Britain statistics

1964 majority

4 seat majority

1966 majority

98 seat majority

Balance of Payments 1964

£800mill deficit

Balance of Payments 1969

£387mill surplus

Unemployment 1964

300,000

Unemployment 1970

600,000

Industrial Action

1966 – Dockers Strike
1969 – In Place of Strife

Days lost to strikes 1963

1.75million

Days lost to strikes 1965

2.9million

Days lost to strikes 1968

4.69million

Economic Policies

1965 – Abolition of prescription charges
1968 – Spending cut by £750mill + raised taxes on cigarettes, alcohol & petrol
Devaluation (1967) - £ from $2.80 -> $2.40 (14% devaluation)
1968 – Reintroduction of prescription charges. Taxes increased by £923mill

Foreign Policy

1965 – Ian Smith declares unilateral independence for Southern Rhodesia
1966 & 1968 – Harold Wilson summits with Ian Smith
1966 – Wilson condemns US action in Vietnam
1967 – Charles De Gaulle vetoes British entry to EEC
1968 – Government commits to withdraw all forces ‘East of Suez’ by end of 1971
1969 – British troops sent to Northern Ireland

Social/Education Reforms

1965 – Open University, Murder Act, Circular 10/65
1967 – Family Planning, Sexual Offences, Abortion, Ombudsman
1968 – Race Relations Act, Theatres,
1969 – Representation of the People Act, Divorce
1970 – Equal Pay

Other key terms

National Plan (targets = growth rate set at 3.8% over six years + 5.25% increase in exports each year), Department for Economic Affairs, National Board for Prices and Incomes (NBPI), ‘Wildcat’ strikes, ‘Closed shop’, Permissive Society,