the economy under Heath

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  • The Economy under Heath (1970-74)
    • Barber Boom (1970-73)
      • Anthony Barber (CofE) reduced taxes, redeuced gov. spending and scrapped the Prices and Incomes board
        • Why? Promote econ. growth to strengthen application to join the EEC
        • Result   Short term "boom" which briefly saw econ. growth at 7.4%
          • Another result was a rise in council house rents due to the tax concession to the wealthy
          • Quickly followed by a huge rise in inflation and spiralling wage demands
            • 15% inflation by the end of 1971
              • Inflation wasn't accompanied by econ. growth. The unusual combination of inflation and unemployment: stagflation
          • Unemployment went up
            • Inflation wasn't accompanied by econ. growth. The unusual combination of inflation and unemployment: stagflation
        • Reactions
          • Heath was condemned for:
            • Abandoning the mixed economy
            • Undermining the principle of full employment
            • Weakening the welfare state
    • Heath's U-Turn
      • Abandoned his style of gov. after 18 months
        • 1971: Rolls-Royce nationalised
        • Subsidies
          • Upper Clyde Shipbuilders
            • Gov. feared violent, communist organised protest so authorised a subsidy of £34 mil.
    • 3 day week
      • Heath's wage restraint angered miners
        • Asked for a large pay increase in 1973
        • NUM introduced overtime ban
        • Heath introduced a series of emergency measures
          • Jan 1974: 3 day week, 50mph speed limit, TV close at 10.30pm
    • The Arab-Israeli War and the oil crisis (1973)
      • OPEC showed displeasure at countries that had been too friendly towards Israel
        • UK's oil imports cut by 15%
        • Cost of Britain's oil imports trebled
          • Caused petrol shortage and damaged the BoP (£1bn)
            • Value of £ falls to $1.57
            • Interest Rate raised to 15%
    • EEC
      • De Gaulle died in Nov. 1970
      • France fearful of German independence
      • Jan 1st 1973: Britain accepted

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