The Making of Modern Britain (1970-1979)

When did Heath become the leader of the Conservative Party?

1965

Who was the first Conservative leader to be elected?

Heath

When did the Conservatives hold a conference at Selsdon Park?

1970

What was the “Barber Boom” ?

Tax cuts were introduced to stimulate growth, inflation rose + unemployment reached 1 million (stagflation)

When did Heath nationalise Rolls Royce and why?

1971, as it was struggling (U-turn)

How many were unemployed by 1973?

500,000

When did the Yom Kippur war break out?

1973

What are the effects of the Yom Kippur war?

Oil prices rose ($2 - $35), queues at petrol stations + increase in inflation

When was the industrial relations act introduced?

1971

What did the 1971 industrial relations act introduce?

Strike ballots + a cooling off period before strikes

Who opposed the 1971 industrial relations act?

Trade Union Congress + Confederation of British Industry

When was the miners’ strike?

1972

Who led the 1972 miners’ strike?

Arthur Scargill

What did the Wilberforce Committee do?

Examined the miners’ demands + allowed them to gain a large wage increase

Why was the 1972 industry act unsuccessful?

It aimed to involve the government in agreeing wages to avoid disputes - but it failed to do so

When did the miners announce a general strike?

1974

What was Heath’s 1974 general election called?

“Who governs Britain?”

What is a hung parliament?

When a party takes over with a minority government

What were the results of the 1974 election?

Labour took over with a minority (hung parliament)

What level was inflation at in 1974?

15%

What was the balance of trade deficit in 1974?

£3 billion

When was the National Enterprise Board set up?

1974

Who set up the 1974 National Enterprise Board?

Tony Benn

What did the 1974 National Enterprise Board do?

It ran the state’s interest in companies + provided aid (subsidies) when necessary

What happened during the October 1974 election?

Labour won a small majority

What had disappeared by 1977?

Labour’s majority

What brought down inflation + when?

Oil in the North Sea brought it down to 10% in 1978

What did the 1978 Devolution Acts include?

A clause that required 40% of the electorate to support devolution for it to be passed

When did the Winter of Discontent start?

1978

When did the Winter of Discontent end?

March 1979

How did the Winter of Discontent come to an end?

Wages increased by an average of 10%

What did Labour lose in 1979?

A vote of no confidence in the House of Commons

What did losing the vote of no confidence in the House of Commons lead to?

1979 general election

Who won the 1979 general election?

The conservatives - majority of 43

When was the pill made available on the NHS?

1971

When did rape crisis centres start opening?

1976

When were women allowed to take out a mortgage without a male guarantor?

1971

When did the Equal Pay act come into force?

1975

When was the Sex Discrimination act passed?

1975

When was the Employment Protection act passed?

1975

What did the Employment Protection act introduce?

Paid maternity leave + outlawed dismissal on grounds of pregnancy

What percentage of men’s pay were women making in 1970?

59%

What percentage of men’s pay were women making in 1977?

70%

How many people had immigrated to Britain from the common wealth by 1974?

1 million

What was the effect of the 1975 Formal Pay Restraint Policy?

It intensified Labour’s splits - left wing wanted less pressure on unions + more state support

What was Britain’s 4th largest political party in 1977

The National Front

How much did robberies and assaults of Asians + Afro-Carribeans increase by?

1/3

When was the riot at Notting Hill carnival?

1976

What did the 1976 Race Relations act do?

Set up Commission for Racial Equality

What were two youth movements in the 1970s?

Punks + Skinheads

When did Britain join the EEC?

1973

Was Heath a europhile / eurosceptic?

Europhile

Who did Enoch Powell campaign for in 1974?

Labour

What could joining the EEC lose Britain?

It’s sovereignty

What did left wing Labour call the EEC?

Capitalist Club

How many Labour MPs abstained from voting on joining the EEC in 1973?

20

What were the results of the 1975 referendum on the EEC?

68.3% - in favour

Which president did Heath have a good relationship with?

Nixon

When did Nixon visit China?

1972

What title was Heath given in China?

People's friendship envoy

What did Britain not allow NATO to do in 1975?

Airlift supplies to Israel in Yom Kippur war

Why were the major strikes in 1972 significant?

Longest strike since 1926 general strike

How many workers were laid off after the 1972 miners’ strike?

1.2 million

Who was the new French president?

Pompidou

When did decimalisation come into effect?

1971

What was the impact of decimalisation?

New 100 pence introduced + it would be in line with other European countries

How much was invested in Upper Clyde Shipbuilders to prevent insolvency?

£35 million

Why was the National Enterprise board controversial?

The government nationalised British Leyland + was another U-turn

What was the impact of the 1975 Formal Pay Restraint policy?

Intensified party divisions

How much was the £ valued at in 1975?

$1.50 - fell from $2.75

When did Britain apply for an IMF loan?

1976 - £3 billion + the government had to make large spending cuts

What were the impacts of the 1976 IMF loan?

Conservatives said it was a national humiliation, left wing criticised it and become more militant + it reinforced the idea that Britain was in economic deckjne

What issue arose from the Common Agricultural Policy?

Favoured inefficient farms (e.g. France) + disadvantaged British farmers

What fraction of the public did not vote in the 1975 referendum and what effect did this have?

1 / 3 + some did not find the results convincing

Who tried to use Heath to exert American influence over Europe?

Kissinger

Who did Callaghan have a strong relationship with and what did he help negotiate with?

Kissinger + he negotiated the replacement of Polaris missiles with Trident 1979 with Carter

What was the Georgi Markov affair?

In 1978 a defector was suspected of being killed by the KGB

When did Thatcher become the leader of the Conservatives?

1975

How many strikes were there in 1971?

228

How many strikes were there in 1973?

2,873

What % did commodity prices increase by?

160% between 1971 - 1974

How many seats did Labour win in the 1974 election?

42 - 3 majority overall

When did Callaghan become prime minister?

1976

When did Heath visit China?

1974