1951-57

• Churchill of 1955 was not Churchill of 1951 - weak leader
• Eden acted as PM - Churchill absentee
• Churchill - ill health and 80 years old
• Eden picked over Butler - kept Cons internal party happy e.g. Macmillan
• Eden took over 1955

Early strengths:

• progressive ideas in domestic affairs - e.g. property and industry

Failures:

• anxious decision-maker
• intefered with cabinet
• foreign affairs

Suez Crisis:

• military action in Egypt against Nasser 1956
• allowed Nasser to nationalise canal - lied - military fiasco
• Eden weak
• split Conservative party
• Eden never recovered and resigned 1957

why Macmillan

• main rival R.A Butler
• budget 1955 - greatly popular
• Macmillan a safer choice - little enemies
• Macmillan opposed appeasement in 1930s so seemed politically aware

Macmillan:

• one nation Conservative
• radical views on society - nearly joined Labour 1931
• party unity restored
• full control of affairs
• 1959 Election - 100 seat majority

• NHS iconic status
• Housing - 300,000 a year all through 1950s
• welfare refors left intact
• clean air act 1956
• Homicide act 1957
• believe in full employment

Stop-Go:

1951-52 STOP: With the economy in a weak state with a poor balance of payments position, deflation was considered necessary. Thus, the bank rate was raised and credit restrictions imposed.

1953-55 GO: The balance of payments situation was recovering and a weak recovery seemed likely. Thus, policy focused on expansion and controls were removed. In the 1953 budget, Butler cut both income tax and purchase tax.

 1955-59 STOP: The economy was once again overheating due to wages demands too many imports fuelling inflation. The necessitated higher interest rates and spending cuts.

• Pre-war slums cleared and new towns built e.g. Harlow in Essex
• Mens wages went up to 15 pound (doubled) by 1960
• afluence of consumer goods - TV, fridges, radiators
• boom in car ownership (tripled)
• 60,000 holidayed a week
• youth culture - more money and new dress sense etc magazines by 1950s
• the establishment opposed and emphasized arts not science

Women:

• went back from working to house women
• 80% O21s married
• unequal pay (40% less)

• New Commonwealth - 210,000 immigrants 75% male
• NHS took advantage of cheap labour
• racial tensions increased
• brought crime to communities and didnt interact

Nucleur concerns:

• 1946 Atomic Energy act  - Britain wanted own force
• Churchill and Macmilan tested atomic bomb 1952
• public opinion in favour - even Bevan agreed with it.