wilson and the labour governments

Question 1

wilson’s history with the labour party

Answer 1

originally a bevanite, resigning in 1950 over prescription charges

served in gaitskell’s cabinet#

challanged gaitskell for the leadership in 1961

Question 2

critics of wilson

Answer 2

said he didnt seem to be of the left
- supported nuclear detterent and reform to trade unions

just an opportunist

Question 3

wilson’s modern image

Answer 3

seen as classless

first PM educated at a state school

smoked a pipe

skillful performer on TV

Question 4

wilson in private

Answer 4

anxious and insecure about his leadership

conscious of his rivals

Question 5

kitchen cabinet

Answer 5

wilson relied on a personal team of advisers outside the government

Question 6

modernisation of the british economy

Answer 6

key priority of the labour government

Question 7

britain’s economy in 1964

Answer 7

it was widely accepted that britain was lagging behind west germany and japan

trapped in stop go

inherited a deficit of £800 million

Question 8

deflation

Answer 8

would support the value of the pound and prevent inflation

would continue the old stop go approach

Question 9

devaluation

Answer 9

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

Question 10

department of economic affairs

Answer 10

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

Question 11

was DEA successful

Answer 11

NO

did not have united government support

in competition with the chancellor

Question 12

why did economic reform fail

Answer 12

brown was impulsive and inconsistent

wilson tried to keep key personalities happy (brown) instead of picking right people for the job

Question 13

prices and incomes

Answer 13

government brought in a prices and incomes policy to keep down inflation

implemented by prices and incomes board

Question 14

sterling crisis

Answer 14

1966

caused by a long and bitter strike by the national union of seamen

Question 15

aftermath of seamen strike

Answer 15

gov defeated the strike

trade unionist frank cousins resigned from cabinet over incomes policy

relationship between government and unions was starting to break down

Question 16

devaluation 1967

Answer 16

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

Question 17

consequence of devaluation

Answer 17

made labour look so weak

had tried so hard to avoid devaluation

Question 18

2nd EEC application

Answer 18

rejected a few weeks after devaluation

application was on economic grounds

governmenrt economic policies looked futile

Question 19

economic improvement

Answer 19

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

Question 20

opinion of TU in 1960s

Answer 20

polls showed 60% had a favourable view of trade unions

Question 21

frank cousins

Answer 21

trade unionists

wilson put him in his cabinet 1964

Question 22

deteriation of industrial relations

Answer 22

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

Question 23

in place of strife proposals

Answer 23

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

Question 24

opinion on in place of strife

Answer 24

supported by voters
supported by many labour MPs

unions and left of labour hated them
storm of protest from union leaders and labour MPs

Question 25

was in place of strife successful

Answer 25

NO row went on for 4 months wilson eventually gave in the TUC negotiated a compromise

Question 26

why was government hindered on modern agenda

Answer 26

ministers had lack of expertise (roy jenkins aviation minister) ministers had lack of interest (frank cousins as tachnology minister)

Question 27

labour domestic policies overshadowed

Answer 27

overshadowed by economic problems and research was too costly America too powerful

Question 28

success in modernisation

Answer 28

projects like Concorde with france

Question 29

how did wilson unite the labour party

Answer 29

concentration on the Labour party as the party of technological modernisation minimised tensions over clause 4

Question 30

personal rivalries between wilson and his cabinet

Answer 30

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

Question 31

jenkins

Answer 31

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

Question 33

wilson and the left

Answer 33

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

Question 34

who dominated Stormont

Answer 34

protestant unionists

Question 35

discrimination against catholics in NI

Answer 35

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

Question 36

IRA

Answer 36

irish republican army nationalists

Question 37

civil rights marches

Answer 37

1968 attacked by loyalists catholics complained that the RUC failed to protect them

Question 38

loyalist apprentice boys

Answer 38

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

Question 39

consequence of loyalist apprentice boys 1968

Answer 39

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

Question 40

end of post-war consensus

Answer 40

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

Question 41

why was conservative victory 1970 surprising

Answer 41

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

Question 42

enoch powell

Answer 42

made his 'rivers of blood' speech in 1968 warning against further immigration although heath sacked powell from shadow cabinet, many beliebe powell attracted voters