Far Left

1. Draw this line and add on it where Conservatives, Labour, Liberals, Communists, Fascists would be. Add an explanation. Draw this line again and add on it where Bevan, Bevin, Attlee, Morrison, Gaitskell, Wilson, Laski, Cripps and where any other major Labour figures would be. Far Left Centre Far Right

2. To what extent did the Conservatives continue Labour’s policies? LO – to learn the key events of 1951-57 and assess whether the Conservatives continued Labour’s policies What does this source suggest about the Conservatives following Labour’s policies?

3. To what extent did the Conservatives continue Labour’s policies? 1951 Oct – Conservatives win and Churchill becomes PM 1952 Feb – Butler’s first budget, Bank rate goes up (bottom p.61, it made it more expensive for other banks to borrow money from the bank and travel allowances were cut to £50, this stopped money going out of Britain as quickly which was a problem as the dollar gap was growing) 1952 Oct – British atom bomb, tea rationing ends 1953 – sweet rationing ends, iron and steel denationalised 1953 April – Butler’s 2nd budget, tax cuts 1953 July – Korean war ends 1953 Dec – Macmillan announces 301,000 houses built 1954 – atomic energy authority is nationalised 1954 July – all rationing ends 1955 April – Churchill resigns, Eden in power, Butler’s 3rd budget, tax cuts 1955 May – conservatives increase majority in general election 1955 Nov – cabinet decides not to join the ECC 1955 Dec – Butler demoted, cabinet reshuffle 1956 – Macmillan’s first budget – premium bonds Nov 1956 – Suez crisis, Britain and France attack Egypt, anti-war demos and no US support 1957 Jan – Eden resigns, Macmillan replaces him LO – to learn the key events of 1951-57 and assess whether the Conservatives continued Labour’s policies Categorise these events into political, domestic and foreign policy. Then either.... • Explain which one is most significant for your categories • Explain the impact of one event from each category for the Conservatives • Explain the impact of one event from each category for British people • Research one event from each category in your book and add detail to it

4. To what extent did the Conservatives continue Labour’s policies? LO – to learn the key events of 1951-57 and assess whether the Conservatives continued Labour’s policies Fill in the gaps on your tables.

5. To what extent did the Conservatives continue Labour’s policies? • Do you believe that Butskellism is deserved as a label for the Conservative’s economic policy? • Is Butskellism a deserved label for the Conservative’s domestic policies in general? Butler was a major figure in the Conservative government (Chancellor of the Exchequer 195105, Home Secretary 1057-62, Foreign Secretary 1962-4). He was always a more progressive figure and had a concern for social issues. Butler set the policy for economics which was followed in the period. He maintained Keynesianism by keeping up demand at any cost. He also continued Labour’s policies on full employment, expanding the welfare state, heavy military defence and developing nuclear weapons. He believed that Labour’s economic efforts with economic loans, austerity and devaluing the pound had been successful as exports had risen. Butler faced the same problem as Labour, that the economy was very stretched. Butler’s ideas were so close to Labour’s policies it became known as Butskellism (a blend of Butler on the Conservative left and Gaitskell on the Labour right, invented by the economist in 1954), it suggested that the left and right wing of the two parties had joined together to form a consensus. However there were some differences, Gaitskell liked high direct taxation and greater government direction whilst Butler believed this was detrimental. Instead he increased interest rates (see first budget).

6. To what extent did the Conservatives continue Labour’s policies? Plan an answer to this question in your books.