1945-51: The 1945 Election and the Rise of Consensus Politics

1945 Election and Consensus Politics

• Post-WWII, desire for harmony and cooperation to avoid past conflicts.
• 1945 election saw a 10.7% swing to Labour, a significant victory.

Reform vs Reality Post-1947

• Labour government faced challenges after 1947, losing unity and confidence.

Nationalisation

• Definition: Transfer of privately-owned assets to public ownership.
• Key policy of Labour governments, linked to Clause 4 of the Labour Party Constitution.
• Privatisation, reversing nationalisation, associated with Thatcher and Major governments.

Labour's Nationalisation Programme

• Aimed to nationalise industries in stages to increase employment.

Industrial Relations 1945-51

• Closer ties between Labour and trade unions after the war.
• Repeal of the Trade Disputes and Trade Union Act of 1927, reintroducing 'contracting out'.
• Wage restraint was proposed, but difficult to enforce.
• TUC initially supported wage stabilization, but faced increasing unofficial strikes.
• Order 1305, which suspended the right to strike, was withdrawn after failure to prosecute striking dockworkers.