Evidence For a Consensus.

Industrial Cooperation

War-time government had shown eagerness to work with Unions, such as Union leader Ernest Bevin, who was made Minister of Labour. This positive relationship was carried through the post-war period, as the Tories were eager to be viewed as friendly towards working-class people.

Successive Conservative PMs in this period went to great lengths to consult trade unions on relevant issues. Trade unions were represented on the National Incomes Commission (NICKY) in 1961, and the National Economic Development Council (NEDDY) in 1962.

One of the most striking examples of Conservative cooperation with trade unions was when party leaders refused to reinstate the Trade Union Act of 1927 (which outlawed general strikes and sympathetic strikes, and banned civil servants from joining unions affiliated to the Trade Union Congress), despite many of their own backbench MPs (MPs who hold no governmental office) wanted this measure resorted.

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