UK History - Section 1 Conservative Governments

What were the strengths of Winston Churchill (195-1955)?

• Good Reputation from previous leadership

• International statesman

• Had good ministers - Eden, Butler, Macmillan

What were the weaknesses of Winston Churchill (1951-1955) ?

• Uninterested in domestic affairs

• Old Age and Infirmary

What were some strengths of Anthony Eden (1955-1957) ?

• Foreign policy expert

• Lots of Experience (from acting as Churchill’s deputy)

• Charming and popular

What were the weaknesses of Anthony Eden (1955-1957) ?

• Inexperienced in domestic affairs

• Weak leader - sometimes indecisive

• Declining health

What were the strengths of Harold Macmillan (1957 - 1963) ?

• Good reputation from success as previous housing minister from under Churchill

• Calm and reassuring presence

• Good presentation on TV

• One - Nation Conservative (supportive of Post-War consensus)

What were the weaknesses of Harold Macmillan (1957 - 1963) ?

• Became seen as Old-Fashioned

• Suffered ill health later

What were the strengths of R.A.Butler ?

• One-Nation Conservative (supportive of Post-War consenss)

• Experienced, holding a series of high ranking ministries

• Responsible for influential policies (such as the tripartite education system) and review of capital punishment

What were the weaknesses of R.A.Butler ?

• Divisive and unpopular with some colleagues

• “Best Prime Minister the Conservatives never had”

What was the theory / aim of the Post-War consensus ?

• Mixed Economy (Both government and private business action?

• Support for NHS and Welfare State

• Full employment

• Working in partnership with trade unions and employers

What is the Post-War consensus also referred to as ?

Butskellism (after R.A.Butler and Hugh Gaskell - Labour Leader)

What was the housing domestic policy ?

As housing minister, Macmillan fulfilled to Conservatives pledge to build 300,000 houses a year by 1953

What was the Education domestic policy ?

Continuation of the tripartite system (grammar schools, technical high schools, secondary schools) set up by Butler Act of 1944

What were the Social Reforms of the domestic policies ?

• Welfare and NHS continuation to be funded

• Acceptance of government regulation (Clean Air Act 1956, Factor Act 1959)

• Some more liberal social reforms (Homicide Act 1957, Wolfenden Report 1957)

What was the Clean Air Act 1956 ?

Legislation that aimed to tackle air pollution by strictly regulating both domestic coal fires and industrial emissions)

What was the Factory Act 1959 ?

Law that expanded and updated occupational health, safety and welfare regulations - introduced stricter fire safety rules and safer workplace

What was the Homicide Act 1957

Abolished the broad doctrine of constructive malice, restricting capital punishment to specific instances of "capital murder", and introducing partial defences that allow a murder charge to be reduced to manslaughter

What was the Wolfenden Report 1957

Recommendation (not yet law, 10 years later) that relationships between men should not be a crime

What was the Industrial Policy of the domestic policy ?

• Some key industries remained nationalised - Only Iron and Steel were denationalised in 1953

• Intended attitude towards trade unions

Why were people not feel the need to vote for the Labour Party ?

Conservative Governments were already continuing with many Labour policies

What were the dividing issues in the Labour Party (1951 -1964) on Prescription charges and the outcome of it ?

Left - Wanted NHS to be free at the point of delivery

Right - Thought it was necessary to introduce charges to respond to financial outcome

Outcome - Divisions broke out towards the end of the Labour administration - set ongoing rivalry between Bean and Gaitskell

What were the dividing issues in the Labour Party (1951 - 1964) on Clause IV and the outcome of it ?

Left - Wholly supportive of nationalisation

Right - Saw nationalisation as only one possible policy to be used where appropriate

Outcome - Trade unions were concerned that Labour might abandon Clause IV, Gaitskell tried to amend it at the 1959 conference but backed down in the face of opposition from the left

What was Clause IV ?

Clause in Labours Party constitution which committed it to public ownership of major industries

What were the dividing issues in the Labour Party (1951 - 1964) on nuclear weapons

Left - unilateral disarmament - many supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Right - against Unilateral disarmament

Outcome - Trade Unions favoured disarmament and a motion was passed to support it at the 1960 Labour Party Conference - Gaitskell managed to have this reversed at the Labour Party Conference in 1961

What were the three reasons that the Conservatives were able to stay in the period ?

• Conservatives Governments and reasons for political dominance

• Domestic policies

• Internal Labour Divisions

What were the reasons that the Conservatives lost the 1964 election ?

• Looked out of touch - Social change, Douglas Home - unelected member of the aristocracy, Target of Satire - ‘That was the week that was’, ‘Private Eye’

• Scandal - The Profumo affair, Spy Scandals e.g. Blake and Vassel

• Labour Unity - Deaths of Bevan and Gaitskell, Election of Wilson as leader

• Conservative Failures - Growing economic concerns e.g. ‘stop - go economics, balance of payments, inflation, Rejection of EEC membership application, Macmillan’s leadership e.g.ill health, Night of the long knives

By 1964, how long have the Conservatives been in power so far ?

13 years

How much majority did Labour win the 1964 election with ?

4