political

alec douglas home

(1960-63)- foreign secratary under Macmillan

(1970-74)- foreign secratary under Heath

• PM for 20 days- won by election with majority of 9328

political issues (1963-64)

• rising unemployment and inflation

• degaule vetoed the UK EEC membership application

• 1963- labour party divided due to UND and clause IV

• cancellaion of skybolt program ( intended to provide britian with independant weapons delivery)

1964 election

conservative - douglas home

labour - wilson

1964 votes

conservative - 12 million

labour - 12.2 million

1964 seats

conservative- 304

Labour- 317

reasons for labour victory-1966

• wilson pushed idea of yorkshire man background

• weariness in the tory party

• douglas-home did not present modern britian

• 1963- unemployment reached 878,000

• rejection from the EEC

1966 election results

conservative- heath

labour-wilson

1966 votes

conservative- 11.4 million

labour-13 million

1966 seats

conservative- 253

labour- 364

impacts of 1966 election

• Douglas home replaced by Heath in 1965 leadership election

• conservatives did not have enough time to prepare a campaign

• labour ran with slogan “you know labour government works”

the national plan 1964

• created ministry of technology

• aimed at stimulating industrial production and exports

• 1967-few aims met

• national plan abandoned

wilson isssues- kitchen cabinet

• wilson insecure and anxious leader- cabinet contained callaghan and jenkins (rivals)

• wilson relied on advisors outside cabinet

• marcia williams- wilsons personal political secratary - wilson would confide to her rather than actual cabinet

1964 wilsons chancellor

callaghan

wilsons issues - technology

• roy jenkings (aviation minister) admitted to struggling with understanding work

• frank cousins (technology minister) showed little interest in technology

• research and development very expensive, could not compete with US

difficulties in government 1964

• decline in manufacturing and factory jobs - rise in services and financial jobs

• mixed economy started to faulter

• britian in decline- failure of uk to match boom in ecnomies overseas

• uk still spending large portion on defence in commonwealth countries

wilson and the unions

• constant risk on inflation and balance of payment deficits

• 1963- met with uinion to worn them of future

• 1966- wilson had job cuts, government spending cuts and a wage freeze- annoyed left of party, frank cousins resigned over the creation of the prices and incomes board

• 1966-67- divide between unions and labour

• union for seamen and dockers strike (3 months)

• Labour policies in the 1960s

Modernisation

Research and development very costly

Impossible to complete with USA

Minister of technology 1966

Tony ben

• Roy Jenkins

1965-67: Home Secretary

1967-70: chancellor

Supported devaluation: increased taxes And tightened up government spending to try and stabilise economy

Wanted to modernise- passed laws to socially improve uk

Frank cousins

Right side of Labour

1960-70: deputy of party

Lead department of economic affairs- underfunded

1966-70: foreign secretary

1970 election reasons for Labour loss

Labour had a fragile position

Labour lost number of by-elections in the run up to general election

Labour questionable economic policy caused controversy

1970 election

Conservatives- Heath

Labour- Wilson

1970 votes

Conservative- 13 million

Labour- 12 million

1970 seats

Conservative- 330 seats

Labour- 288 seats

why did Labour win - politics

• Labour talked of ‘13 wasted years’

• seemed more united than Conservatives

• their manifesto, ‘ A New Britain’ appealed to Labour’s core voters by promising increased workers rights and union representation

why did Labour win - economy

• Wilson talked of the need to respond to ‘ the white-heat of the technical revolution’

• unemployment reached over 800,000 despite Macmillan claiming the UK had ‘never had it so good’ - despite being the party of prosperity, they were not handling the economy well

why did Labour win - image

• Conservative mistakes (eg, night of the long knives, scandals) damaged their reputation

• Wilson emphasised party unity and led Labour to the middle ground

• Wilson’s Everyman image widened his appeal, especially when the Conservative counterpart (Lord Alec-Douglas Holme) reminded of the Institution)

why did Labour win - foreign policy

EEC rejection 1963 showed how weak britain had become internationally under the Conservatives

why did Wilson call an election in 1966

• his government was doing well as well as good economic figures and so he saw an opportunity to increase his majority

why did Labour win the 1966 election

 

• Heath no match for Wilson- Unable to connect with voters

• Wilson an experienced  campaigner 

• More in tune with popular culture and society  

• Had created dept of technology and strengthened science and education – 7 new uni’s by 1966 

• Scientists employed as government advisors 

• Liberalisation laws under Jenkins – Race Relations Act, capital punishment abolished  

• The Football team had just won the World Cup- feel good factor