Political developments 1951-64 notes and essay plans DETAILED
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Course
Depth Study (1G)
Institution
AQA
AQA A level history Challenge and transformation: Britain, c1851–1964
Everything from specification detailed with analysis:
Political developments: Conservative dominance from 1951 and political consensus; division within the Labour Party; Conservatism and the Establishment; Labour victory in ...
Conservative dominance from 1951- why, what did they achieve
political consensus- what and why
division within the Labour Party;
Conservatism and the Establishment;
Labour victory in 1964, why did cons fall
‘To what extent was there a political consensus between the two main political parties in the
years 1945 to 1964?’ IN ESSAY PLAANNING BOOKLET
‘The dominance of the Conservatives, in the years 1951 to 1964, was due to divisions within
the Labour Party.’ Assess the validity of this view.
‘The Conservative defeat in 1964 was an indication of the people’s rejection of the
dominance of the Establishment in the post-war era.’ Assess the validity of this view.
‘In the years 1945 to 1964, the Conservatives had strong, effective leaders; whereas
labour’s leaders were weak and ineffective’ assess the validity of this view
1950 election called by Atlee
Labour won 315 seats but the Conservatives gained ground with 298 seats, a lead of just 17
seats, a narrow majority.
Lost seats due to Redistribution of Seats Act 1949 which re-defined constituency boundaries,
affecting previously Labour ‘safe-seats’ and bc lost support from mc
In 1950, UK got involved in war in Korea as part of UN force to ‘contain’ communism
Needed to re-arm, leads to another ‘austerity’ budget as economy begins to suffer
Leads to fees introduced for some NHS services – dentistry and prescriptions
This in turn leads to splits in Labour – Aneurin Bevan resigns in protest, Attlee unable to keep
the party together
1951
Labour- 40% of votes- rack up votes in safe seats “wasted votes”
Tory vision= 13 yrs of tory power, reduced power of the state associated w +ve connotations
as public tired of rationing
Consumer boom
Many w/c stay loyal to labour bc tangible benefits of welfare state but m/c swing away as
now associate socialism w reduced living standards, disliked rationing, high taxation, less
clear how they benefitted 45-51
Why did the Conservative Party win the 1951 General Election? And dominate?
Labour weaknesses Economic context-economic boom – end of austerity, consumerism
and rising living standards
Limited success of some of Labour's reforms – NHS
faced opposition and was much more expensive than Domestic – Britain owed £4bn in loans to USA end of WW2.
initially expected - costs doubled between 1948-51 and Rationing of meats, eggs, sugar etc. continued and even expanded
led to Chancellor Gaitskell introducing prescription after the war - bread rationed from 1946-48. 1946-47 fuel crisis –
payments in ’51 budget– Bevan resigned. depleted coals stock and pressure on national grid – electric
, Strength of Labour team- exceptionally talented but supplies limited by Shinwell to 19hrs a day.
now old and stress/health problem’s take its toll-
M/C fed up of austerity and lack of luxuries and spending – black
Ernest Bevin died 1951 + Stafford Cripps
market emerged.
Divisions within Labour – between left and right about
-consumer boom key factor in con victory
spending priorities, Gaitskellans and Bevanites. Attlee
-existence of a ’feel- good factor- some affluent workers desert
couldn’t unite them. Morrison and majority wanted
labour
consolidation, Bevan and more left wingers wanted
further bold reforms and more nationalisation. Aging
cabinet and some resignations eg bevan damaged
Foreign- 1947 Convertibility crisis - Labour had to secure economic
Labour+ took Wilson w him- not many young left
support from USA in the form of Marshall Aid from 1948-50 to help
-couldn’t persuade m/c “floating votes” to defect stabilise the economy. It did help but also meant continued
austerity. Got involved in a costly Korean War and continued with
-run out of ideas by 1951, alr enacted major social
financial commitments abroad as part of NATO.
reforms- little to offer,not a vote winning machine
Economy:
-Aneurin Bevan and Hugh Gaitskell over prescription
charges in NHS – many Labour MPs supported Bevan • Conservatives came to power just as the economy was
along with trade unionists, he became political enemy recovering.
of Gaitskell who had pushed through charges as CofE.
• Men's weekly wages were rising, there was a massive
-Suez crisis was perfect opportunity to exploit, but increase in private savings and a boom in car ownership.
Gaitskell could not reign in issues in Labour and
• Harold Macmillan managed to build over his target of
Conservatives were quick to manoeuvre
300,000 houses per year as promised by the Conservative
-Couldn’t convince public with the ‘deepness’ of the government.
split
• Farmers did well financially.
-The extent of 1959 election defeat was a genuine
• Food rationing had ended.
shock and splits widened – over Britain’s nuclear
weapons programme and growing opposition to party Conservatives declared more tax cuts before the elections
leadership from trade unions.
-Links between powerful CND pressure group and left
wing of Labour turned people away
-Party conferences became political battlefields- too
busy talking to itself than the public who dc abt
dropping clause 4 when theres a consumer boom
Clement Attlee: led Labour since 1935 - could
no longer control divisions within the party,
Nye Bevan: left school at 13 but won a
scholarship; architect of NHS under Attlee’s
government; charismatic public speaker and
hero of Labour left; many Conservatives,
sections of national press and many in his own
party hated him. Didn’t go far enough idea
Hugh Gaitskell, after introducing prescription
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