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Liberalising Legislation 60s - Coggle Diagram
Liberalising Legislation 60s
Private Members' Bills
Backbench MPs brought forward a number of social bills through Private Members' Bills, as Roy Jenkins was sympathetic and allowed parliamentary time for reforms to be passed
Capital Punishment
Sympathy of abolition of the death penalty was growing
Sydney Silverman, Labour MP, worked very hard to try and win support for total abolition
In 1965, on a free vote, hanging was abolished for five years, and permanently in 1969
Jenkins refused to authorise beating of prisoners. Brought in the majority jury verdict in the Criminal Justice Act 1967
Divorce Reform
Before 1960s, law demanded proof of adultery for a divorce, and therefore only the rich could afford to divorce
Divorce Reform Act 1969 allowed for no fault divorce
By mid-1970s, nearly 10 in every 1000 marriages ended in divorce
Abortion
Until 1967, and unless under strict grounds, abortion was illegal in the UK
If they had the money, women could use a private clinic. If not, they would use backstreet abortionists.
Between 100,000 and 200,000 illegal abortions were being performed every year
Thalidomide disaster 1959-1962 changed public opinion on abortion
Liberal MP David Steel led the campaign for abortion reform in Parliament, and Roy Jenkins had an overnight sitting of the Commons in order to pass the bill
Abortion Act 1967 permitted legal termination of a pregnancy within the first 28 weeks, with the consent of two doctors and under medical supervision. Only justification was "mental suffering"
Homosexuality
Until the 1960s, men could be imprisoned for two years for homosexual acts
Wolfenden Report in 1957 recommended decriminalisation, Tory government refused
1967 Sexual Offences Act decriminalised homosexual acts when: Both partners over 21, it was consensual, and it was in private
"in private" was interpreted as being in the same building, so prosecutions for homosexual offences did not end
Development of Comprehensive Schools
Local Educational Authorities (LEAs) were in control of education. Some had already set up comprehensive schools, whereas some were still using tripartite system
In 1965, Tony Crosland became education minister and issues Circular 10/65 to all LEAs, requesting them to convert to comprehensive schools. The government made money for new building conditional on that they were for comprehensives
By 1970, only 8 LEAs had failed to convert, and 1/3 of state educated pupils were in comprehensives
Expansion of higher education
There were fears that Britain was slipping behind technologically, and Britain was lagging behind France, Germany and the US
Labour government replaces Colleges of Technology with polytechnics, nine Colleges of Advanced Technology became universities, and new universities were founded, e.g. Sussex
By 1968, there were 30 polytechnics and 56 universities, and new courses were becoming available
The Open University was what Harold Wilson wanted to be remembered for most, offering people high quality degree level learning to people who hadn't had the opportunity before. By 1970, it had 70,000 students.