Britain 1951 - 1955
1951
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Britain had been victorious in WW2. Festival of Britain was
held.
We had 22.5% of world trade (exports of manufactures)
The NHS was three years old, but prescription charges and
charges on spectacles and false teeth had been introduced.
School leaving age had been increased to 15. The 1944
Education Act (Grammar, Sec Modern, Technology) was now
ensuring increasing numbers of young people were going to
university.
14 major industries had been nationalised. Unemployment was
253,000 in 1951. (2008 = 1,950,000, 1932 = 2.8m)
Rationing on meat, bacon, butter, tea and sugar.
Basic rate of income tax at almost 50%
Government had recently embarked on a £4.7 billion rearmament programme due to the Korean War.
Any agreement?
Conservatives – 1951:
“We must set the people free”
Election Results
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Conservatives
Liberal Party
Labour
321
6
295
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Publicly Churchill called for
"several years of quiet
steady administration".
Privately he declared that
his policy was "houses,
red meat and not getting
scuppered".
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1945to1951/film
page_bc.htm
Link to Festival of Britain movie reel
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The Conservative
Government found a set
of circumstances in which
its room for political
manoeuvre was severely
limited.
Some might argue that it
had taken the idea that
revolutions - in this case,
the democratic socialist
revolution of 1945 constituted progress, and
should not be undone.
In fact, it left the welfare
state largely intact, was
running scared of
organised labour, and left
almost all the nationalised
industries under state
ownership.
Party unity and leadership
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Confidence gained
from the victory.
Experienced figures
from the war – Eden,
Butler, Macmillan.
The party became
increasingly dissatisfied
with Churchill’s refusal
to stand aside for Eden
Churchill was aged 80
in 1954
Welfare State
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Maintained the charges introduced by Attlee’s
Labour Government in 1950
The level of benefits increased but not at the same
rate as wages.
Began a new surge in building schools and
universities. By 1964, 6000 new schools and 11 new
universities had been built.
Very few new hospitals built.
Rab Butler and economic recovery
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As Chancellor, Butler was
determined to improve
Britain’s balance of
payments, maintain full
employment and control
inflation – a difficult
balancing act.
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1953 Budget (RA Butler)
A budget designed to promote
expansion of the economy by
increasing the potential for
consumerism. It cut taxes and
liberalised other economic controls
such as interest rates.
1955 (April) Budget (RA Butler)
A tax cutting budget in advance of
the general election. (The date of
the election was already known at
the time of the budget). It cut
income tax and raised personal
allowances.
1955 (July) Mini-Budget (RA
Butler)
Post-election deflationary measures
introduced by RA Butler.
De-nationalisation?
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“Nationalisation has proved itself a
failure which has resulted in heavy
losses to the taxpayer and the
consumer” - Rab Butler in 1952
Iron and Steel was de-nationalised by
the Conservatives in 1952.
Road Haulage also denationalised in
1952.
An end to rationing?....finally
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Food rationing began on 8 January 1940, four months after the outbreak of
war, when limits were imposed on the sale of bacon, butter and sugar.
Then on 11 March 1940 all meat was rationed. Clothes coupons were
introduced and a black market soon developed while queuing outside
shops and bartering for extra food became a way of life.
Allowances were made for pregnant women who used special green ration
books to get extra food rations. Breastfeeding mothers had extra milk.
Restrictions were gradually lifted three years after war had ended, starting
with flour on 25 July 1948, followed by clothes on 15 March 1949.
On 19 May 1950 rationing ended for canned and dried fruit, chocolate
biscuits, treacle, syrup, jellies and mincemeat.
Petrol rationing ended in May 1950. (Back after Suez Crisis for 5 months)
Soap - September 1950.
3 October 1952 – tea rationing ended.
Feb 1953 - sugar rationing ended. (yes!!!!)
February 1954 - the Ministry of Food stopped controlling the sale of pork
and announced it would end all food rationing this summer.
May 1954 - butter rationing ended.
4 July 1954 - Sale and purchase of meat and bacon were lifted.
Butskellism
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'Butskellism'. The term
came from the first
syllable of the name of
the Conservative
Chancellor, R.A. Butler,
and the last syllable of
his Labour counterpart,
Hugh Gaitskell.