Conservative governments of 1951-64

Churchill 1951-55

Butler carried out the job of running the economy.
During this period, the idea of 'Butskellism' occured. This was the idea that the 2 political partied met in the middle to form a consensus on varying matters, such as the economy.

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The nationalisation of the Suez canal meant that foreign ships would have to pay to pass through.
Eden's sly actions in the Suez crisis led his resignation.
He carried out secret discussions with France & Israel in order to launch a major attack on Egypt.

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Macmillan carried on with Butler's main lines of policy. Following a mixed economy - some assets were nationalised and some privatised, and a loose form of Keynesianism.
Macmillan claimed that Britain had "never had it so good" - Growth in real wages, greater availability of credit, committed to building 300,000 houses a year, 'a property owning democracy'.
BUT HAD THEY? - Rent Act meant that those with lower incomes struggles to afford leases, unemploment continued to rise.
The Notting Hill race riots highlighted increasing social tensions.
Britain was performing badly in comparison to that of European countries, this encouraged Macmillan to apply for membership to the EEC - this was vetoed.
In 1962, Macmillan carried out a major cabinet reshuffle "Night of the Long Knives" - demoting some of the more established members of parliament and replacing them with younger Conservatives.
In 1963, the Profumo affair came to light. One of Macmillan's cabinet members, John Profumo, had been sexually linked to a prostitute. Profumo denied the allegations, and Macmillan supported him. 3 months after Profumo's denial, he had to admit he had lied. This reflected badly on Macmillan and the Conservative government.

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Douglas-Home came in to power based on a note of recommendation to the Queen from Macmillan.
The undemocratic appointment process suggested that the old-boy party networks within the Conservative party were still at large.

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