The Making of Modern Britain 6- Liberal reforming legislation

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Who was Home Secutary under Wilson from Dec 1965?
Roy Jenkins
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What did this position allow him to do?
Influence society.
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What needed to change in order for personal freedom to develop further from the 1950's?
A change in the laws.
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By the end of the 1960's, what had Roy Jenkins already been able to do?
Break down somme of the old taboos and prejudices.
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What areas had helped chnage to take place?
Greater affluence, youth culture and the spread ot technology.
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Why didnt the Labour government set out to have?
A liberalising agenda. Their manifesto's made no mention of moral issues.
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What is the name for laws that what are considered moral questions?
Free votes.
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What else did Labour favor when it came to this?
The use of 'expert witnesses' and atechnicaly approach to alterations of the law.
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Other than proposed legislation passing through Parliament through government bills, what else was used by backbench MP's to propose legislation?
Private members bills.
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How popular was this?
Quite. The 1960's saw a number of of reforms through this mechanism.
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Why did they work?
Because Jenkins as Home Secutary was sympathetic and so enabled enough parliamentry time for the reforms to be passed.
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What was public opinion on the death penalty?
It was sharply divided.
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What did the anti-hanging campaign receive a boost from?
From the case of Ruth Ellis, a young mother who murdered her unfaithful lover in 1955.
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In 1957, what had the Tories done?
Tried to reduce the number of offences carrying the death penalty.
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Which Labour backbencher continued to campaign extremely for total abolition?
Sydney Silverman.
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In 1965, what happened that abolished the death penalty? For how long did this last?
A free vote. Hanging was abolished for a trial period of 5 years.
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In 1969, what happened to the death penalty?
It was abolished permanently.
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What else did Jenkins refuse to authorise?
The beating of prisoners, which ceased after 1967.
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What did he bring into jury systems?
Brought in 'majority' verdicts for English juries rather than demanding unanimity.
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What did this help to do?
Helped convict many dangerous and professional criminals.
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But what didn't the abolition of hanging do for crime?
Did not significantly reduce the number of murders or violent crimes, as supporters had hoped.
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Until the 1960's, what was demanded if you wanted a divorce?
Evidnece that one party had committed adultery.
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How would people gain this information?
Rich would use private detectives and cameras. For others, it was almost impossible to get a divorce.
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What did Jenkins believe about this?
Believed the laws were out of date and needed reform.
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What was passed in 1969?
The Divorce Reform Act.
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What did this allow?
'No fault divorce' following the 'irretrievable breakdown' of a marriage.
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What were the terms on whether couples could divorce?
if they had lived apart for 2 years and both partners agrred to divorcce. Or they had lived apart for 5 years and one party wanted a divorce.
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Following the reform, what were there a huge increase of?
Divorces. 1950- fewer than 2 divorce decrees per 1000 couples. Mid 70's- nearly 10 in every 1000 marriages.
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Until 1967, what was illegal (except on extreme medical grouds)?
Abortion.
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What was the only way to terminate a pregnancy?
To find a private clinic (if you could afford it) or search out a backstreet abortionist.
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How many illegal abortions were performed each year?
100-000 to 200,000.
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How many women were admitted to hospital with complications?
35,000
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How many wmen died as a result of of backstreet abortions from 1958 and 1960?
82 women died.
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What group campaigned for a change to the law since 1945?
Th Abortion Law Reform Association.
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What did they argue?
The legal obsticles to abortion ought to be removed to end these problems.
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What was the more presssing matter that swayed public opinion?
The thalidomide disaster of 1959 to 1962.
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What was the thalidomide disaster?
Thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women with morning sickness. Found it caused congenital deformities in children when it was taken in early pregnancy.
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Whob wasn't convinced about allowing abortion to be legal?
the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child was set up in 1966 to oppose any liberalisation to the Law.
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Which MP led the reform campaign to parliament?
David Steel.
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Who was he supported by?
The Labour govt and a number of Conservatives. Roy Jenkins ensured an all-night Commons sitting in order to pass the bill.
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What was the law called that made abortion legal?
The Abortion Act.
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What did the Abortion Act permit?
THE legal termiantion of pregnancy within the first 28 weeks, under medical supervision adn the written consent of two doctors. Only justification was the 'mental suffering' of the pregnant women, not jus the physical condition.
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What did pro-abortionists hoped would happen after abortion was legalised?
The avaliablity of more effective contraceptives and better education.
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Did the number of abortions increase?
Yes. From 4 per 100 live births in 1968 to 17.6 in 1975.
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What was true about homosexual relations up until the 1960's?
Men couldd be impriosned for two years for participating in homosexual acts.
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What had the Conservative government rejected previously?
The Wolfenden recommendation to decriminalise homosexuality.
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What was the Labour government of 1964's opinion?
they were divided on the issue.
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Who was it left to take up the cause?
Leo Abse, a Labour backbencher.
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What was he able to get thanks to Jenkins?
Enough parliamentry time for the private members bill to become a law.
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What was the law called?
The Sexual Offences Act 1967.
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Although this didn't legalise homosexual acts, it decriminalised them where three condtions were met?
Both partners had to consent. Both had to be over the age of 21. It had to private.
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Who was the Act welcomed by?
Men who had previously been afraid to declare their sexuality.
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But what did 'in private' actaully mean?
As no one else in the same building. Meant that there wasn't a complete end to prosecution.
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What was the idea about tripartite systems which had long since passed?
The idea that different types of secondary school in the tripartite system were equal in status.
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What were the secondary modern pupils seen as?
11+ failures. Whole system seemed socially divisive.
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Who did the majority of grammar school places go to?
Children of a middle-class background.
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Who were responsible for schools in some areas?
Local Education Authorities (LEAs)
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What had Labour-controlled Greater London established?
Comprehensive schools.
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What happened in comprehensive schools?
Every child would have the same ops to learn at their own pace and sit exams according to their own abilities.
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By 1964, how many childrenn were being educated in a comprehensive?
1 in 10 pupils. (10x as many as in 1951).
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In 1965, who became minsiter of education, which accelerated the process?
Tony Crossland.
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What did he issue?
Circular 10/65 to all LEAs, requesting them to convert to comprehensive schools.
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Although it wasn't a statutory requirement, did authroties respond?
Yes, especailly after 1966, where the government made money for new school buildings conditional that they become comprehensives.
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By 1970, how many authorities failed to do so?
Only 8 authorities.
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How mnay comprehensives were there and how many pupils?
1145 comprehensive schools and catered for 1 in 3 of all state-educated secondary school pupils.
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What had fears about Britain slipping behind in science and technological education led to the establishment of?
Robbins Committe in 1961.
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What did the Robbins Report find?
That Britain lagged behind France, Germany and the USA in the provision of university places. Also found that too many students followed art-related courses to the exclusion of science and technology.
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How did the Labour government respond?
By expanding higher education.
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What replaced Colleges of Technology?
Polytechnics. Focus on applied education for work and science. Concentrate on teaching rather than research.
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What did nine Colleges of Advanced Technology become?
Full universities. Royal College of Science in Scotland became Strathclyde Uni.
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By 1968, how many universities and polytechnics were there?
There were 30 polytechnics and 56 universities.
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What did these new instituions bring?
New courses.
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What did polytechnics and universities open up for some people?
Opened up higher education for many whose families have never attended university.
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What did Harold Wilson say he wanted to be remembered for?
The ccreation of the Open University.
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What did it combine?
Equal opportunities in education, modernisation and the white heat of technology. Attempted to offer high-quality degree learning in arts and sciences. To people who had nevre had the opportunity.
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In March 1963, what did a Labour party study group propose?
A experiment on radio and television to be called the 'University of the Air'.
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Who did Wilson appoint to see this through?
Jennie Lee.
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In Sept 1969, where did the Open University's headquarters open?
In Milton Keynes.
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By the middle of 1970, what had there already been enough of?
Applications for the first students to begin their studies in Janaury 1971.
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By 1980, how many students did the University have?
70,000. Awarded more degrees than Oxford and cambridge combined.
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Who did the university attract?
The mature, women and disadvantaged.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What did this position allow him to do?

Back

Influence society.

Card 3

Front

What needed to change in order for personal freedom to develop further from the 1950's?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

By the end of the 1960's, what had Roy Jenkins already been able to do?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What areas had helped chnage to take place?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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