opposition

• Rise in satire 


  Private eye 1961

  TWTWTW 1962
• Profumo affair 1963


  secatary of state for war had slept with Keeler - he then lied to the commons about it - it was then discovered Keeler was also sleeping with a KGB agent
• Vassal affair 1963 


  John Vassal was a spy for the UK to the USSR, but he defected and helped to modernise their navy
• Night of the long Knives 1962 


  Macmillan dismissed 1/3 of his cabinet in one day after there was a leak of his plan for a cabinet reshuffle
• Gaitskellite


  Right of the Labour party, led by Hugh Gaitskell, associated with thinkers such as Anthony Crosland, wanted the party to adopt a moderate, social democratic position
• Bevanite


  Left of the Labour party, led by Aneurin Bevan, wanted the party to adopt a more radical, socialist position
• Labour party split over the future direction of socialism

  Gaitskellites vs Bevanites
• The 1950s saw economic recovery and general public contentment with the Conservative governments of the time
• This split and the 1950s context helped keep the Labour party out of power for thirteen years
• Attlee resigned as leader and was replaced by Gaitskell


  After 1955 general election
• The trade union block vote, which generally voted with the leadership, ensured that the Bevanites were eventually defeated