Conservative governments

Reasons for political dominance

Why did the Conservatives win the 1951 election?

• Conservative strengths

  • offered to build 300,000 new homes a year as housing scarce after WW2

  • Churchill was seen as hero after WW2

  • had many charismatic young MPs like Reginald Maudlin

  • seen as the party of stability

  • supportive of welfare changes by Labour, published in The Industrial Charter in 1947

• Labour weaknesses

  • rationing increased under Labour with the meat ration being cut to its lowest level

  • Labour was spending 10% of GDP on defence, a big amount for an economically weak nation

  • middle class voters tired of shortages

  • Labour split over charges to dentistry and spectacles on the NHS, which damaged their image

• other factors (election)

  • Liberal vote collapsed, with the Conservatives benefitting from this

    • Liberal vote fell from 2.6 mil in 1945 to 730,000 in 1951

  • Representation of the People Act 1948 led to boundary changes

    • many Labour seats became marginal

  • Liberals could only put forward 109 candidates in 1951

    • in seats where Liberals couldn’t stand, Liberal voters voted for Conservative 3:2

Why were the Conservatives politically dominant form 1951-1964?

• Labour divisions

  • split between Fundamentalists (Bevan) v Revisionists (Gaitskell)

  • nuclear policy

    • F wanted unilateral nuclear disarmament, whereas R was opposed to unilateralism

    • in 1960, the left of the party forced party to take a unilateral policy, but it was abandoned within a year

  • future of socialism

    • F wanted commitment to clause IV and wanted trade unions to help shape future policy

    • R wanted Labour to decide policy and maintain a capitalist system

  • BUT:

    • Labour still won 14 mil votes in the 1951 election

    • 1955 election, Labour won 46% of vote, so still popular

• popular policies

  • Housing Act 1952 increased subsidies to local authorities

    • promised and succeeded in building 300,000 new homes a year

  • in 1954, rationing ended

  • Clean Air Act 1956 aimed to solve problems of air pollution

    • act eliminated building of power stations near urban areas and more

  • Homicide Act 1959 restricted crimes punishable by death to only 2

  • BUT:

    • Obscene Publications Act 1959 attempted to censor ‘corrupting’ material e.g. ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’

    • Beeching Report 1963 led to cuts in gov. spending, like closing 55% of train stations causing public anger and isolation

• leadership

  • Churchill seen as a war hero

  • Eden popular with the public and increased majority to 60 seats

  • Macmillan restored party unity and increased majority to 100 seats

  • Macmillan used media such as TV to increase popularity

  • BUT:

    • by 1951, Churchill was old and was too focused on foreign affairs

    • Eden’s reputation destroyed by the Suez Crisis in 1956 and resigned in 1957

    • by the 1960s, Macmillan seemed out of touch due to his aristocratic image

Assess the view that Britain was successful under Eden.

• economically

  • by 1955, unemployment was only 200,000

  • wages rose by 6.5% from 1948-58

  • in 1956, days lost by strike action was only 2 million, in USA it was 5x that

  • BUT:

    • The suez crisis in 1956 highlighted UK’s weak economy as it had to beg USA for a loan after a run on the pound

    • did little to prevent strikes, as a result days lost by striking rose to 8.5 mil in 1957

• politically

  • Clean Air Act 1956 aimed to solve problems of air pollution

    • act eliminated building of power stations near urban areas and more

    • prevented any future smogs like that of the Great Smog of 1952

  • Homicide Act 1959 restricted crimes punishable by death to only 2

    • after controversial executions like Derek Bentley

  • Eden increased majority to 60 seats

  • focused on foreign policy

    • created a close relationship with US President Dwight Eisenhower

    • welcomed USSR leader Khrushchev to Britain

  • BUT:

    • Suez Crisis caused a rebellion of nearly 40 Conservative MPs

    • Suez Crisis damaged Eden’s reputation as a leader

• socially

  • Housing Act 1952 increased subsidies to local authorities

    • promised and succeeded in building 300,000 new homes a year

  • Rent Act 1957 made more properties available to rent

  • BUT:

    • Suez Crisis caused divisions in the country as mass anti-war protests took place in reaction to Britain’s invasion of Egypt

    • Rent Act made it easier for landlords to exploit their tenants

Assess the reasons why the Conservatives fell from power

• social policy

  • Vassal Affair, 1963

    • blackmailed by Soviets for homosexuality

    • early 60s, rumours of affair with junior gov. minister led to resignation

    • report showed allegations were false

  • Argyll Affair, 1963

    • Duchess accused of infidelity by husband

    • photos of her naked, surrounded by men, inc. cabinet ministers

  • Suez crisis 1956

    • led to violent protests in London

• foreign policy

  • Philby Case, 1963

    • former Head of Soviet Intelligence of MI5, Macmillan had cleared him but had defected to USSR

  • Suez Crisis 1956,

    • Britain, Israel and France made a plan to create false war so they get get back the canal

    • led to condemnation from US, USSR and UN< made Nassar a sympathetic figure

    • showed how Britain was not a superpower

• economic

  • Suez Crisis

    • without US support, plan failed as US treasury stopped sending all money to UK until they withdrew

  • Britain and EEC

    • seen as essential UK should join after economic problems

    • rejected as Charles de Gualle had influence

    • UK had strong links with commonwealth so thought of as not ‘true European’

How far was the Suez crisis the reason for decline in foreign reputation?

• economic

  • US began selling sterling

    • caused run on the pound

  • value of pound plummeted with gov. spending billions to maintain value

  • Macmillan sent to Washington to beg for a loan, withheld until left Suez

• relations

  • USSR threatened Britain with nuclear strike if they didn’t leave

  • destabilised region

    • Soviet power grew in area

    • decolonisation sped up

    • tension between Israel and neighbours increased

  • BUT:

    • argued relations decreased with USSR due to Philby Case

    • Cambridge spy ring created tension with USA

• decolonisation

  • sped up process of decolonisation

  • Winds of Change speech - 1960

  • Nigeria, 1960

    • imposed federal constitution with a coalition

  • BUT:

  • could be due to wanting entry into the EEC

How far were Labour’s years in power a disaster?

• social

  • trade unions were powerful

    • by 1969 50% were art of a union with no regulation

    • had to deal with militant union leaders like Frank Cousins

    • Wildcat strikes such as Pilkington Glass Strikes of 1970 led to thousands losing jobs

  • housing promise watered to 300,000, mainly cheap and high rise

    • Ronan Point collapsed in 1968 after 2 weeks opened

  • BUT:

    • no national strikes protesting pit closures after 1962

    • technology improved with promotion of colour TV, supersonic passenger plane Concorde in 1969

• political

  • NI

    • Troubles escalate in 1969

    • Aug. 1969, Battle of Bogside with fighting between police and nationalists

    • 1969, UPV bombed water and electricity installations

    • provisional iRA split from IRA

  • parties opinion polls were 12%

  • BUT:

    • Sept-Dec 1969, there was quell of violence due to the British Army in the region

    • 1969, agreed Free Derry would have barricades taken away any policed by ‘peace corps’

• economic

  • devaluation of pound in 1967 made Britain look weak

    • triggered inflation which led to unions calling for higher wages

  • wildcat strikes damaging economy

  • crisis caused gov. to introduce counter reforms and cuts

    • school milk for secondary students abolished

    • proscription charges reintroduced

How far did Labour ntroduce liberal reforms?

• Abortion Act 1967

  • 100,000 backstreet abortions carried out as unmarried women had little chioce

  • Thalidomide scandal

    • sleeping pill led to over 2000 babies being born with deformations

  • doctors believed it necessary for physical and psych. reasons

  • BUT:

    • pioneer was a backbencher, not Labour gov.

    • number of women getting abortions increased to around 130,000 a year, blamed for permissiveness

• Divorce Act 1969

  • prior, law favoured the husband, as burden of proof on woman and stigmatised women more than men

  • Jenkins believed it caused ‘ a great deal of unnecessary suffering’

  • ‘no fault’ nature took away stigma as divorce could be ended after 2 years of seperation

  • BUT:

    • private member’s bill by backbencher Leo Abse

    • bill failed first time

    • surge in divorces, from 38,000 in 1965 to around 120,000 in 1975

• Sexual Offences Act 1967

  • attitudes to homosexuality slowly changing (Wolfenden Report)

  • Homosexual Reform Society became important lobby group

  • Act passed after debate

  • BUT:

    • people considered it an illness, sympathetic not accepting

    • age of consent 21 to ‘protect teenagers’, so stereotypes and misconceptions

    • didn’t pass in NI and Scotland and opposition too strong

How far did society improve?

• popular culture

  • Hair; The musical displayed drugs and sexuality, reflecting time

  • the pill was introduced to non-married women in 1967, which played role in sexual liberation

  • pirate radio (e.g. Radio Caroline in 1964) played popular music and addressed BBC’s failed demand

  • BUT:

    • Hair criticised by conservative figures for permissiveness

    • the pill led to women marrying later, backlash from conservative figures

    • pirate radio limited in influence

• education

  • made ‘comprehensive’ system where all children could be under one roof

    • promoted through 10/65 directive with funding

  • fairer system

  • open university set up in 1970

    • offered high quality degrees for those not available to attend campus uni

    • within decade, 70,000 enlisted

  • BUT:

    • comprensive system led to poor kids not being able to go to grammar schools

    • many parents of middle class sent kids to independent schools rather than risk system

    • hindered social mobility

• race relations

  • Race Relations Act 1968

    • banned discrimination in housing, employment and other services

    • Notting Hill Carnival started in 1964

    • integration of culture with ska, and West Indian music becoming popular

  • BUT:

    • Rivers of Blood speech in 1968 led to burst of violence

    • 1000s protested Powell’s resignation

    • idea of racism made respected

    • loopholes in RRA where employers could still discriminate

To what extent did foreign policy improve?

• relations with USA

  • Wilson was supporter of USA and wanted to maintain the Atlantic Allaince

  • BUT:

    • decision to keep troops out of Vietnam irritated Johnson as they wanted backing

    • attempts to resolve by Wilson annoyed US, like trying to get the USSR and US to meet (US refused)

    • failed attempts such as ‘phase A/phase B’ when US would stop bombing North Vietman and North would withdraw from South

• relations with Europe

  • Wilson slowly convinced of economic argument and applied to EEC

  • WIlson met de Gaulle in 1967 to gain supports for entry

  • BUT:

    • Wilson himself preferred the Commwealth and relations with USA

    • many on the left saw the EEC as a capitalist club

    • membership rejected as Wilson would not detatch from ‘special relationship’ with USA

• decolonisation

  • sped up after 1967 devaluation crisis

    • troops pulled out of countries such as Malaysia by 1971

  • BUT:

    • Southern Rhodesia decolonisation failed

    • Ian Smith became PM and challenged Labour gov.

    • Ian Smith refused to back down even after talks with Wilson in 1967

    • oil sanctions failed

    • apartheid in Rhodesia

How successful was Thatcherite economics?

• monetarism

  • public spending cut to local authorities and public services

    • try to strengthen economy by spending less

  • cut top rate of tax by 40%

  • 1987, Britain had lowest tax rates in Europe

    • attracted foreign investors from e.g. South Korea

  • low inflation rates (5%) and high growth suggests boom as a result

  • BUT:

    • public spending actually increased due to higher level of unemployment (social security)

    • fuelled inequality as poorest suffered, with unemployment doubling to 2.8 mil in 2 years by 1981

• deregulation

  • ‘Big Bang’ in 1986 deregulated the London Stock Exchange

    • able to work for big firms and non-British could take part

    • greater investment

  • led to ‘Yuppies’ who took part in stock market

    • increased youth wealth

  • Britains GDP increased by av. of 4% a year in 1980s

  • BUT:

    • deregulation led to repeal of Fair Wages Resolution Act in 1986, so employers so longer had to pay a fair wage

    • Financial Services Act 1986 protected investors, whilst workers did not have fair wage

• privatisation

  • mass privatisation like British Gas in 1981 raising 5.4 bil

  • amount of share owners increased form 3mil to 9mil

  • Jaguar cars made £121 mil in first year after it was privatised

  • BUT:

    • short term solution

    • people sold shares for quick profit

    • companies laid off up to 50% of workforce

    • unemployment reached 3 mil by 1987

impact of Thatcherism on society

• housing

  • people able to buy own council homes under Housing Act 1980

  • by 1987, over 1 mil council houses had been sold, and acceleration of applications

  • Right to Buy was very popular, hard for labour to criticise

  • BUT:

    • led to collapse in building new social housing

    • drop in social housing helped increase number of homeless or living in overcrowded flats

• miners strikes

  • in 1984, national coal board announced plan to close 20 pits

  • Scargill did not gain total support as refused to hold strike ballot

  • Thatcher able to get revenge and claimed victory for silent majority and middle England

  • BUT:

    • workforce decreased from 200,000 in 1980 to 60,000 by 1990

    • power of trade unions permanently reduced

    • numbers affiliated with TUC fell from 112 in 1979 to 78 by 1990 (unions)

• poll tax

  • aim to make councils accountable to their electorate

  • believed if everyone contributed it was fairer

  • BUT:

    • anti poll tax unions set up urging people not to pay

    • 30% didn’t pay

    • nearly 200,000 protested it in Trafalgar Square in 1990

Extra-parliamentary opposition?

• arts

  • New satire boom

    • popular shows like Spitting Image were critical of gov.

  • emergence of Channel 4 in 1982 gave new opportunities

    • alt. comedians like Ben Elton grew popular on shows like The Comic Strip

  • TV shows like auf wiedersehen pet showed what working class life was like in the North

  • 1984, LGSM organised ‘pits and perverts’ concert in support of miner, with Bronski Beat playing

• the church

  • became more critical as thought gov. was abandoning poor communities

  • 1985, church reported published ‘Faith in the City’

    • raised concerns over social depravation due to mas unemployment

    • cardboard cities like Manchester, london

  • BUT:

    • report dismissed as quasi-Marxist

    • but report picked up on mainstream news and opened up discussions

• gay rights

  • Stonewall formed in 1989 as a response to s.28 and had support of celebs like Ian Mckellan

  • before stonewall

    • campaigners grew in wake of AIDS crisis in early 1980s

    • Gay Pride marches in Lodon had been annual since 1972

    • Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners formed in 1982

  • pride became major annual event

  • BUT:

    • critics criticised fund raising activities of LGSM

How unsuccessful was Major?

• political sleaze

  • David Mellor of National Heritage Secretary accused of affair

    • found to have accepted gifts from people with close likes to Pelestinian Liberation Army which led to resignation

  • Back to Basics - Oct. 1993

    • after high profile murders like Stephen Lawrence, Major wanted new direction

    • revelations of MP’s private lives filled news, used as soundbite

    • more than a dozen sex scandals like Tim Yeo

• economic

  • Black Wednesday, 1992

    • Britain had to leave the ERM after british currency came under pressure

    • inflation went up to 15% to one day

  • 1991-1993 recession

    • house price boom up to 30% in 1990

    • inflation 10% by 1990

    • by end of 1992, 900,000 home owners were in negative equity

  • BUT:

    • inflation fell to 2% by 1997

    • economic grwoth was 4% by 1997, strongest in Europe

    • value of sterling recovered to pre- Black Wednseday value

• divisions

  • divided over Europe with Euroskeptics

  • in 1995, Major quit and put up leadership challenge ‘put up or shut up’

  • Redwood put himself up for leadership

  • Major won but 89 voted for Redwood and right - wing hostile

Why did Tories lose the elections?

personality

• 66% of voters thought hague was a ‘bit of a wally’

• Hague seen as ‘weird and geeky’

• Howard seen as unable to give straight questions

• Smith lacked charisma

• BUT:

• Cameron popular

policy

• Hague’s campaign to ‘save the pound’ seen as unreasonable as doesn’t want to join the Euro

• Duncan Smith criticised as supporting the war on terror

• 2005, Howard fought election on far-right, accused of abondoning policies

party

• Hague arguments between mods and rockers, factions

• conservative policies from Smith for wanting to keep s.28