A Short Post War History Of Britain

Monday 6th June

1945 – 1951.  Labour, under Atlee, swept to power after the war with a large majority and a mandate for change.  Achievements – Creation of the NHS, introduction of Old Age Pensions, free education, unemployment benefit, nationalised railways, steel, coal and public utilities and the Bank of England, granted Independence to India, Burma and Ceylon.  All against a background of huge debts from the war and the coldest winter in 50 years.  Mistakes – failed to lift rationing.

1951 – 1964.  The Conservatives were returned with a tiny majority which was increased under Macmillan.  Achievements – ended rationing and presided over large increases in the standard of living, granted independence to Malaya (after a war) Nigeria and Kenya.   Mistakes – Suez.

1964 – 1970.  Harold Wilson came to power with a small majority and held a snap election in ’66.  Achievements – reformed laws on Abortion and Homosexuality and Divorce and banned Capital Punishment, a whole raft of African colonies granted Independence.  Mistakes – devaluation of the pound and general economic crises.

1970 – 1974.  Edward Heath won a surprise victory.  Achievements – Joined Common Market, introduced Decimal Currency.  Mistakes – three day week, Miners strike, Internment in Northern Ireland, calling an election on the slogan “Who Governs Britain?”

1974 – 1979.  Return of Labour under Wilson and the Callaghan. Achievements – the creation of the Open University.  Mistakes – Winter of Discontent.

1979 – 1997. Margaret Thatcher, first woman Prime Minister won a small majority. Achievements – won Falklands War, Defeated the Miners.  Mistakes – Sale of Council Houses, Privatisation of BT, British Airways, British Steel and British gas and Electricity, Poll tax. John major took over and continued to Privatise Railways.  Achievements – replaced Poll Tax with Council Tax, joined first Gulf War against Iraq and stopped sensibly at the Kuwait-Iraq border.  Mistakes – black Wednesday, being kicked out of ERM and pushing through Maastricht treaty against opposition from own party.

1997 – 2010.  Tony Blair won three elections in a row.  Achievements – Northern Ireland Peace, Devolved power in Scotland and Wales, increased funding in NHS, banned smoking in public places, National Minimum Wage, Family Tax Credits.  Mistakes – Private Finance Initiative, Invading Iraq, creation of Student loans and fees.  Gordon Brown took over in 2007.  Achievements – can’t think of any.  Mistakes – being the man in charge when Global Financial Crisis struck, but he probably saved millions of investors from losing savings when he saved RBS and Halifax.

2010 – 2015.  Coalition of Tories and LibDems.  Achievements – after a recession the economy eventually recovered but probably would have done so anyway, legalised Gay Marriage.  Mistakes – Austerity, tax cuts for rich, tripling of University fees, failing to eliminate Deficit.

2015….   Cameron won an unexpected majority after scares over SNP and a weak Labour party lost ground to UKIP.  Achievements – ahem (too early to tell).  Mistakes – calling the Euro Referendum.

Discuss….