Section 3: Chapters 9 - 10

Chapter 9: Heath’s Government

Heath as leader

What right wing ideas were developed at the Selsdon conference?

• Tax cuts

• trade union reform

• higher pensions

• immigration controls

• heavy emphasis on law and order

How did Selsdon contribute to the victory in 1970?

• Appealed to voters worried about crime

• Wilson used phrase ‘Selsdon Man’ to make it seem as if Heath was taking Britain back to the stone age

• This made Heath seem more dynamic

When did Heath win the election?

1970

How long had Heath been leader of the conservatives?

5 years (longer than any since Churchill)

What about Heath’s background made him different to any Conservative party leader?

State school educated

What about Heath’s personality disadvantaged him?

He was too honest and uncharismatic

What phrase sums up Heath’s political abilities?

Good at policies but not at politics

What gave Heath know - how about issues surrounding the EEC?

He was Chief negotiator

When was he Chief Negotator?

1961 - 63

What also made Heath seem well prepared for government?

He had spent time developing detailed policies on industrial relations and economic modernisation

What happened after economic and industrial problems in 1974?

Heath lost the election

Who forced a leadership contest because of this?

Conservative backbench MPs

Who was the key challenger to Heath?

Margaret Thatcher

What was her political stance?

Right of Heath - monetarist and free market policies

When did Heath lose the leadership contest?

1975

Political and Economic Policies

What industries did Heath say he would stop subsidising at Selsdon?

Lame - duck industries

What was another economic policy set out at Selsdon?

Austerity

What political belief system did Heath still believe in?

Post - war consensus

What was one of the first reforms Heath made to Education?

Raised school leaving age to 16

When did Heath introduce decimalisation?

1971

How did decimalisation benefit the economy?

Improved efficiency of trade

Who was Heath’s Chancellor?

Anthony Barber

What were two economic policies that Barber introduced?

• Cuts in public spending

• Tax cuts to encourage investment

Why did this lead to a period called the ‘Barber Boom’?

Policies caused a rapid rise in inflatio

What increased alongside inflation to Heath’s dismay?

Unemployment

What was occurring in this period of poor economic growth?

Staglfation

What policy at selsdon was Heath forced to go back on because of this?

Public spending cuts

When was Rolls Royce nationalised?

1971

What company was also propped up by Heath to protect it from bankruptcy?

Upper Clyde Shipbuilders

When did unemployment reach a million?

1972

What was this period of gov spending called?

The U - turn

What stat showed that the U - turn was working?

1973 - Unemployment fell to 500,000

When did the oil crisis begin?

1973

What was this a result of?

Yom Kippur War in middle east

What organisation declared an oil embargo?

OPEC

How did this effect the price of oil?

It quadrupled

What organisation demanded a huge pay rise as a result of this?

National Union of Miners (NUM)

Industrial relations and the miner’s strike

What led to power cuts at the start of Heaths term?

‘go slow’ by power workers

What were two professions that went on strike at the star of Heath’s term?

Dockers and postal worker’s

What did Heath abolish?

National Board for Prices and Incomes

What policy did Heath introduce in 1971 to control unions?

Industrial Relations Act

What did this act set up?

Industrial Relations Court - settle disputes and could prevent strikes using legal injunctions

What two other things did this act introduce to limit strikes?

• Strike ballots

• 60 day ‘cooling off period’ banning official strikes to allow negotiations to take place

What were the two major organisations that opposed this called?

• Trade Union Congress (TUC)

• CBI - confederation of British Industry

What did the act cause in 1972?

Major strikes by firefighters, civil servants, hospital staff, power workers, miners

How many working days were lost due to these strikes?

23,909,000

Who led the miner’s strike in 1972?

Arthur Scargill

What did Heath announce after the miner’s effectively stopped the transport of coal?

A State of Emergency

How many workers were laid off?

1.2M

What was set up to examine miner’s demands?

The Wilberforce Committee

What did they announce to save electricity?

A 3- day week

What were the results of the negotiations between the NUM and the Wilberforce Committee?

A generous wage settlement

What act did Heath pass in 1972 to manage wage demands?

The Industry Act

What did this act do?

Aimed to involve the government, TUC and CBI in agreeing wages, prices, investments and benefits

Who criticised this act?

The right of the Conservatives

Why did miner’s increase their wage demands in 1973?

Oil crisis caused inflation - real wages fell

What did the miners do to strengthen their demands?

Overtime ban

When did Heath re - announce a 3 day week?

1974

What did the NUM do after refusing the government’s pay offer?

Called a National strike in 1974

What was rationed in the three day week?

Fuel

What were 3 other features of the three day week?

• 50mph speed limit

• Cuts to heating and lighting in public spaces

• TV closed at 10:30

What were two negative macro economic effects of this crisis?

• Increased unemployment

• BoP crisis

What did Heath call in 1974?

A general election

What was his campaign slogan that exemplified his failure?

‘Who governs Britain?’

What was the result of the election?

Hung parliament

What did Heath attempt to do to stay in power?

Form a coalition with the liberals

What did Labour form?

A minority government

Troubles in Northern Ireland and Sunningdale

What type of political group began increasing in 1970?

Paramilitary

What is one example of a republican paramilitary organisation?

IRA - Irish Republican Army (1970 - split into Official and Provisional IRA)

What is one example of a loyalist paramilitary organisation?

UDA - Ulster defence association

What conservative - backed party had governed Northern Ireland since 1912?

UUP - Ulster Unionist Party

Who did Heath back as leader of the Belfast government?

Faulkner - UUP

What discriminatory policy was introduced in 1971?

Internment

What was internment?

Legalisation of arresting and imprisoning people without trial

What percentage of those interned between 1971 - 75 were Catholics?

95%

How did internment worsen the situation for Heath?

Catholics/ nationalists saw the British Army as an enemy occupying power

What infamous event occurred in 1972?

Bloody Sunday

What organisation started the march to protest internment?

NICRA - NI Civil Rights Association

How many people did the British Army kill?

13

What showed the hatred nationalists had for the British after this event?

British Embassy in Dublin was burnt down

What are two points that show Heath failed to achieve his goals in Northern Ireland?

• Support for IRA grew

• Violence was worse than ever in 1972

How many people were killed due to the troubles in 1972?

480

How many shooting incidents were there in 1972?

10,628

What did Heath do to increase his control over the situation?

Suspended Stormont Parliament

What replaced this government?

Direct rule from Westminster