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Wilson Wins General Election
With a slim majority of 4 seats Harold wilson new PM, tory's lost 6% of prior votes labour gained 0.3% -
Brown made secretary of state (64-66)
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Period: to
Labour in the 60s
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First US troops in Vietnam, Wilson condemned for not criticising
Wilson would not criticise harshly US involvement in Vietnam which made him unpopular, in truth though he should be commended for keeping British troops out. -
Roy Jenkins Home secretary (65-67)
to bring about "a civilised society" -
National plan launched
Gerge Browns ambitious plan to end stop go cycle begins, deflation policies stopped it working though, it was just a plan -
Race Rleations act 1965 (Dec)
Made racial discrimination illegal in public spaces, as well as the publication of racist material. Not extended to shops and private boarding houses. the weak RRB was set up early 1966 following this act. -
1966 General election
under the slogan "you know labour government works" Wilson increased his majority from an unworkable 4 to a reasonable 48 seat majority. -
Wage freeze causes dockers strikes
A 6 month wage freezes led to striking which raised industrial tensions. -
National health service (family planning) Act 1967
Provided family planning contraception etc. not just to married people. -
Sexual offences act
Decriminalised between two consenting men of 21 and above. -
DEA disbanded (or sidelined)
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Abortion Act
reduced unwanted pregnacies and ended the dangerous illegal abortion trade -
IMF loan
Month unimportant -
Devaluation of the pound (14%)
The pounds value decreased from $2.80 to $2.40 This led to chancellor James Callaghan resigning -
Roy Jenkins chancellor of the exchequer (67-70)
His policy was very much based on tax increases with the 68 budget increasing tax by double what any previous budget had done. -
Failed EEC application
for the second time De Gaulle vetoes an application by Britain to join the EEC, this is an embarassment for Wilson -
Commonwealth Immigration Act (1968)
Future right of entry to the UK was limited to citizens of commonwealth who had at least one parent or grand parent born in the UK -
Rivers of Blood Speech
provided a vision of future racial conflict, ended in Enoch powells dismisal from the shadow cabinet -
Race Relations Act 1968 (oct)
Made it illegal to refuse housing, employment or public services because of race. the RRB still lacked bite though. -
In place of Strife
Proposed restrictions on right to strike in exchange for increase in status and rights of unions. Deep divisions errupted in labour and the act never got past the white paper stage. 50+ labour MP's led by callaghan voted against it. -
Open university
Distance learning with no formal entry qualifications, provided social equality in higher education never seen before -
Divorce Reform act
removed the stigma of blame from divorce -
Abolition of death penalty
Murder act of 1965 made permanent -
Equal Pay Act
Month passed unkown and not implemented until 29th december 1975