1970-1979 Politics - Key dates and info

What was the Conservative economic policy?

• Selsdon Man Strategy → tax reform, bettwer law and order, reforms to TUs, immigration controls, cuts to public spending and end to public subsidy of lame duck industries

• Advocated a free market and anti-interventionist approach

What and when was the Barber Budget?

1972 → Cuts to public spending and taxes

• ‘Barber boom’ - led to stagflation and rise in unemployment

What was the initial industrial policy 1970?

lasseiz faire - focus on reducing subsidies and state intervention

Why did the Tories have a policy u-turn in 1972?

Economic Crisis → rising unemployment and inflation

U-Turn in 1972 → Heath abandoned free market policies and returned to state intervention

Gov Bailouts: provided aid to struggling industries such as Rolls Royce

How successful was the Tory economic policy?

• unemplyment reduced to 500,000 & modernisation investment was working

Why does the tory economic policy fall apart?

Yom Kippur War → OPEC declared an oil embargo and exports suddenly stopped

• Oil price = 4x usual levels

What and when was the Industrial Relations Act?

1971 - Imposed a cooking off period for TU strikes an set up an Industrial Relations Court

• made it harder for unions to go on strike & was opposed by TUs/CBI

When were th first set of miners strikes and why did they happen?

1972 - demanded a significant wage increase as their wages had fallen below those of other inustries

Heath forced to conceded due to power shortages and blackouts - seen as victory for NUM and blow to gov authority

What and when was the industry act?

1972 - aimed to involve the gov, the TUC and CBI in agreeing wages and prices

When and what was the Education Act?

1972 - Raised school leaving age to 16

When and what was decimalisation?

1971 - changed to a new system of money - easy to calculate and brough the UK inline with international standards

When did miners go on strike again and why?

1973-74 → Miners asked for another pay rise in 1973 due to the oil crisis & refused the pay offer from the gov

• Heath had to introduce the ‘3-day week’ where fuel was rationed & speed limit of 50mph

• cuts made to heating, TV & lighting of public buildings

What had happened with N.Ireland up to 1970?

• Civil Rights Movement → Protestants didn’t like the catholic protests & the NICRA clashed with the RUC in 1968 which eneded in violence

• Late 1960s → violence increased dramatically - rioting broke out in cities like Derry and catholic nationalist communities faced intimidation tactics and attacks from loyalist groups

• Aug 1969 → British Army deployed to restore order

What and when was internment?

• 1971 - practice of detaining individuals without trial usually during periods of conflict or unrest.

  • 1971-1975 - 95% interned were catholic - alienated nationalist communities

What happened on Bloody Sunday 1972?

A march was organised to protest against internment

1PARA - part of the british army - fired on the protesters in an attempt to control the march

26 unarmed civilians shot with 13 killed

What was the aftermath of bloody sunday?

• British embassy in Dublin was burned down

• IRA support grew

• 1972 → 182 explosions, 10,628 shooting incidents and 480 people killed

• Heath suspended stormont parliament in Mar 1972 and brought in direct rule from westminster

What did the sunningdale agreement propose?

• A power sharing executive

• New Ireland Assembly elected inder proportional representation

• Council of ireland with some input from the republic of ireland

Why did the sunningdale agreement fail?

• Extremists denounced it (Loyalists and Republicans)

• UUP voted to pull out 1974 - replaced leader with someone against it

• Undermined by problems in England

• Meant the conservatives couldn’t rely on UUP support to win the election

• Once wilson is PM it is decided it isnt working

What were the Problems wilson faced 1974-1976

• Economy

  • Inflation was at 15% & BoP deficit was £3bn

  • 1976 - £3bn IMF loan - excahnged for public spending cuts (left-wingers didnt agree with the loan)

• Divisions within party

  • Left saying labour was following similar policies to the conservatives

  • Centre right calimed gov was losing its power to govern independently

• Trade Unions

  • Cuts in public spending & unemployment rise following the IMF loan embittered TUs

• Changes in leadership

  • Wilson resignation in 1976

  • Callaghan seen as a ‘safe pair of hands’ to maintain party unity

How did Labour try to reform industrial relations?

1973 - social contract with TUs - their voluntary pay restraint for the repeal of heath’s industrial act and pay board

appointing of left wing pro union ministers

ending 3 day week

healey’s budget → economic stability without provoking unions

How did labuour attempt to reform the economy?

Healey’s budget - increase taxes and decrease public spending

1974 - public enterprise board - to administer gov’s shares in private companies

1975 - more formal pay restraint policy to limit wage demands

What problems did Callaghan face 1976-1979?

• IMF Loan

  • £3bn + spending cuts

  • Severe economic crisis but economy under callaghan the economy recovered

  • reinforced image of britain in economic decline and left wing saw it as betrayal

• Devolution

  • Wales - conclusively against devolution - 80%

  • Scotland - more people voted in favour but the simple majority wasn’t enough so was defeated - consequence: labour lost SNP support

• Lib-Lab Pact

  • 12 liberal MPs vote in favour of labour

  • Gave labour a small majority

  • Callaghan promised he would continue with devolution in scotland and wales

  • liberals gain more influence

• When to call election

  • Decided to wait - was mistake due to the winter of discontent

How did the economic situation improve?

North sea oil - by 1978 → 9 oilfields in production and inflation fell below 10%

How did Callaghan defeat the motion of no-confidence in 1977?

When and what was the winter of discontent?

• Autumn 1978 - TUs rejected labour’s proposed wage increases limit of 5%

• Ford lorry drivers went on strike and gained a 15% pay rise so other tus followed in their example

• Disputes borught to an end in Mar 1979 - pay increase achieved was 10% but psychologial effect had an impact on public mood

When was the Ulsters Workers Strike announced to start?

May 1974

• severely limited power and telecommunications

• wilson forced to impose direct rule

When and what was the removal of special category status in N.Ireland?

1976 - terrorist prisoners would be treated like criminals and would have to wear prison uniform

What was the blanket protest?

Where prisonders only wore blankets or remained naked in response to the removal of special category status

What was the ‘dirty’ protest?

• After 1978

• Prisoners refused to leave their cells alleging ill treatment by prison guards

• by 1979 - over 250 prisoners taking part

What were the Conservative strengths in the 1979 election?

• Strong leadership

• Economic appeal

• Unified party

• Anti-trade union stance

What were the labour weaknesses in the 1979 election?

• Economic mismanagement

• Industrial unrest

• Party divisions

• public perception