Why did the conservatives win the 1951 election?
Labour weaknesses
▪ After war they were associated with austerity, rationing and high taxation
▪ Had taken Britain into Korean war in 1950, when still recovering from ww2
• Added to financial strain
• Allowed Churchill and conservatives to play up war hero status
▪ Party divisions over charges for dentists and glasses which undermined value of
labour part and NHS
▪ This culminated in labour only wining by a majority of five mp’s in 1950 under Atlee
• Mp’s concerned over economic and foreign policy, which widened part
divisions
▪ Nationalisation of iron and steel, ended up stupid things like sugar and cement made
conservative able to criticise
▪ Wasn’t effective as stayed the same just brought out the owner and still paid them
to run it
▪ Not supported by performance in elections
▪ Highest polls
Conservative Strengths
▪ Reorganisation of party finances under lord Woolton
• Young dynamic members like Maulding
▪ Embraced socialist ideals, remodelled party
• Promised to build 30,000 new houses
• Could exploit how labour failed to raise living standards
• Bread and eggs were still rationed even though not in war
Electoral system
▪ First past the post system means meaning based on seats in constituency’s not
proportional representation
▪ In 1951 polled over 20,000 more than conservatives but won 26 seats less
• Labour focused on getting votes in safe seats and conservatives focused on
marginal seats in 1945
▪ Representation of the peoples act in 1948 redistributed constituencies meaning
labour had to win 2% more of popular vote to gain same seats
▪ Decline in liberal part meant ex-liberals voted conservative
• Lib votes fell from 2.6 mil to 730,556
, Why did conservatives dominate British politics for so long?
Wages
▪ Rose faster than prices, so people could buy more with less
▪ In 1951- average living wage was £8.50
▪ By 1964 £18.50
Economic policies
▪ Income tax cut before each election in 1955- 2.5p and 1959-3.75p
▪ Reflected in more consumerism 500% rise in car ownership
▪ Availability of credit started consumer boom, coupled with tax cuts
▪ Economically risky as many in potential debt that cant repay
▪ ‘stop-go’ approach, responding to economic developments
▪ Eg is spending and wages rose than higher tax and opposite
▪ Doesn’t create consistent economic growth, stability or coherency
▪ STAGFLATION- industrial output increases, inflation remains
▪ Did not invest into industrial research, or important industries like textiles and ship
building
▪ Natural recovery after Korean war makes them look good
Living standards
▪ Reached 340,000 houses in 1954
▪ 1.7 million homes built while in office
▪ Number of people who owned property rose to 44% compared to 25% in 1945
▪ Rent act made prices go up, some struggled to pay
Other social policies
▪ Butler who was chancellor had particularly left, views
▪ Increased spending on welfare state
▪ GDP spent on it rose from 16.1 in 1951 to 19.3% in 1964
▪ Reforms to education system away from three tiered into comprehensive (no more
grammar and secondary-modern)
▪ 11 more universities
▪ 6000 new schools
▪ Unemployment never really fell instead steadily rose, figure never went below
250,000
Attitudes to welfare state
▪ Had to conform however kept key values like opposing nationalism
▪ Increased pensions- helps as conservatives tend to have older demographic
▪ Tested when confronted with payment deficit
▪ Rab butler instead of scrapping did limited reforms
• Eg. Dental and prescriptions
• Reduction of school building program
• No real harsh cuts though
Labour weaknesses
▪ After war they were associated with austerity, rationing and high taxation
▪ Had taken Britain into Korean war in 1950, when still recovering from ww2
• Added to financial strain
• Allowed Churchill and conservatives to play up war hero status
▪ Party divisions over charges for dentists and glasses which undermined value of
labour part and NHS
▪ This culminated in labour only wining by a majority of five mp’s in 1950 under Atlee
• Mp’s concerned over economic and foreign policy, which widened part
divisions
▪ Nationalisation of iron and steel, ended up stupid things like sugar and cement made
conservative able to criticise
▪ Wasn’t effective as stayed the same just brought out the owner and still paid them
to run it
▪ Not supported by performance in elections
▪ Highest polls
Conservative Strengths
▪ Reorganisation of party finances under lord Woolton
• Young dynamic members like Maulding
▪ Embraced socialist ideals, remodelled party
• Promised to build 30,000 new houses
• Could exploit how labour failed to raise living standards
• Bread and eggs were still rationed even though not in war
Electoral system
▪ First past the post system means meaning based on seats in constituency’s not
proportional representation
▪ In 1951 polled over 20,000 more than conservatives but won 26 seats less
• Labour focused on getting votes in safe seats and conservatives focused on
marginal seats in 1945
▪ Representation of the peoples act in 1948 redistributed constituencies meaning
labour had to win 2% more of popular vote to gain same seats
▪ Decline in liberal part meant ex-liberals voted conservative
• Lib votes fell from 2.6 mil to 730,556
, Why did conservatives dominate British politics for so long?
Wages
▪ Rose faster than prices, so people could buy more with less
▪ In 1951- average living wage was £8.50
▪ By 1964 £18.50
Economic policies
▪ Income tax cut before each election in 1955- 2.5p and 1959-3.75p
▪ Reflected in more consumerism 500% rise in car ownership
▪ Availability of credit started consumer boom, coupled with tax cuts
▪ Economically risky as many in potential debt that cant repay
▪ ‘stop-go’ approach, responding to economic developments
▪ Eg is spending and wages rose than higher tax and opposite
▪ Doesn’t create consistent economic growth, stability or coherency
▪ STAGFLATION- industrial output increases, inflation remains
▪ Did not invest into industrial research, or important industries like textiles and ship
building
▪ Natural recovery after Korean war makes them look good
Living standards
▪ Reached 340,000 houses in 1954
▪ 1.7 million homes built while in office
▪ Number of people who owned property rose to 44% compared to 25% in 1945
▪ Rent act made prices go up, some struggled to pay
Other social policies
▪ Butler who was chancellor had particularly left, views
▪ Increased spending on welfare state
▪ GDP spent on it rose from 16.1 in 1951 to 19.3% in 1964
▪ Reforms to education system away from three tiered into comprehensive (no more
grammar and secondary-modern)
▪ 11 more universities
▪ 6000 new schools
▪ Unemployment never really fell instead steadily rose, figure never went below
250,000
Attitudes to welfare state
▪ Had to conform however kept key values like opposing nationalism
▪ Increased pensions- helps as conservatives tend to have older demographic
▪ Tested when confronted with payment deficit
▪ Rab butler instead of scrapping did limited reforms
• Eg. Dental and prescriptions
• Reduction of school building program
• No real harsh cuts though
