
2nd EEC application
rejected a few weeks after devaluation
application was on economic grounds
governmenrt economic policies looked futile
economic improvement
roy jenkins new chancellor
deflationary methods used eg. raised taxes/decrease government spending
by 1969 there was a BOP surplus
BUT inflation still 12% in 1970
opinion of TU in 1960s
polls showed 60% had a favourable view of trade unions
frank cousins
trade unionists
wilson put him in his cabinet 1964
deteriation of industrial relations
1966 and 1967 strikes with seamen and dockers
seemed to demonstrate old-style union bosses were losing control
a lot of strikes were wildcat strikes started by local activists
in place of strife proposals
28 day cooling off period
gov could impose a settlement when unions were in dispute with each other
strike ballots could be imposed
industrial relations court would be able to prosecute those who broke the rules
opinion on in place of strife
supported by voters
supported by many labour MPs
unions and left of labour hated them
storm of protest from union leaders and labour MPs
was in place of strife successful
NO
row went on for 4 months
wilson eventually gave in
the TUC negotiated a compromise
why was government hindered on modern agenda
ministers had lack of expertise
(roy jenkins aviation minister)
ministers had lack of interest
(frank cousins as tachnology minister)
labour domestic policies overshadowed
overshadowed by economic problems and research was too costly
America too powerful
success in modernisation
projects like Concorde with france
how did wilson unite the labour party
concentration on the Labour party as the party of technological modernisation
minimised tensions over clause 4
personal rivalries between wilson and his cabinet
wilson feared he might face a leadership challenge from brown, callaghan or jenkins
brown was resentful he lost the leadership and dissapointed he was not made foreign secretary
jenkins
wilson suspicious of jenkins as he was a gaitskellite and didnt support his liberal agenda or pro-european stance
Jenkins supported devaluation after the 1966 seamen’s strike and critical of the government when they did not devalue
wilson and the left
did not face any obvious challenge from the left of the party
BUT those most left wing in unions, local government and young people were often frustrated by his government
who dominated Stormont
protestant unionists
discrimination against catholics in NI
mounting evidence
in employment, housing and electoral boundaries
Royal Ulster Constabulary (NI police) was biased against catholics
Civil rights movement in NI started to challenge this
IRA
irish republican army
nationalists
civil rights marches
1968
attacked by loyalists
catholics complained that the RUC failed to protect them
loyalist apprentice boys
organisation to annually commemorate the closing of the gates to the city of Derry in 1688
went ahead with their annual march 1968
attacked by nationalsists in the Bogside
RUC tried to storm bogside but held back in 2 days of rioting
TV showed RUC beating catholics
consequence of loyalist apprentice boys 1968
riots spread to other towns and cities
stormont offerent concessions on housing and electoral boundaries - sparked rioting from loyalists
wilson government sent british troops to attempt to keep the peace
end of post-war consensus
economic problems not solved by PWC
trade unions more uncooperative
left of labour dissatisfied by modern labour
social problems and poverty not ended
conservatives starting to doubt the key elements of PWC
questions on role of the state
why was conservative victory 1970 surprising
wilson government apparently come through its difficult times
jenkins credited with economic and financial stability
wilson seen as a master campaigner, more experienced that heath
enoch powell
made his ‘rivers of blood’ speech in 1968 warning against further immigration
although heath sacked powell from shadow cabinet, many beliebe powell attracted voters
