Harold Macmillan 1957 - 1963

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  • Created by: RahmaM
  • Created on: 07-04-15 17:49
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  • Harold MacMillan 1957 - 1963
    • Chancellor of Exchequer 1955 - 1957
    • Leader of Conservative party 1957 - 1963
    • Continued mixed Keynesian economy
    • ECONOMIC POLICY
      • SHORT TERMISM - STOP GO
        • Prices rose too quick, govt increased taxes, raised interest rates
        • Production exports declined, govt cut taxes and lowered interest rates
      • STAGFLATION
        • Industry declined, inflation persisted
      • End of 1964 Balance of Payments deficit over £800 Million
    • EMPIRE / COMMONWEALTH
      • Decolonisation
        • 1956 Sudan 1957 Ghana 1960 Nigeria 60-66 Rest of Africa
        • Trying to police these countries, was expensive
    • PROBLEMS
      • Economic Problems
        • Britain's GDP growing much slower
          • 4.3% Growth FRANCE
          • 5.1% Growth GERMANY
          • Heavy Defense Spending
            • £1.7 billion on defence by 1964
          • £1.7 billion on defence by 1964
          • 5.6% Growth ITALY
          • Less productive Less efficient
        • Britain's industry lacked sufficient investment. Lagged other countries, Germany, Japan and America
      • SCANDAL = HUMILIATION
        • Profumo Affair 1962
          • John Profumo, Minister of Defence. 1962 lied about affair with Christine Keeler
            • Christine Keeler involved with a Russian spy, fears of espionage
            • Macmillan had supported Profumo, Lies weakened and embarrassed the government
        • Vassal Spy Case 1963
          • John Vassal, a civil servant in Navy headquarters had been caught spying for Russia
            • Had been defended by admiralty for having a good background
        • Argyll Divorce Case 1963
          • Duchess and Duke. Duke trying to prove Duchess committed adultery
            • Claims she slept with 88 different men
        • Kim Philby 1963
          • Had been passing information to Russia, Recruiting agents, Running spy network
            • Fled to Moscow and remained there unitl he died.
      • Social Tension / Changing Society
        • Notting Hill Race Riots 1958
        • Murder of Kelso Cochrane 1959
        • Whites tended to blame immigrants for unemployment
        • Satire . Exploited scandals and embarrassed the old out of touch Macmillan govt.
      • Political blunders
        • Rent Act 1957 act had abolished rent controls
        • "Night of Long Knives " Sacked a third of his cabinet
        • Public outrage due to his decision to keep Polaris submarines in Holy Loch, Scotland
        • Rejection from the EEC, De Gaulle vetoed Britain's membership

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