Wilson and the Labour Governments

Question 1

was wilson on left or right of labour

Answer 1

had been a bevanite
served in gaitskells cabinet
supported nucelar deterrent
wanted to reform TUs
seen as classless

Question 2

what did wilson wanto to do to the british economy

Answer 2

modernise

Question 3

what approach did labour want to break away from

Answer 3

stop go, devaluation and deflation

Question 4

what new economic dept was set up

Answer 4

DEA

Question 5

what were browns economic proposals

Answer 5

establish agreement abt wages and prices with TU leaders and industrialists

Question 6

When was the DEA abandoned?

Answer 6

1967

Question 7

what replaced DEA

Answer 7

prices and incomes policy

Question 8

due to the outbreak of a war, the gov had to…

Answer 8

devalue the pound, higher interest rates, cuts (looking like stop go)

Question 9

which trade unionist resigned from labour after wilsons attitude to the strikers

Answer 9

frank cousins

Question 10

which strikes caused economic problems for the gov

Answer 10

seamen and dockers

Question 11

who produced in place of strife

Answer 11

barbara castle

Question 12

in place of strife included ( union restrictions)

Answer 12

28 day cooling off period
industrial relations court
strike ballots could be force

Question 13

due to in place of strife, the gov had to negotiate with…

Answer 13

the TUC

Question 14

gov hindered by lack of expertise in which area…

Answer 14

tech development

Question 15

how did wilson unite the party

Answer 15

after gaitskell and bevans death, he emerged as a conciliatory leader

Question 16

who did wilson fear

Answer 16

brown, callaghan and jenkins

Question 17

why was NI created

Answer 17

the irish war of independence

Question 18

what did unionists and nationalists believe

Answer 18

unionists supported the union with britain
nationalists support a united ireland

Question 19

majority of people in NI were_____ and majority in Ireland were _______

Answer 19

protestant
catholic

Question 20

who were attacked on the annual march

Answer 20

apprentice boys

Question 21

What was a key priority for Labour?

Answer 21

• Modernising the British Economy.
• Reorganising the economy so that it was no longer stuck in a cycle

Question 22

By what point was it widely accepted that Britain was lagging behind other countries such as West Germany and Japan?

Answer 22

1964

Question 23

What was the balance of payments deficit Wilson inherited?

Answer 23

£800 million

Question 24

What was the british economy stuck in?

Answer 24

• A cycle of “stop-go”.
• Bursts of prosperity always led to inflation.
• Runs on the pound.
• Regular balance of payments crises.

Question 25

What were the traditional responses to the balance of payments crisis that Wilson and Callaghan were faced with?

Answer 25

Deflation or devaluation

Question 26

Why did Wilson and Callaghan not want to undertake a policy of deflation?

Answer 26

- This would be the old "stop-go" approach that labour wanted to break away from. - There were fears that it would stop Labour from meeting its manifesto commitments to spending on welfare and technology.

Question 27

Why did Wilson and Callaghan want to avoid devaluation?

Answer 27

- It would make Britain look weaker. - It would make Britain actually weaker as it would have to scale back its activities across the globe. - Labour would gain a reputation for devaluation after Attlee devalued the pound in 1949.

Question 28

How did Wilson believe economic problems could be solved?

Answer 28

Careful management and planning.

Question 29

Department of Economic Affairs.

Answer 29

- 1964 - Set growth targets. - Devised a system of "economic planning councils".

Question 30

Who led the DEA?

Answer 30

George Brown

Question 31

What was the aim of the voluntary agreement?

Answer 31

- To secure the restraint needed to prevent inflation rising, which the government would then need to stop with controls. - This would break the"stop-go" cycle of the 1950s.

Question 32

George Brown

Answer 32

- Working-class trade unionist. - On the right of the party. - Defeated by Wilson in the 1963 leadership election. - Seen as unpredictable and had a serious alcohol problem. - Resigned in 1968 after a row with Wilson.

Question 33

What did Brown and Callaghan's squabbling mean?

Answer 33

The DEA was failing because the treasury wasn't cooperating with it.

Question 34

Why might the anti-Labour civil servants be blamed for the failure of the DEA?

Answer 34

- They undermined Brown's efforts. - They refused to pass over papers and tapped his phone.

Question 35

What was another key problem with the DEA?

Answer 35

Political. - Wilson was trying to keep key personalities happy rather than picking the best team for the job.

Question 36

When was the Brown moved to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Answer 36

1966

Question 37

Prices and Incomes Policy

Answer 37

introduced by Wilson in 1965 in an attempt to keep inflation down. Set limits on price rises and called for wage restraints in negotiations between Unions and Employers.

Question 38

When was there another sterling crisis?

Answer 38

1966

Question 39

When did Wilson's government declare a state of emergency due to the Seamen's strike?

Answer 39

23rd May 1966

Question 40

What harsh measures did Wilson use to end the strike?

Answer 40

- Red Scare tactics- named "politically motivated men" involved in the strike, including Communist Party Organisers and people who were not members but were "in continual contact" with the others.

Question 41

Who did Wilson's critical attitude to strikers shock?

Answer 41

The labour left.

Question 42

Who resigned from cabinet over the incomes policy?

Answer 42

Trade Unionist Frank Cousins

Question 43

What sterling crises did Labour survive?

Answer 43

1965 1966

Question 44

When was there a major national dock strike?

Answer 44

August 1967

Question 45

How much was the pound devalued by?

Answer 45

14% to $2.40 USD

Question 46

What else did Labour do in response to the 1967 sterling crisis?

Answer 46

Made defence cuts. - Introduces hire purchase restrictions and higher interest rates.

Question 48

What did the rejection from the EEC immediately after the devaluation crisis do?

Answer 48

Made labour's economic policies look futile.

Question 50

What was Jenkins in favour of in 1964?

Answer 50

Devaluation

Question 51

What were Jenkins' deflationary methods?

Answer 51

- Raising taxes. - Tightening up government spending in all areas - Giving top priority to improving the Balance of payments.

Question 52

What was the Public reaction to Jenkins' economic measures?

Answer 52

They were unpopular

Question 53

When did Jenkins achieve a balance of payments surplus?

Answer 53

1969

Question 55

What percentage of people said in opinion polls they had a positive view of Trade Unions in the early 1960s?

Answer 55

60%

Question 56

When did Wilson make Trade Unionist Frank Cousins Minister of Technology?

Answer 56

1964

Question 58

Prices and Incomes Policy

Answer 58

- 1965 - Government intervention to set limits on prices and to call for wage restraint in negotiations between unions and employee.

Question 59

What did the growth of wildcat strikes started by local activists demonstrate?

Answer 59

That old-style Union bosses were losing some of their power.

Question 60

What did Roy Jenkins in term of the labour's technological inabilities?

Answer 60

that he had difficulties undertsnaidng breifings because of his non-scientific mind.

Question 61

When did Tony Benn take over as the minister of the Minister of Technology

Answer 61

in 1966

Question 62

What changed after Tony Benn?

Answer 62

The department performed better, but in some ways all labour's domestic policies were overshadowed by economic problems

Question 63

What projects did Britain pursue?

Answer 63

The Supersonic plane Concorde which it developed in partnership with the French government, it could not compete with the US.

Question 64

Why could Britain not compete with the US?

Answer 64

the US spent vast government sums on research and development

Question 65

What key labour issue remained after 1964?

Answer 65

The divisions between the left and right of the labour party.

Question 66

What happened after the death of Bevan?

Answer 66

Gasitkell the leader of the right and Wilson emerged and conciliatory leader of the party.

Question 67

What did Wilson concentrate on?

Answer 67

concentrated on the labour party as part of the technological modernisation

Question 68

How did labour's technological modernisation unite the party?

Answer 68

it minimised the underlying tensions such as that over clause IV