1964-70

• Harold Wilson - Labour PM from 1964-70
• 1964 General Election:

  • October 1964 - conservatives loss by a narrow margin -> Labour secured 44.1% + Conservatives secured 43.4%
• Economy:

  • increased social mobility led to social + cultural changes in this period
  • Labour gov wanted to focus on the need of the public + less on wealth/affluence -> more focus on public sector + social inclusivity
  • Wilson wanted to move away from Keynesian economics + wanted a long-term solution for Britain.
• Keynesian economics - centred around government intervention to control total amount of demand for all goods + services produced in the economy.
• Rise of teenagers:

  • youth subcultures emerged -> groups with distinct styles, behaviours + interests.
  • teens had the time + money to experiment with identity + reject traditional categories created by the older generations such as the Establishment -> groups who have been historically elite in society + who have occupied positions of power.
  • Example of subculture -> Mods + Rockers

  Mods - dress in smart attire + ride scooters

  Rockers - dress in leather + ride motorbikes

  -> they expressed their anger at the Establishment through anti-social behaviour + were known for their hooliganism.
• 1960s culture:

  • mass media played a role in shaping the Swinging Sixties + companies were eager to profit from the youth’s new obsession with identity -> ADs on magazines, TV + radios promoted pop music + culture e.g Beatles and new stylish clothing
• Censorship + the Theatres Act 1968

  • Ended censorship of plays + removed the system of having every play go through Lord Chamberlain for approval before brought to the stage.
• Women’s Liberation Movement - advocated for Women’s rights e.g 1961, contraceptive pill availability + 1967, abortion legalisation.
• Anti-Vietnam war riots:

  • 17 March 1968 -> 10,000 people took to the streets of London to protest against Vietnam War + Britain’s support for the US.
  • Violence broke out outside of US Embassy Grosvenor Square - 200 protestors arrested.
• ‘Rivers of Blood‘ Speech 1968

  • Tory MP Enoch Powell’s speech in Birmingham Political Centre was a racist speech which proposed legislation encouraging immigrants to go back to their country of origin + took place days before Race Relations Bill 1968.
• 1962 Commonwealth Immigration Act - aimed to restrict commonwealth citizens from migrating to Britain.
• 1968 Commonwealth Immigration Act - restricted access to only those with a father or grandfather born in the UK.
• Example: National Front (anti-immigration hate group) wanted to ban all non-white immigration into the country.
• Labour’s social reform legislation ~

  Home Secretary Roy Jenkins either introduced or supported the following reforms:

  • 1967 Abortion Act
  • Murder Act 1965 + End of Capital Punishment 1969
  • Sexual Offences Act 1967
  • Race relations Act 1965 + 1968
  • Divorce Reform Act 1969
• 1967 Abortion Act:

  • was originally introduced by David Steel as a private member’s bill

  Bill gave women the freedom to choose to have an abortion for up to week 24 of pregnancy under the conditions that:

  • it must be performed by a registered doctor
  • it must be authorised by 2 doctors
  • pregnancy must be of serious risk to the physical/mental health of the mother
  • the child would be born with disabilities
• End of Capital Punishment 1969

  • capital punishment was officially abolished in the UK
• Sexual Offences Act 1967

  Act legalised homosexual relations between men in England + Wales as long as:

  • homosexual act taken place in private
  • both parties consent
  • age of 21 or above
• Race Relations Act 1965 + 1968

  1965 -> made it a civil offence to discriminate based on race or ethnicity in public areas

  1968 -> strengthened initial act by prohibiting racial discrimination in employment + housing
• Divorce Reform Act 1969

  Divorce process could take place if:

  • only one partner wanted a divorce, they had to prove they had been living apart from each other for at least 5 years
  • or, if both parties wanted a divorce, the period of separation had to be at least 2 years
• Devaluation 1967

  • Wilson was concerned about inflation + Britain’s balance of payments deficit would cause serious economic problems.
  • Wilson reduced the value of the pound in 1967 as a result.
• ‘In Place of Strife’ 1969

  • Wilson published government paper ‘In Place of Strife’ -> restricted union strikes.
• Resale Price Act 1964 - stopped manufacturers from imposing resale prices on items + this helped cut prices and drive economic growth.
• Alec Douglas-Home contributions:

  • resale price act 1964
• Harold Wilson contributions:

  • abortion act 1967
  • murder act 1965
  • end of capital punishment 1969
  • sexual offences act 1967
  • race relations act 1965+68
  • divorce reform act 1969