Wilson Government Flashcards
When was Wilson PM?
And who for ?
1964-70
Labour
How did Wilson appeal to the public?
His image was to be ‘classless’ he wanted to be more in touch with the public such as smoking from a pipe and was the first pm that had been educated at a secondary school.
What deficit did labour inherit?
£800 million
What is devaluation?
Lowers the value of a currency in comparison to others. Makes imports more expensive but help exporters by making British goods cheaper in other countries.
Was the department of economic affairs a success?
NO. Set up and led by George Brown with the aim of setting up the restraint needed to prevent inflation rising. Abandoned in 1967.
What led to devaluation?
1965,1966 Sterling crises.
1967 outbreak of war in Middle East affecting oil supplies.
August 1967 national dock strike .
What did the pound drop to?
BY 14%. Equivalent to 2.40 US dollars
When was Britain’s second application to join the EEC declined?
1967
How did Roy Jenkins improve the economy?
Raised taxes, tightened government spending in all areas of the economy. Not popular but led to a surplus in 1969.
What did Barbara Castle’s in Pace Of Strife mean for the unions?
28 Day ‘cool off’.period before a strike went ahead
Strike
ballots imposed
Industrial relations court to prosecute those who broke the rules
Why was there divisions within the Labour Party?
Deaths of Bevan from the left and gaistksell from the right of the party led to Wilson being the sole leader. Personal rivalries with Brown, Callaghan or Jenkins disrupted Wilson’s work.
What were catholics in NI referred to as? And what did they believe Ireland should be like?
Loyalists or Nationalists
Ireland should be united as one.
What were Protestants referred to as?
Unionists.
Believed in a division in Ireland.
What accusations did the Royal Ulster Constabulary Force and the Irish police force receive?
Biased against catholics.
Failure to protect Catholics in 1968 riots.
When did Wilson send British Army troops in to ease the tension?
August 1969
When were the first signs of the end of the post war consensus?
1970, economic policies unsolved by consensus policies, trade unions increasingly uncooperative, social problems and poverty not ended.
How did Labour lose the 1970 election?
Heath had greater strengths then was given credit for. Labour had several setbacks as inflation was still up and Powell’s ‘rivers of blood speech’ may behave increased conservative popularity.
When and What was the National Plan?
1964
Brown’s DEA aimed to increase industrial production , and exports by increasing cooperation between government, employers and trade unions
When was the National plan abandoned?
1967
When and what did the abortion act mean?
1967
Permitted legal termination of pregnancy where two doctors certified that there were serious health risks for mother and baby.
When was the abolition of the death penalty?
1969
When and why was the Open University discovered?
1969
higher education insistuation established to enable previously unqualified students to read for degrees by studying broadcast radio or tv.
When were the two race relation acts?
1965 and 1968
What did the race relation acts include?
prohibition of racial discrimination in public places and in areas such as employment or housing
Set up of race relations board- investigates racial cases of racial discrimination
Set up of community relations commission
When and What was the Commonwealth Immigration Act?
1968
Prophibited new immigrants from settling unless family connections were already established
When and What was the sexual offences act?
1967
Legalised male homosexual acts in private only.
When was the divorce reform act?
1969
Reasons for Labour victory in 1964
-weariness of Conservatives after 13 years in power
-Scandals under Conservative party e.g Profumo
-Image of Labour Party seemed more ‘with it’
-Humiliating failure to join EEC in 1963
Reasons for Labour losing the 1970 election
-Devaluation still looming over the party
-Failure to control unions lost him voters
-Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ Speech had reportedly gained the Torries 2.5 million more votes
What did Callaghan’s 1965 budget include
Deflationary measures, bank rates cut to 1%
How did Wilson ‘pound in your pocket speech go down?
No received well and fooled no body as he tried to claim that event tho the pound had been devalued it was still worth the same in this country but Wilson was cricised by heath on tv.
When did the Nationa Union of Seamen strike
1966
What was the impact of the NUS strike in 1966
Politically is meant the unions no longer trusted Wilson and economically it resulted in a loss of income for government of 40m
How did in place of strife fail
Was no popular with the Labour Party
Only properly back by Castle and Wilson who found themselves isolated when Roy Jenkins the chancellor pulled out.
Failure to reform the unions and embarrassment for Wilson.
What did Wilson implement in 1969
The open university received its royal charter and was set up to give students who did not have a chance to go to uni or college after leaving school
How did the troubles start in NI
For many it was the Killing of Mary Gould on the 7 may 1966
A group from the ulster Protestant Volunteers had targeted a catholic pub but go the wrong adress so they had killed a Protestant woman.
Also 18 year old catholic boy idled outside Belfast
Civil rights movement marched in 1968, designed to pass through Protestant areas and be provocative.
Attempts to calm down the catholic community led to further Protestant anger and many questioned O’Neill leadership
Divorcee form act 1969
Marriage could be ended if it had broken down irretiavebly and no longer had an emphasis on who it was
Divorcee form act 1969
Marriage could be ended if it had broken down irretiavebly and no longer had an emphasis on who it was
How was education reformed
Did not take form under a new a new law
Based off money as Crosland the education secretary stated that money would only be coming to schools if the new schools were comprehensive
1/3 of children were in comprehensive schools when Wilson had left office