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Politics 1970-74 (Heath) x (Political and economic policy (Chancellor…
Politics 1970-74 (Heath) x
Heath as a leader
clear detailed programs and policies
went to a state school
conservative
stiff and prickly with people
too honest for his own good and was not skillful at pleasing political allies
EEC chief negotiator 1961-63
Thatcher defeated Heath in leadership election 1975
Political and economic policy
Jan before 1970 election Selsdon Park conference created the conservatives manifesto: tax reform , law and order, reform trade unions,immigration control, public spending,end to lame duck industry
Lame duck industry-unable to survive and compete without help from the state
Heath still believed in 'one nation Tory ism' and the post-war consensus
School leaving age raised to 16
Decimalization of the currency-into force in 1971- 100 pence rather than 144 old pennies in line with European currency
Chancellor Anthony Barber
cut public spending
tax cuts to encourage investment
'Barber boom'= rise in inflation not accompanied with economic growth which was unusual
Stagflation-unusual combination of inflation and stagnant economic growth
U-turn-1971 to 1972 heath retreated from the free-enterprise economic principles his government had promised from 1970
unemployment edged 1 million government had to act
Rolls Royce was nationalized in 1971
Government money put into Upper Clyde Shipbuilders to prevent bankruptcy
by 1973 the u turn had improved unemployment to only 1/2 mil
Oil
October 1973 the Yom Kippur War in the middles east led to an oil embargo declared by OPEC
OPEC-( Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) led by Saudi Arabia protected the interest of its members
Oil prices x4
Led to the National Union of Miners to demand a payrise in Nov 1973
Industrial relations and the miners strike
Problems from the beginning
dockers strike
large pay settlement for dustment and postal workers
'go slow' by power workers
Industrial Realtions Act
Similar to Barbara Castles in place of strife
Industrial Realtions Court
Cooling off period
Strike ballots
Again it did not work with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry opposed
Major strikes in 1972 with most days lost since the General Strike of 1926 at 23,909,000
Industry Act 1972
tried to manage wage demands but was heaily critisised by right wing esp Enoch Powell
Miners
Nov 1973 oil crisis lead to asking further increase in wages beyond what the gov wanted to keep down inflation
miners introduced an overtime ban
Heath promised a compromise and an avoided strike
Also re introduced the 3 day week in 1974
Moved Willie Whitelaw ( good negotiator) from NI but he failed
The miners would not accept pay offer and go refused to treat them as a special case
1974 NUM called a national strike
3 day week
imposed to conserve electrisity as a response ti industrial action
fule rationed
50 m per hour speed limit on all roads
TV shut at 10:30
General election
Labour won 5 more seats than Tories
Heath called a general election 28th Feb 1974
Hung parliament= noone had a majority
Labour formed a minority government
Troubles in Northern Ireland
Secretarian violenece- divison based on religion
British arm couldnt keep the peace asnd Belfast close to breakdown
Organisations appeared
IRA-republican
INLA Republican
UDA Loyalist
UVF loyalist
The Ulster Union
since 1912 had been part of the conservatie government
Heath had backed the current leader Faulkner who lead the Belfast governement
imposed night time cerfews
internment was introduced in 1971- locking up suspects without trial
Faulkner alienated nationalists and it didnt really improve security
Internemnt ' the best recruiting tool the IRA ever had'
British army seen as enemys by Catholic Nationalists
Bloody Sunday and 1972
British Soldiers fired live ammunition and 26 were shot with 13 dead on the day
Jan 1972 the Civil rights protesters of Northern Ireland marched against internemnt
After the British embassy in Dublin was burned down and IRA grew with funds from the US
1972 bloodiest year
1382 explosions
10,628 shootings
480 dead
Heath suspended Stormont Parliment in 1972 and brought in direct rule from Westminster appointing willi Whitelaw as secretary of state
Sunningdale Agreement
Did not just wasnt to defeat the IRA but also the permanent solution of peace
1973 Heath and Whitelaw negotiated the agreement for a power-sharing governemnt
Agreement
power-sharing executive
Northern irelnd Assesmbly elected under proportional representation
Council or Ireland with input from the Republic or Ireland
Reactions
extreamists on both sides disagreed 'sell out'
UUP was voted to pull out in Jan 1974 and Faulkner was replaced with West who opposed the agreement
Further undermined by miners strike
Feb 1974 general election each partie opposed to the agreement put up a candidate in each constituency whereas the pro-agreement ote was split
Conservatives no longer rely on UUP and prevented them from continuing government