2. The Labour election victory of 1945: reasons for it and key features of domestic policy of the Labour governments of 1945-51; extent to which this was ‘an age of austerity’. The Conservative governments of 1951-64: extent of continuity with Labour objectives; key features of domestic policy (economic management, housing, unemployment); rising living standards. Labour and Conservative governments, 1964-79: reasons for growing domestic problems (inflation, wages policy, relations with trade unions). The Conservative election victory of 1979: reasons for it and key features of the domestic policy of Thatcher governments; domestic achievements; reasons why the Thatcher era was controversial; reasons for her fall in 1990.

3. 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 1945-50 Labour GovernmentPM: Clement Attlee1950-51 Labour GovernmentPM: Clement Attlee1951-55 Conservative GovernmentPM: Winston Churchill1955-57 Conservative GovernmentPM: Anthony Eden1957-59 Conservative GovernmentPM: Harold Macmillan1959-63 Conservative GovernmentPM: Harold Macmillan1963-64 Conservative GovernmentPM: Alec Douglas-Home1964-66 Labour GovernmentPM: Harold Wilson1966-70 Labour GovernmentPM: Harold Wilson1970-74 Conservative GovernmentPM: Edward Heath1974 Labour GovernmentPM: Harold Wilson1974-76 Labour GovernmentPM: Harold Wilson1976-79 Labour GovernmentPM: Jim Callaghan1979-83 Conservative GovernmentPM: Margaret Thatcher1983-87 Conservative GovernmentPM: Margaret Thatcher1987-90 Conservative GovernmentPM: Margaret Thatcher Attlee Churchill Macmillan Wilson Heath Wilson Thatcher How successful? How socialist? To what extent was Conservative rule “13 wasted years”? Consensus with Labour? Why did these governments experience so many problems? Why did Thatcher win? Why was this period controversial? Why did she resign?

4. Effects of WW2 on Britain? Effects of “total war”Economic effects Social effects Political effects

5. WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF 6 YEARS OF “TOTAL WAR”? Mass evacuation of children Air raid shelters; sand bags; gas masks; blackouts. Cinemas/theatres closed and football matches banned. Emergency Powers Act 1940. Rationing 1941 due to chronic shortages of food, fuel and clothing: 8 ounces of meat1 ounce of cheese4 ounces bacon/ham 8 ounces of sugar2 ounces of tea2 ounces of butter & jam Points system – 16 points available over 4 weeks for tinned food; rice; peas and tomatoes; condensed milk; biscuits, etc.

6. Conscription for men and women if required. Home Guard volunteers for men aged 40-65. Bombing from Sept. 1940 – London Blitz for 76 consecutive nights. Coventry, Liverpool, Manchester, Plymouth, Hull, Glasgow, Belfast all suffered. Hundreds of thousands homeless. 500,000 buildings destroyed and millions more needing repair. How did “total war” affect the British civilian population?

7. LONG TERM SOCIAL EFFECTS? A “social revolution”? prompted heart-searching re: social problems. The middle-classes saw deprivation of the working classes through experiences such as evacuation and public air-raid shelters. It was widely believed that the lower classes/poorer sections of society had “earned” their right to a better life through their contribution to the war (e.g. better education, health, welfare and standard of living). This new way of thinking led to two important developments during the war:

8. The BEVERIDGE REPORT (1942) Sir William Beveridge – Liberal who led a government appointed committee on social insurance. identified 5 great evils that needed dealing with – WANT / DISEASE / IGNORANCE / SQUALOR / IDLENESS suggestion to deal with these problems through insurance schemes, child allowances, a National Health Service and a policy of full employment. Only Family Allowances introduced before end of war. The BUTLER EDUCATION ACT (1944) Butler was the Conservative President of the Board of Education. Secondary education was made available free to all. School age raised to 15 years from 1947. Also established 3 types of secondary school: grammar, technical and secondary modern.

9. THE MAIN POLITICAL EFFECTS OF THE WAR? Labour Government elected in July 1945 – complete shock to many who expected the Conservatives led by Churchill to win. The war gave valuable experience to many Labour ministers. THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE WAR? 1939 – GB gold reserves = £864 million 1941 – GB gold reserves = £3 million US Lend-Lease Act 1941 loaned GB money and supplies to be paid back after the war. By 1945 Britain became largest debtor nation c. £3.5 billion