Attlee's Cabinet 1945-1951

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Who was the Minister of Health in Attlee's Cabinet?
Nye Bevan
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Who was the Leader of the House of Commons/ Deputy PM?
Herbert Morrison
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Who was the President for the Board of Trade in 1947?
Harold Wilson
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Who was the Minister of Fuel and power?
Emanuel Shinwell (Manny)
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Who was the Chancellor between 1945 and 1947?
Hugh Dalton
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Who succeeded as Chancellor in 1947 to 1950?
Stafford Cripps
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Who replaced Cripps as Chancellor in 1950?
Hugh Gaitskell
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When was the NHS set up?
1946
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When was the Town and Country planning act proposed?
1947
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In 1945, how many fewer houses were there than in 1939?
700,000
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By September 1948, how many new homes had been built?
750,000
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Who was the Minister of Education?
Ellen Wilkinson
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What percentage of industries were nationalised?
20%
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When was the Bank of England nationalised? Date and Month
March 1946
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Who was John Maynard Keynes?
An economist and adviser to the Treasury
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Who was Harold Laski?
Labour Party Chairman
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When did the USA cancel the Lend-Lease?
August 1945
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What was the solution to the ending of the Lend Lease?
Britain was to take out a massive loan from the USA.
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What did the USA say to this loan?
50 years of $3.75 billion at 2% interest. Within 12months of the loan beginning, the £ should become freely convertible.
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What does it mean if the £ becomes freely convertible?
The £ could be freely traded for $ and other currencies on the world money markets.
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Why was this proposed by the USA?
It would work as a short-term way for paying for the new Britain.
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After the winter of 1947, what problem with the loan did Britain face?
They had to accept convertibility. No sooner was it possible to freely buy and sell £ in July, than a STERLING CRISIS developed.
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What happened by August 1947?
Dollars poured from the country and convertibility had stopped.
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What did the government have to do?
Prepare for famine and the prospect of Britain not being able to import sufficient food. Rations CUT
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What effect did the Sterling Crisis have on the Government?
Plots to replace Attlee with either Cripps or Bevin. But Attlee showed himself a smart political operator. Defused the situation. Economically- the situation was still grim.
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When was gas nationalised?
May 1949
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Cold War... why was Britain involved?
Soviet Russia- threat to Western democracy. Stalin tried to force British/ Americans out of Berlin by denying land access across Soviet-occupied territory. Result... BERLIN AIRLIFT
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How did Attlee and Bevin respond to the Berlin Airlift?
Responded to Soviet aggression with a 'toughness worthy of Chuchill'
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What did Bevin do?
Re-engaged the US with Europe. Secured both Marshall aid and the setting up of NATO.
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What was the Berlin Airlift?
Westerners flew food and supplies to the 2 million West Berliners. SU had closed all land routes to Berlin in breach of post-war aggreements.
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What was the KGB?
Post-war secret USSR police.
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What was Marshall Aid?
Programme of economic aid to Europe proposed by George Marshall. Encouraged and helped by Bevin. Britain- chief beneficiarie. The aim was to reduce the influence and attraction of Communism, and to enable Western Europe to buy US produce.
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What does NATO stand for?
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation- agreed to a system of mutual defence- "keep the russians out, the americans in, and the germans down"- aid each other
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Who were "fellow travellers"?
Secret communist sympathisers- stood as Labour MPs knowing they stood little chance of being elected if their true colours as communists were known by the electorate. Hated by Bevin.
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Bevin and Attlee's determination showed what?
That Britain should remain a great power and closely cooperate with the USA to contain Communism.
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Who was Denis Healey?
International Secretary for the Labour Party.
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What did Cripps have to do?
Encourage production to increase, but products should primarily be used for exports to cover the costs of the necessary imports.
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What did this mean?
Domestic living standards had to be held down whilst hard work was encouraged.
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What did Cripps introduce in terms of currency?
A £30 limit- made foreign travel difficult- wanted £ spent in Britain!
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What was the rate of income tax and did it increase, decrease, or remain the same?
45% and it remained the same.
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What was the crisis of 1949?
THE BALANCE OF PAYMENTS CRISIS
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Why did this crisis occur?
There had been a downturn in the US economy, and a subsequent slump of British exports to the USA in consequence.
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What does "balance of payments crisis" mean?
The cost of British imports exceeds the cost of the earnings from exports.
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Subsequent consequence of the balance of payments crisis was...
The devaluation of the £: $4.30 to the £ --- $2.80 to the £
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Bevin said the working class would stand for what if what could be whiter?
A rise in bread costs if bread could be whiter. Arguments between Bevin and Cripps emerged.
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Why was class distinction involved?
Class distinction affected even the most important economic policy decisions.
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Give 3 achievements between 1945-1951...1 exports
1. Exports soared from £266 million in 1944 to £2.2 billion by 1950
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2... rationing
At the board of trade, Harold Wilson progressively removed articles from rationing.
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3...Wage Freeze
The Wage freeze, announced in 1948, lasted well into 1950. There were no strikes, and only 9 million working days were lost 1945-50 compared to 178 million in 1918-1923.
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Who was Lord Woolton in Conservative Opposition?
Chairman
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What was R.A.Butler's job?
To head the research department and give a new intellectual thrust to the party.
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Butler produced the 1947 Industrial Charter- what did it show?
That the party was not viscous- or to be associated with wage cuts and unemployment.
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What was the Conservative party like by 1950?
Strong, reformed, and ready to fight an election.
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What did the Conservatives focus on in opposition to the Labour party?
The evils of nationisation and government control.
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How many seats did L/C/Lib gain in the 1950 election?
Labour- 315, Conservative- 298, Liberal- 9
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The outbreak of war in Asia increased what?
Commodity Prices- costs of raw materials (notably oil for Britain)
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What did this mean?
A new BALANCE OF PAYMENTS crisis!
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Attlee appointed who when Bevin died?
Herbert Morrison.
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Attlee became ill- rows broke out in Cabinet. Between who?
Bevan and Wilson against Gaitskell
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What happened then?
Bevan, Wilson, along with John Freeman, resigned.- Weakened the government and became an increasing subject of press comment.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Who was the Leader of the House of Commons/ Deputy PM?

Back

Herbert Morrison

Card 3

Front

Who was the President for the Board of Trade in 1947?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Who was the Minister of Fuel and power?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Who was the Chancellor between 1945 and 1947?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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