Labour's election record in the 1930s was poor, as they were disorganised and divided. In 1951 Winston Churchill's Conservative party, won the general election, and this would be the start of 13 years of Conservative rule pning three prime ministers. Labour's manifesto was based around the Beveridge report and the Nationalisation of industries, ideas that had been tested during the war and were found to work. In the 1950 election, the Liberals put up 475 candidates and secured 2.6 million votes (9.1% of the entire vote). This massive reform of the 1945-1946 period was dealt a blow in February 1947, when the government faced a fuel crisis. His reaction in a crisis is to threaten force. The Blitz also, more obviously, caused a huge rise in support for Labour's housing development plans. Less than half the price of our monthly plan. Then, the second ministry saw a fractious Parliamentary party being further divided over the Korean War and the advancement of the National Health Service, leading up to a comfortable Tory win in the October 1951 election. Why did Labour lose its seats in 1951? This time Churchill was victorious. Although it did help to achieve this end, Churchills party was able to lament publicly the humiliation the government had brought upon the British currency, and at the same time place blame on the government for the continuing food scarcities and long queues. The result of the election caused much surprise. Economically the Labour government of 45-51 struggled, with the electorate all too aware of he post-war shortages, the continuing rationing, increased taxes, and the general dislike of austerity the feeling of being under the thumb of the Americans. Developments during the war made a considerable contribution towards the shift to the left, with more support for collectivism and rationing. Labour paper the Tribune, Paul Adleman points out The dynamic nature of our site means that Javascript must be enabled to function properly. Dunkirk triggered many people to blame the conservatives and their previous leaders for appeasement. In contrast to the break-up of the MacDonald Labour government in 1931, there was no 'bankers' ramp' or dramatic and overwhelming financial crisis. The year 1947 brought an abrupt end to the honeymoon, as the government was forced to shift focus from massive reform to crisis management in response to fuel and trade shortages. UNHAPPY PARLIAMENT, Labour majority The economy's recovery was further hindered by the short-sighted need to remain a world power. Both clearly agree that the pre-war period was significant, however they differ on why it was significant. That was three million less than the number of summonses, warrants and benefit deduction orders issued for poll tax non-payment. This caused widespread discontent as even during the war, bread had not been rationed. In 1945 the Conservatives had suffered from being divided and disorganised, while Labour had been strong and united. Homefront experiences had also caused a rise in support for Labour: evacuees educated many people to the realities of poverty in Britain's cities and the Blitz brought people together in communal bomb shelters and broke down social barriers. Secondly, the split right at the very top of the party meant that organisational preparations for upcoming elections were hampered, and the electoral machine was disarmed. Labour Party, British political party whose historic links with trade unions have led it to promote an active role for the state in the creation of economic prosperity and in the provision of social services. In fact, Dennis Shanahan wrote in The Australian: Morrison didn't just beat Labor in this election. Although interesting they had little to do with shifting the electorate's opinions, indeed in 1945 both parties' campaigns were largely improvised. Gaitskell had imposed upon the health service prescription charges for glasses and false teeth, which to Bevan and other NHS idealists represented the betrayal of NHS founding principals. A defeated conservative MP at the time, Macmillan, claimed that It was not Churchill who lost the 1945 election, it was the ghost of Neville Chamberlain. Gaitskell 1950, Bevan failed to accept compromised proposed by Why Was There a Consensus British Prime Ministers 1951-1964 'Oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them'. Both of these policies were unpopular amongst the mass electorate, and rationing caused consternation most notably the middle class, to whom the need for wartime prudence was no longer apparent. The Blitz also, more obviously, caused a huge rise in support for Labour's housing development plans. So, while Labour won the popular vote, gaining large majorities in their constituencies, the Conservatives won the majority of seats, gaining narrow victories, but in more constituencies. Most significantly, Labour established the NHS in 1948, they also brought about various other reforms pertaining to welfare. WW2 obviously played a large role in the results of both the 1945 and 1951 elections, in 1945 its effects were clear on the homefront as it had acted as a catalyst to socialist ideas and in 1951 it was the economic turmoil that the war had triggered which led to many people to vote for the reliable conservatives. Explanation: 1951 General Election Why did the Conservatives win the 1951 General Election? Labour's campaign, although not crucial to their success, was better organised, funded and planned than the Conservatives' and, as such, made Labour look strong - in contrast with the Conservatives. To the most left-wing Labour MPs and enthusiasts, this was a betrayal of socialist solidarity; on the other hand, to many more involved with the party this represented subservience to US demands. disadvantaged by 1st Past post seats 1950, By changing the timing of the election to be in 1951 rather than 1 He belonged to the first intake of students at the Ecole polytechnique in 1794 and went on to become an iron engineer. Postal voting also WW2) needed loans to sustain economy, Keynes 1945 secures Labour argued that they had earned their independence by fighting in WW2, and that it was not economically viable to sustain them. which Gaiskell set out Also the Conservatives were much better funded in 1951, by business men afraid of further nationalisation the only major labour reform that the Conservatives dared to take a firm stance against. Labour's promises of social reforms won them many votes, however it was these promises which led to their failure in 1951, when many people believed that the promises hadn't been delivered. Furthermore, the Conservatives were able to exploit Labours failures to improve living standards. Evidently, the Conservatives were punished in 1945, when they were lucky to not have been in 1935 and, arguably, if elections had taken place in 1940, Labour may have won. The campaign is all too often seen as the most important factor in Labour's landslide victory in 1945, however it is of less importance than the war or their policies, for example. There are three main sub-categories for this answer; the Conservatives strengths, Labours weaknesses/ limitations, and uncontrollable factors. authority, 1950-1951 labelled as an The Conservative victory in 1951 is typically attributed either to the failures of Attlee's government - devaluation, the Bevanite revolt - or to the achievements of Churchill's opposition, including Lord Woolton's reforms and the acceptance of the "post-war consensus". Want to create your own Mind Maps for free with GoConqr? Rather, the balance of payments problem forced the non-idealists within the leadership to face the necessary curtailing of public spending. highly controversial and cost 2% interest Churchill narrowly lost the 1950 contest (Labour's majority was reduced to six), but again he managed to sidestep retirement. In 1951 labour actually polled more votes than the conservatives and in 1945 Labour only polled 8% more than the Conservatives yet gained a landslide of seats. Act. While the more right-wing Gaitsgillites wanted more concentration on an aggressive foreign policy on issues like the cold war. As the Labour Party emerged to replace the Liberal Party in the 1920s, G.D.H. Technicalities. human beings", Tarnished image by the end of time in administration, Devaluation of from The 1942 Beveridge Report was the most important report that contributed to Labour's success in 1945. Paul Addison argues that 1940 was the year when the foundations of political power shifted decisively leftwards for a decade By the autumn of 1942 a major upheaval in public opinion had taken place. People had lost trust in the conservatives and blamed them for Britains military short-comings, and this was important for Labours rise in support. Why did the Conservatives win/ Labour lose the 1951 UK general election? Labour So, at the 1950 election there was a 2.9% swing against Labour. I feel as though Ive spent days aimlessly searching the internet for a clear answer to this question. It was the first election in which Labour gained a majority of seats and the first in which it won a plurality of votes. This divided party had stood no chance against the organised, well-funded Conservatives. History-UK-BK1-Labour-1951 election. drugs. Also in both cases the campaigns were of negligible importance. Cost of Living KOREAN WAR Austerity LINK TO COMPULSORY MILITARY SERVICE - cost of heating, clothing, education and food (and other necessities) was increasing; dissatisfaction amongst the people - defense spending increased whilst public spending decreased; led to NHS prescription charges Jeremy Corbyn. This was the fourth of five elections in the twentieth century where a party lost the popular vote, but won the most seats. The 1918 constitution that eventually emerged was a curious mix, unmatched on the continent: theoretically socialist in its commitment to public ownership via the 'old' Clause IV, but in reality gradualist, 'labourist' and in huge debt to the more conservative trade union movement. Bill Shorten's political career ended last night but Morrison's is just beginning. conservatives into a modern party, The Bevanites, being more left-wing, wanted to focus Britains resources on further nationalisation of industry. and failed to outline their Their living standards had not radically altered since 1945, and the significance of many of these voters is that they voted in marginal constituencies. The 1946 National Insurance Act was also a key domestic reform of the Attlee government. The 1959 General Election gave the Conservatives their third successive victory, the first time that a party had won three successive general elections since Napoleonic times. Although this was not much in terms of the popular vote, Labour lost 78 seats and the Conservatives gained 101; Labour were left with a majority of just five seats. The first years, between 1945 and 1946, saw fervour for rapid reform in many areas of government.
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