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143-711: The purpose of the committee, which was slightly different from the remit of the other regional select committees, was "to examine the Government’s regional policies for London and the Government’s relationship with the Greater London Authority and regional bodies". The committee was first appointed by the House of Commons on 14 December 2009, nine months after the appointment of the eight other regional affairs select committees. The committee only contained 5 Labour members and one Independent member as opposed to

286-624: A confidence and supply agreement with the Liberal Party . While this initially proved stable, it could not survive in the face of major industrial disputes and widespread strikes in the 1978–79 " Winter of Discontent ", as well as the defeat of the referendum on devolution for Scotland . Minor parties joined the Conservatives to pass a motion of no-confidence in Callaghan on 28 March 1979. Callaghan led Labour to defeat at

429-519: A leadership election , which he won decisively with 62% support among Labour party members. In April 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May called a snap election for June 2017. Corbyn resisted pressure from within the Labour Party to call for a referendum on the eventual Brexit deal, instead focusing on healthcare, education and ending austerity. Although Labour started the campaign as far as 20 points behind, it defied expectations by gaining 40% of

572-498: A minority government , which took office on 4 March 1974. It was recognised that this had no long-term stability, and that another general election was likely within a few months. On 20 September Wilson called another snap election for 10 October , which resulted in a narrow victory for the Labour Party with a slim majority of three seats. The economy was in recession by the time of the February 1974 election, but economic growth

715-531: A noncontroversial expansion of new public housing . Overnight in October 1929 the world economy plunged into the Great Depression , and no party had an answer as tax revenue plunged, unemployment doubled to 2.5 million (in late 1930), prices fell, and government spending on unemployment benefits soared. Conditions became much worse in 1931 as the banks became unable to loan the government enough to cover

858-651: A "conscience clause" allowing diversity of opinions rather than a rigid orthodoxy. Irish politics proved to be so different that the Party simply quit Ireland and worked only in England, Scotland and Wales. In 1908–1910 the Party supported the momentous and largely successful Liberal battles in favor of a welfare state and against the Unionist/Conservative Party and against the veto power of the House of Lords. Growth continued, with 42 Labour MPs elected to

1001-550: A claim on behalf of workers with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service for an improvement in terms and conditions of employment on the grounds that existing terms and conditions were less favourable than the relevant recognized terms and conditions for the trade in the area or, where these did not exist, the general level. In February, sections of the Employment Act 1975 were brought into operation dealing with

1144-671: A coalition with more than one other smaller party to gain an overall majority; anything less would result in a minority government. On 10 May 2010, after talks to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats broke down, Brown announced his intention to stand down as Leader before the Labour Party Conference but a day later resigned as both Prime Minister and party leader. Ed Miliband won the subsequent leadership election . Miliband emphasised "responsible capitalism" and greater state intervention to rebalance

1287-533: A cut in wages. The miners were totally opposed and planned a strike. The TUC coalition of unions decided it would support the miners by a nationwide general strike that would paralyze most of the national economy. A strike was postponed when the Conservative government offered a subsidy for wages, but it also prepared to deal with the threatened general strike. Meanwhile, the TUC failed to make preparations. It ignored

1430-497: A flood of membership applications during the leadership election, with most of the new members thought to be Corbyn supporters. Corbyn was elected leader with 60% of the vote. Membership continued to climb after his victory; one year later it had grown to more than 500,000, making it the largest political party in Western Europe. Tensions soon developed in the parliamentary party over Corbyn's leadership, particularly after

1573-446: A general election during the autumn of 1978 would prove to be the end of this Labour government. Although the 1974–1979 Labour Government faced a number of economic difficulties, it was nevertheless able to carry out a broad range of reforms during its time in office. During Harold Wilson's final premiership, from 1974 to 1976, a number of changes were carried out such as the introduction of new social security benefits and improvements in

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1716-495: A general election, which the Conservatives won decisively even though polls showed Callaghan was personally more popular with the voters than Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher . The problem was that many Labour voters swung away from Labour. Callaghan continued to lead Labour in opposition for eighteen months; his friendliest biographers take a negative view of the period. He stepped down to make way for Michael Foot ,

1859-677: A low 2% interest rate, and the gift of $ 2.694 billion in Marshall Plan funds. Canada also provided gifts and $ 1.25 billion in loans. The government began the process of dismantling the British Empire , starting with independence to India and Pakistan in 1947, followed by Burma (Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) the following year. It relinquished its control over Palestine to the United Nations in 1948. Elsewhere independence movements were much weaker and London's policy

2002-653: A maternity allowance fund, while the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 set up an Equal Opportunities Commission and outlawed gender discrimination (both indirect and direct). In addition, the Social Security Act of 1975 included progressive noise-induced hearing loss "in the list of prescribed diseases covered by the Industrial Injuries Scheme as Occupational Deafness." The Woodworking Machines Regulations 1974 , replacing

2145-506: A means of combating sex discrimination within the social security system, the Act provided that in future married women would receive the same level of personal sickness or unemployment benefit. The Housing Finance Act 1974 increased aid to local authorities for slum clearance , introduced a system of "fair rents" in public and private sector unfurnished accommodation, and introduced rent rebates for council tenants. The Housing Act 1974 improved

2288-581: A new rule was made (Statutory Instrument No 1037/1977 dated the 18th of June 1977) “under Section 23 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969, restricting the circumstances in which a court may remand a person aged under 17 to a Prison Department establishment in England and Wales.” The Industrial Common Ownership Act of 1976 gave the Secretary of State the power to “give up to £30,000 in grants and up to £250,000 in loans to common ownership enterprises, that

2431-466: A number of reforms during their time in office. The Supplementary Benefits Act 1976 gave every person over the age of sixteen, whose resources were not enough to meet his or her basic needs, the right to claim a supplementary pension if he or she had reached state pension age, and a supplementary allowance if he or she was less than this age. The Rent (Agricultural) Act 1976 provided security of tenure for agricultural workers in tied accommodation, while

2574-404: A period of intense internal division which ended in the defeat of its left wing by the mid-1980s. After electoral defeats to the Conservatives in 1987 and 1992, Tony Blair took the party to the political centre as part of his New Labour project, which governed under Blair and then Gordon Brown from 1997 to 2010. After further electoral defeats in the 2010s, Keir Starmer again took Labour to

2717-473: A period of serious industrial discontent. This was followed by the election of Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher in 1979. Historian Kenneth O. Morgan states: The fall of James Callaghan in the summer of 1979 meant, according to most commentators across the political spectrum, the end of an ancien régime , a system of corporatism , Keynesian spending programmes , subsidised welfare, and trade union power. The government consisted of three ministries:

2860-546: A political levy to the party. In September 2014, Labour outlined plans to cut the government's current account deficit and balance the budget by 2020, excluding investment. The party carried these plans into the 2015 general election , which Labour lost. Its representation fell to 232 seats in the House of Commons. The party lost 40 of its 41 seats in Scotland to the Scottish National Party . After

3003-579: A presumption in favour of the grant of bail in criminal proceedings, required courts to give reasons when refusing bail, replaced the system of personal recognisances for defendants by a new offence of absconding while on bail, required that a person who is remanded in custody more than once should have the opportunity of obtaining legal aid, and effected certain improvements to the surety system.” The Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act of 1976 barred discrimination in employment in Northern Ireland on

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3146-728: A proportion of average earnings "up to a value equivalent to the previous high, which was reached in 1965 as a result of Labour legislation." In order to maintain the real value of these benefits in the long term, the government introduced legislation which linked future increases in pensions to higher incomes or wages. In 1974–1975, social spending was increased in real terms by 9%. In 1974, pensions were increased in real terms by 14%, while in early 1975 increases were made in family allowances. There were also significant increases in rate and rent subsidies, together with £500 million worth of food subsidies. An independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (now simply called Acas ) (regarded as

3289-448: A range of measures aimed at moderating pressures for wage rises and to create a favourable climate "for an orderly restoration of collective bargaining". These included the granting of family income supplements to bring the incomes of lower-paid workers up to the level of social security benefits, the lowering of marginal tax rates on smaller incomes by rises in personal allowances, and increases in children's allowances (which were payable to

3432-530: A reduced majority of 66 and popular vote of only 35.2%. Blair announced in September 2006 that he would step down as leader within the year, though he had been under pressure to quit earlier than May 2007 in order to get a new leader in place before the May elections which were expected to be disastrous for Labour. In the event, the party did lose power in Scotland to a minority Scottish National Party government at

3575-532: A second government with Liberal help. Once again with Liberal help, MacDonald became prime minister following the successful 1929 election . There were some promising achievements in foreign policy, notably the Young Plan that seemed to resolve the issue of German reparations, and the London Naval Treaty of 1930 that limited submarine construction. Some minor legislation was passed, notably

3718-602: A small majority. During his second term as prime minister, Wilson oversaw the referendum that confirmed the UK's membership of the European Communities . When Wilson suddenly announced his retirement in March 1976, Callaghan defeated five other candidates to be elected Leader of the Labour Party; he was appointed prime minister on 5 April 1976. By now Labour had lost its narrow majority. To stay in power Callaghan made

3861-466: A smashing victory and national elation, guaranteeing Conservatives a massive landslide victory in the 1983 general election . Thatcher's successful attacks on labour unions in 1984-1985 further weakened the Labour base. It took a decade for Labour to recover. Labour's inward turn flared into a civil war between left and right. The party came under the control of young middle-class left-wing activists in

4004-493: A standard level of relief across the country to benefit poorer urban areas. The Damages (Scotland) Act of 1976 “amended the law relating to damages in respect of personal injuries and of death caused by such injuries, and abolished the action of indemnification.” The Education Act of 1976 also repealed part of the Education (Milk) Act 1971 “whereby local authorities were to charge for school milk.” The Bail Act of 1976 “created

4147-533: A vote of confidence which prevented the government's collapse and a general election from being called. In order to sustain the government, Labour formed the Lib–Lab pact in March 1977 and this remained in force for sixteen months. This minority government also managed to stay in power with unofficial deals with the Ulster Unionist Party and Scottish National Party . By September 1978, economic growth

4290-472: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom that sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum. In a broader sense, the party has been described as an alliance of social democrats , democratic socialists and trade unionists . It is the governing party of the United Kingdom , having won

4433-575: Is reasonable doubt as to the person’s ability to perform a particular job.” On the 5th of July 1978 a revised and simplified scheme designed to help severely disabled people with their travel-to-work costs was introduced. Increased allowances were paid to people going on employment rehabilitation courses, while under the MSC Special Programme for young people additional opportunities were provided at Employment Rehabilitation Centres for disabled young people. A Release for Training (RFT) scheme

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4576-421: Is those bodies without share-capital and controlled by a majority of their workers.” The Rent (Agriculture) Act of 1976 gave security of tenure to certain agricultural workers, ex-workers and their successors living in housing provided by farmers, and also laid duty on housing authorities to rehouse occupiers of ‘tied cottages’ when dwellings are needed to house incoming workers. The Legal Aid Act of 1974 raised

4719-439: The 1979 election and was replaced by Conservative Margaret Thatcher . The 1979 defeat marked the beginning of 18 years in opposition for the Labour Party, the longest in its history. According to historian Kenneth O. Morgan , the fall of Callaghan meant the passing of an old obsolete system, as well as the end of corporatism , Keynesian spending programmes , subsidised welfare payments, and labour union power. Following 1979

4862-422: The 1997 general election in a landslide victory with a parliamentary majority of 179; it was the largest ever Labour majority, and at the time the largest swing to a political party achieved since 1945 . Over the next decade, a wide range of progressive social reforms were enacted, with millions lifted out of poverty during Labour's time in office largely as a result of various tax and benefit reforms. Among

5005-472: The 2007 elections and, shortly after this, Blair resigned as Prime Minister and was replaced by the Chancellor , Gordon Brown . Brown coordinated the UK's response to the 2007–2008 financial crisis . Membership of the party also reached a low falling to 156,205 by the end of 2009: over 40 per cent of the 405,000 peak reached in 1997 and thought to be the lowest total since the party was founded. In

5148-411: The 2010 general election on 6 May that year, Labour with 29.0% of the vote won the second largest number of seats (258). The Conservatives with 36.5% of the vote won the largest number of seats (307), but no party had an overall majority , meaning that Labour could still remain in power if they managed to form a coalition with at least one smaller party. However, the Labour Party would have had to form

5291-649: The 2016 Brexit referendum . Many in the party were angered that Corbyn did not campaign strongly against Brexit; he had been only a "lukewarm" supporter of remaining in the European Union and refused to join David Cameron in campaigning for the Remain side . 21 members of the Shadow Cabinet resigned after the referendum. Corbyn lost a no-confidence vote among Labour MPs by 172–40, triggering

5434-524: The 2019 general election Corbyn announced that he would stand down as leader. Labour government, 1974%E2%80%931979 The Labour Party governed the United Kingdom from 1974 to 1979. During this period, Harold Wilson and James Callaghan were successively appointed as Prime Minister by Queen Elizabeth II . The end of the Callaghan ministry was presaged by the Winter of Discontent ,

5577-516: The 2019 general election , Labour campaigned on a manifesto widely considered the most radical in decades, more closely resembling Labour's politics of the 1970s than subsequent decades. These included plans to nationalise the country's biggest energy firms, the National Grid, the water industry, Royal Mail, the railways and the broadband arm of BT . The election saw Labour win its lowest number of seats since 1935. Following Labour's defeat in

5720-597: The 2024 general election , and is currently the largest political party by number of votes cast and number of seats in the House of Commons , followed in seat share by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats . There have been seven Labour prime ministers and fourteen Labour ministries . The party traditionally holds the annual Labour Party Conference during party conference season , at which senior Labour figures promote party policy. The Labour Party

5863-477: The Bail Act 1976 reformed bail conditions with courts having to explain refusal of bail. The Police Act 1976 set up a Police Complaints Board "to formalise the procedure for dealing with public complaints". The Education Act 1976 limited the taking up of independent and direct grant school places and required all local authorities who had failed to do so "to submit proposals for comprehensive schools", while

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6006-566: The Bank of England , coal mining, the steel industry, electricity, gas and inland transport (including railways, road haulage and canals). It developed and implemented the "cradle to grave" welfare state . It created the National Health Service (NHS), which gave publicly funded medical treatment for all. Nationalisation primarily affected weak and poorly managed industries, opening the hope that centralized planning would reverse

6149-546: The February 1974 general election , forming a minority government with the support of the Ulster Unionists . In a bid to gain a majority, Prime Minister Wilson soon called an election for October 1974 . Labour won a slim majority of three, gaining 18 seats taking its total to 319. In March 1974 Wilson was appointed prime minister for a second time ; he called a snap election in October 1974, which gave Labour

6292-537: The Health and Safety Executive retained full responsibility for fire safety in certain 'special' premises such as nuclear installations, coalmines and chemical plants, whereas responsibility for general fire precautions at places of work was transferred to local fire authorities. A number of new services and benefits for disabled people were also introduced. A Non-Contributory Invalidity Pension in lieu of ‘pocket money’ allowance for long-stay patients in mental hospitals

6435-676: The Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 extended local council responsibility "to provide accommodation for homeless people in their area," and instituted the right of homeless families to a permanent local council tenancy. In addition, efforts were made under the Environment Secretary Peter Shore to redistribute resources toward deprived urban areas. The Inner Urban Areas Act 1978 allowed local authorities to assist declining industrial areas and central government provided new subsidies to those inner city areas with

6578-549: The London County Council for the first time ever. In the 1935 election , Labour recovered to 8.0 million votes (38 percent), and Clement Attlee became Minority Leader. The Party now had 154 seats but had minimal influence in Parliament. At the local level union leaders, led by Ernest Bevin , successfully defeated Communist infiltration. In foreign policy a strong pacifist element made it slow to support

6721-481: The Open University created for adults. Wilson's first period as Prime Minister coincided with a period of relatively low unemployment and economic prosperity, it was however hindered by significant problems with a large trade deficit which it had inherited from the previous government. The first three years of the government were spent in an ultimately doomed attempt to stave off the continued devaluation of

6864-546: The Race Relations Act 1976 came into force in June 1977, making it unlawful for an employer to discriminate in recruitment or dismissal or in the treatment of existing employees in matters of promotion, transfer, training or other benefits on the grounds of nationality, race, colour, colour, or ethnic or national origins. A Commission for Racial Equality was established to work towards the elimination of discrimination

7007-537: The Renovation Grants scheme, provided increased levels of aid to housing associations (which emerged as a popular alternative to council housing for people seeking to rent a home), and extended the role of the Housing Corporation. The Rent Act 1974 extended security of tenure to tenants of furnished properties, and allowed access to rent tribunals. The Community Land Act 1975 allowed for

7150-486: The Second World War , Labour served in the wartime coalition , after which it won a majority in the 1945 election. Clement Attlee's government enacted extensive nationalisation and established the modern welfare state and National Health Service before losing power in 1951. Under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan , Labour again governed from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1979 . The party then entered

7293-549: The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in Northern Ireland, while still organising there. As of March 2024 , Labour has 366,604 registered members. The origins of what became the Labour Party emerged in the late 19th century. It represented the interests of the labour unions and more generally the growing urban working class. Hundreds of thousands of workers had recently gained voting rights by laws passed in 1867 and 1884 . Many different trade unions flourished in

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7436-666: The third and fourth Wilson ministry , and then the Callaghan ministry . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Following the February 1974 general election , no party had a majority of seats. The incumbent Conservative Party won the popular vote, but Labour took a plurality of seats. Edward Heath , the Conservative Prime Minister, attempted to negotiate a coalition agreement with the Liberal Party , but resigned as prime minister after failing to do so. The Labour Party , led by Harold Wilson , then established

7579-596: The 1922 Regulations, came into operation on in November 1974. These regulations raised the standard of guarding of the most dangerous machines. Improvements were made to mineworkers' pensions, while the Coal Mines (Respirable Dust) Regulations 1975 , which came into operation in October that year, were aimed at reducing the incidence of coal miners's pneumoconiosis . They prescribed permitted amounts of respirable dust at workplaces in coal mines as well as arrangements for

7722-416: The 1979 Credit Unions Act, the last piece of legislation passed by the Labour government, set up a legal structure for credit unions. The union strikes affected Britain during the Winter of Discontent (1978–1979) as public services ground to a halt. Furthermore, inflation was back in double digits. The House of Commons passed a vote of no confidence in late March 1979 , by one vote. That vote necessitated

7865-494: The 2015 general election, Miliband resigned as party leader and Harriet Harman again became interim leader. Labour held a leadership election in which Jeremy Corbyn , then a member of the Socialist Campaign Group , was considered a fringe candidate when the contest began, receiving nominations from just 36 MPs, one more than the minimum required to stand, and the support of just 16 MPs. The Labour Party saw

8008-413: The 9 members from various parties as was agreed in the original regional committee establishment motion of 12 November 2008, as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats refused to nominate any members as a sign of their opposition to the existence of regional committees. Source: Hansard - 14 December 2009 This article related to government in the United Kingdom or its constituent countries

8151-503: The Army. The party returned to power in May 1940, with about a third of the seats in the wartime coalition government under Churchill. Attlee was given a new position as Deputy Prime Minister . He was in charge of the cabinet when Churchill was absent, and handled domestic affairs, working closely with Bevin as Minister of Labour . The war set in motion profound demands for reform. This mood

8294-525: The British public in November 1977, when the Fire Brigades Union called its first national strike, in response to the government's refusal to grant firefighters a 30% pay rise. The strike lasted until after Christmas, and for its duration, Britain's fire services were operated by hastily trained army troops , whose Green Goddess vehicles dated from the 1950s and were considerably slower than

8437-423: The Conservative argument that traditional Labour was holding ambitious people back with higher tax policies. To present a fresh face and new policies to the electorate, New Labour needed more than fresh leaders; it had to jettison outdated policies, argued the modernisers. Calling on the slogan, " One Member, One Vote " Blair defeated the union element and ended block voting by leaders of labour unions. Blair and

8580-584: The Conservatives return to power, benefiting from the Zinoviev letter and the continuing collapse of the Liberal vote. The Labour share of the popular vote went up, but it lost seats. Above all the moderation of the Macdonald government put to rest the lingering fears that a Labour victory would produce a violent class war. In 1925–26, coal sales fell and the mining companies demanded an increase in hours and

8723-510: The Heath ministry), while the industrial relations legislation passed under Edward Heath was repealed. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 set up a Health and Safety Commission and Executive and a legal framework for health and safety at work. The Employment Protection Act 1975 set up the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Services (ACAS) to arbitrate in industrial disputes, enlarged

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8866-461: The House of Commons in the December 1910 general election. During World War I, the party experienced internal divisions over support for the war effort, but also saw one of its top leaders Arthur Henderson , serve in the powerful war cabinet. After the war, the party focused on building a strong constituency-based support network and adopted a comprehensive statement of policies titled "Labour and

9009-414: The House of Commons with 287 seats, but fell short of a majority, forming another minority government. In 1931, in response to the Great Depression , MacDonald formed a new government with Conservative and Liberal support, which led to his expulsion from the party. Labour was soundly defeated by his coalition in the 1931 election, winning only 52 seats, but began to recover in 1935, with 154 seats. During

9152-487: The Labour Party Constitution, with its commitment to nationalisation. Gaitskell led Labour to a third consecutive defeat at the 1959 general election despite the party appearing more united than it had been for some time. Gaitskell responded by attempting to remove Clause IV (the nationalisation clause) from the party constitution, but this was unsuccessful. Gaitskell died suddenly in 1963, and cleared

9295-638: The Labour Party found itself overwhelmed by the Conservative government led by a highly aggressive Margaret Thatcher . From the right she largely rejected the Post-war consensus on economic and social policies that had bipartisan support since the 1950s. At first Thatcher's economic reforms were doing poorly. Argentina's invasion of a British possession in the Falklands War in Spring 1982 transformed British politics. Thatcher's aggressive reaction produced

9438-416: The Labour Party in and out of Parliament and in turn party leaders opposed a national strike. The 1926 general strike failed after 9 days as the government plan devised by Winston Churchill proved highly effective in keeping the economy open while minimizing violence. In the long run, however, the episode tended to strengthen working class support for Labour, and it gained in the 1929 general election, forming

9581-481: The Labour Party was seen by the electorate as the party most likely to follow it through. With victory in Europe the coalition broke up in May 1945. The 1945 general election gave Labour a landslide victory, as they won 12 million votes (50% of the total) and 393 seats. The Labour government proved the most radical in British history. It presided over a policy of nationalising major industries and utilities including

9724-614: The New Social Order". In 1918, Clause IV was added to Labour's constitution, committing the party to work towards common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. Socialism was vaguely promised, but there was no effort made to draw up detailed plans on what that would mean or how it could be accomplished. The Representation of the People Act 1918 greatly expanded the electorate, enfranchising all men and most women. The party concentrated its appeal on

9867-399: The brainchild of the trade union leader Jack Jones ) was established, which according to Robert Taylor continues to provide "an impartial and impressive function in resolving disputes and encouraging good industrial relations practice." A Manpower Services Commission was set up to encourage a more active labour market policy to improve job placements and deal with unemployment. The Pay Board

10010-538: The cabinet most Labour members were vehemently opposed—they demanded new taxes on the rich instead. MacDonald gave up and on 23 August went to King George V and resigned the government. Unexpectedly the monarch insisted that the only patriotic solution was for MacDonald to stay and form an all-party "national government" with the Conservatives, which he did the next day. The Labour Party felt betrayed and expelled MacDonald and Snowden. The new National Government, 1931–1935 kept Macdonald and Snowden and two others, replacing

10153-731: The centre and has governed since 2024. Labour is the largest party in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), being the only party in the current Welsh government . The party won most Scottish seats in the 2024 general election. Labour is a member of the Party of European Socialists and the Progressive Alliance , and holds observer status in the Socialist International . The party includes semi-autonomous London , Scottish , Welsh and Northern Irish branches ; it supports

10296-417: The closure of unprofitable factories and coalmines. In March 1976, having just turned sixty years old, Wilson resigned as prime minister, ending his leadership of the Labour Party after thirteen years, and a total of nearly eight years as prime minister. He was replaced by James Callaghan , who had held senior government positions during both of Wilson's ministries, and had served as a Shadow Cabinet member in

10439-540: The continuing popularity of Blair, Labour went on to win the 2001 election with a similar majority, dubbed the "quiet landslide" by the media. In 2003 Labour introduced tax credits , government top-ups to the pay of low-wage workers. A perceived turning point was when Blair controversially allied himself with US President George W. Bush in supporting the Iraq War , which caused him to lose much of his political support. The UN Secretary-General , among many, considered

10582-665: The cost of thermal insulation of their dwellings, while under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations recognized trade unions were allowed to appoint safety representatives who would have certain rights and functions. As part of an extension in external consultation on the prevention of industrial accidents and occupationally induced diseases the Health and Safety Commission established three Industry Advisory Committees for construction, railways and oil and regulations were issued in March 1978 dealing with

10725-410: The decline. Iron and steel, however, were already well-run and nationalization was denounced and later reversed by the Conservatives. The economy was precarious during the age of austerity, as wartime restrictions and rationing continued, and the wartime bombing damage was slowly being rebuilt at great cost. The Treasury depended heavily on American money, especially the 1946 loan of $ 3.75 billion at

10868-489: The early 1960s. In 1976, Britain faced financial crisis. The Labour government was forced to apply to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a loan of nearly $ 4 billion. IMF negotiators insisted on deep cuts in public expenditure, greatly affecting economic and social policy. Within a year of Callaghan taking office, the narrow Labour majority was eliminated due to by-election defeats, prompting

11011-518: The early acts of Blair's government were the establishment of the national minimum wage , the devolution of power to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland , major changes to the regulation of the banking system and the re-creation of a citywide government body for London, the Greater London Authority , with its own elected- Mayor . Combined with a Conservative opposition that had yet to organise effectively under William Hague , and

11154-517: The economy away from financial services . He advocated for more regulation of banks and energy companies and often addressed the need to challenge vested interests and increase inclusivity in British society. He adopted the " One Nation Labour " branding in 2012. The Parliamentary Labour Party voted to abolish Shadow Cabinet elections in 2011, ratified by the National Executive Committee and Party Conference. Henceforth

11297-473: The fire engines of the 1970s, and the troops lacked the breathing equipment available to fire brigades. Well over 100 people died in fires during the strike, with the worst tragedy occurring in Wednesbury , where four children died in a house fire. The Training Opportunities Scheme , under which more than 90,000 people completed their training in 1976 and which catered mainly for people over 19 years old,

11440-566: The first time ever. This reform assisted women by linking pensions to the 'twenty best years' of earnings, and those who worked at home caring for children or others were counted as contributors. This scheme was reformed by the subsequent Thatcher ministry. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 gave women the right in principle to equal access to jobs and equal treatment at work with men, while the Employment Protection Act 1975 introduced Statutory Maternity Leave . That same year,

11583-447: The first time in over 30 years there was serious doubt among the public and the media as to whether Labour could ever return to government. Kinnock resigned as leader and was succeeded by John Smith . The damage to the economy on Black Wednesday in September 1992 undermined the Conservative reputation for superior economic competence. By December, Labour had a comfortable lead in the opinion polls. The recession ended in early 1993 and

11726-500: The formation of the first Labour government. The Conservatives called for high tariffs. Labour and Liberals both wanted free trade. Labour leader Ramsay MacDonald formed a minority government with Liberal support that lasted 10 months. The only domestic achievement was the Wheatley Housing Act , which expanded the large-scale public housing program that started in 1919 with support from all three major parties. MacDonald

11869-403: The government index-linked short-term benefits to the rate of inflation, while pensions and long-term benefits were tied to increases in prices or earnings, whichever was higher. In 1975, a State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) was introduced. A new pension, which was inflation-proofed and linked to earnings, was added to the basic pension which was to increase in line with earnings for

12012-432: The government introduced an Invalid Care Allowance , a Mobility Allowance , a Non-Contributory Invalidity Pension for those unable to contribute through national insurance, and other measures. To combat child poverty , legislation to create a universal Child Benefit was passed in 1975 (a reform later implemented by the Callaghan government). To raise the living standards of those dependent on national insurance benefits,

12155-426: The government's rearmament program. As the threat from Nazi Germany escalated, the Party gradually abandoned its pacifist stance and came to support re-armament, largely due to the efforts of Bevin and Hugh Dalton . By 1937 they had persuaded the Party to oppose Neville Chamberlain 's policy of appeasement of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy . However, as late as April 1939 the Party strongly opposed conscription for

12298-521: The grounds of religion and politics, and also established the Fair Employment Agency for Northern Ireland to promote equal job opportunity. The Supplementary Benefit (Amendment) Act of 1976 amended the amount of earnings and other income of the parent in a one-parent family to be disregarded in calculating resources for comparison with requirements, and also amended certain social security and other allowances for children. In August 1977

12441-523: The growing deficit. In an era before Keynesian economics , the strong consensus among experts was for the government to balance its budget. Spending was cut again and again but MacDonald and his Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Snowden argued that the only way to get an emergency loan from New York banks was to cut unemployment benefits by 10%. They pointed out that cost of food was down 15% and overall prices were down 10%. But in

12584-487: The hazard of inrushes of water or gas or material which flows when wet. In housing policy, a shift of emphasis in housing policy towards rehabilitation was evident in the further increase in the number of General Improvement Areas and the number of Housing Action Areas declared. An Act of March 1977 makes provision, for a limited period, for benefits to be paid from the age of 64 to workers who agree to retire in order to free jobs for young unemployed people, in response to

12727-403: The highly unpopular poll tax , combined with the fact that the economy was sliding into recession . Major replaced the poll tax but Kinnock energized Labour with the theme "It's Time for a Change", after more than a decade of unbroken Conservative rule. The 1992 general election gave Conservatives a victory with a much-reduced majority of 21. It was a deeply disappointing result for Labour. For

12870-570: The industrial districts. Their leaders used the Methodist revival tradition to find ways to rally the membership. Several small socialist organizations formed and wanted power based on the working class ; the most influential was the Fabian Society , which was made up of middle class reformers. Keir Hardie worked for cooperation among the unions and left-wing groups such as his small Independent Labour Party (ILP). The Labour Party

13013-514: The larger share of the popular vote. Its 13.9 million vote total was the highest ever. Most of its innovation were accepted by the Conservatives and Liberals and became part of the " post-war consensus " that lasted until the Thatcher era of the 1980s. Labour spent 13 years in opposition. It suffered an ideological split, between the left-wing followers of Aneurin Bevan (known as Bevanites ) and

13156-437: The leader of the leftist faction. Callaghan remained in parliament as an MP until 1987, having served in parliament for 42 years. Historians Alan Sked and Chris Cook have summarized the views of some historians regarding Labour in power in 1974–1979: If Wilson's record as Prime Minister was soon felt to have been one of failure, that sense of failure was powerfully reinforced by Callaghan's term as premier. Labour, it seemed,

13299-448: The leader of the modernisers, warned that the long-term weaknesses had to be reversed. He argued that the party was too locked into a base that was shrinking, since it was based on the working-class, on trade unions and on residents of subsidised council housing. Blair said that the rapidly growing middle class was largely ignored, as well as more ambitious working-class families. He argued that they aspired to become middle-class and accepted

13442-413: The leader of the party chose the Shadow Cabinet members. In March 2014, the party reformed internal election procedures, including replacing the electoral college system with " one member, one vote ". Mass membership was encouraged by creating a class of "registered supporters" as an alternative to full membership. Trade union members would also have to explicitly opt in rather than opt out of paying

13585-409: The leadership of Home Secretary Roy Jenkins such as the abolition of the death penalty ; the legalisation of abortion ; loosening restrictions on homosexuality , the abolition of theatre censorship , and legislation to outlaw racial discrimination The government put heavy emphasis on expanding opportunities through education: Comprehensive education was expanded at the secondary level and

13728-523: The left wing, reversed the highly controversial Manifesto proposals, expelled extremist factions like the Trotskyist Militant tendency , and began a process of modernization and acceptance of many Thatcherite innovations. In November 1990, Thatcher resigned and was succeeded by the less confrontational Thatcherite John Major . Opinion polls had shown Labour comfortably ahead of the Conservatives largely because of Thatcher's introduction of

13871-502: The local constituencies. The left was led by Michael Foot and Tony Benn . They were keen on radical proposals as presented in the 1983 manifesto entitled "The New Hope for Britain". It called for extensive nationalisation of industry, with heavily centralized economic planning, and many additional controls on business. It demanded unilateral nuclear disarmament and withdrawal from the European Community. Labour's manifesto

14014-401: The means of fixing rents for controlled or regulated tenancies, and also for tenancies of housing associations or housing trusts.” In October 1974, “Intermediate Treatment” (which included recreational, educational, or cultural activities to which children and young persons are directed in a Supervision Order) became available to juvenile courts in all areas of England and Wales. That same month,

14157-410: The modernisers called for radical adjustment of Party goals by repealing "Clause IV", the historic commitment to nationalisation of industry. This was achieved in 1995. Blair continued to move the party further to the centre, abandoning the largely symbolic Clause Four at the 1995 mini-conference in a strategy to increase the party's appeal to " middle England ". The political philosophy of New Labour

14300-426: The most problems, while the 1978 Finance Act introduced profit-sharing schemes. In April 1976, a Child Interim Benefit for single-parent families was introduced, followed by a universal Child Benefit scheme the following year. On the 3rd of April 1979 the number of hours that lone parents had to work to qualify for Family Income Supplement was reduced from 30 to 24 per week. The Callaghan Government also introduced

14443-433: The mother). However, child tax allowances were lowered, which had the effect of reducing the take-home pay of fathers. The impact of consumer price rises was also mitigated by higher income limits for free school meals, an increased milk subsidy, and a substantial reduction in the duty on petrol. In addition, electricity prices were lowered for families in receipt of supplementary benefits. The government came under fire from

14586-474: The new electorate with considerable success among working men, but far less success among women. As the Liberal Party collapsed, Labour became the official opposition to the Conservative government. Its support for the war effort demonstrated that the Labour Party was a patriotic and moderate force that solved problems and did not threaten class warfare. The 1923 election was a pivotal achievement with

14729-599: The packaging and labelling of some 800 dangerous chemicals commonly used at work and in the home. Improvements to the Mineworkers Sick Pay Scheme were also introduced from 1978, with improvement in the formula for calculating benefit improved and the period of 'waiting days' reduced from seven to three. The Home Purchase Assistance and Housing Corporation Guarantee Act 1978 gave help to first-time home buyers. The Consumer Safety Act 1978 protected consumers from purchasing potentially harmful goods, while

14872-630: The party or were suspended over antisemitism-related incidents. In 2018, internal divisions emerged over adopting the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism , with 68 rabbis criticising the leadership. The issue was cited by a number of MPs who left the party to set up Change UK . An investigation by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission found the party responsible for three Equality Act breaches, including harassment political interference in antisemitism complaints. During

15015-412: The pound. Labour went on to unexpectedly lose the 1970 general election to the Conservatives under Edward Heath . Labour in opposition kept Wilson as Leader. The 1970s proved a difficult time to be in government for both the Conservatives and Labour due to the 1973 oil crisis , which caused high inflation and a global recession. The Labour Party was returned to power again under Wilson a few days after

15158-645: The promotion of equality of opportunity, and good relations between persons of different racial groups. In Scotland, the Community Service by Offenders Act 1978 introduced provisions whereby offenders might, under certain circumstances, be ordered by courts to undertake community work as an alternative to a prison sentence. This legislation brought Scotland in line with England and Wales where similar provisions already apply. The Mines (Precautions Against Inrushes) Regulations 1979 applied to all types of mines and made provision for measures to be taken against

15301-513: The qualifying hours for part-time work, thereby entitling large numbers of part-time workers to the same rights and job security as full-time workers. Also in February, employees became entitled to receive guarantee payments from their employers when laid off or on short time, while in April sections of the 1975 Employment Act were activated giving employees the right to paid time off work in order to perform certain public duties. The main provisions of

15444-458: The rest of the Laborites with Conservatives. The 1931 election took place on 27 October. Labour had 6.3 million votes (31 percent), down from 8.0 million and 37 percent in 1929. Nevertheless, it was reduced to a helpless minority of only 52 members, chiefly from coal mining districts. The old leadership was gone. One bright note came in 1934 when Herbert Morrison led Labour to take control of

15587-531: The right-wing following Hugh Gaitskell (known as Gaitskellites ). The economy recovered as Conservatives hung together and chanted, "You Never Had It So Good.". The ageing Attlee contested the general election in 1955 , which saw Labour lose ground; he retired and was replaced by Gaitskell. Internal squabbling now focused on the issues of nuclear disarmament , Britain's entry into the European Economic Community (EEC), and Clause IV of

15730-400: The rights of employees and trade unions, extended the redundancy payments scheme, and provided redress against unfair dismissal. The legislation also provided for paid maternity leave and outlawed dismissal for pregnancy. The Act also obliged employers to pay their workers a minimum guaranteed payment "if they are laid off through no fault of their own." The Social Security Act 1975 introduced

15873-484: The rights of tenants. In March 1974, an additional £2 billion was announced for benefits, food subsidies, and housing subsidies, including a record 25% increase in the state pension. Council house rents were also frozen. Council house building continued on a substantial scale, although there was now a greater emphasis on modernising older properties rather than replacing them with new ones. That year, national insurance benefits were increased by 13%, which brought pensions as

16016-477: The rise of youth unemployment. A number of other improvements were introduced in 1977, with Attendance Allowances extended to cover disabled foster children and non-contributory disablement pensions extended to married women whose invalidity prevented them from carrying out their household tasks. In January 1977, regulations were issued which brought about a change in the administration of legislation governing fire precautions at places of work. Under these regulations

16159-642: The role of leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). The Labour Party's first national conference in Belfast in 1907 helped shape many of its key policies. Never fully resolved was the puzzle of where the final decisions ought to lie—in the annual conference? the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP)? The local chapters? The Trade Union Congress (which brought together the heads of most unions)? The conference created

16302-572: The suppression and continuous sampling of dust, and they include a scheme for the medical supervision of workers at risk. The Protection of Eyes Regulations 1974 and 1975, replacing the 1938 Regulations, extended protection to those employed on construction sites as well as in factories. In addition, the Policyholders Protection Act 1975 introduced safeguards for customers of failed insurance companies. Wilson's successor Callaghan, together with his ministers, also introduced

16445-495: The taking into public control of development land, while the Child Benefits Act 1975 introduced an extra payment for single parents. A Resource Allocation Working Party was also set up to produce a formula for a more equitable distribution of healthcare expenditure. Anthony Crosland , while serving as a minister during Wilson's second ministry, made a decision to reform the level of Rate Support Grant , introducing

16588-496: The upper disposable income limit for eligibility for civil legal aid. In June 1975, the government issued the first series of National Savings Retirement Certificates. The Prevention from Eviction Act 1977 “made it an offence unlawfully to evict (or to attempt to do so) any resident occupant, or to enforce the right to repossession other than through the courts. It laid down restrictions on the validity of notices to quit.” The Rent Act 1977, which applied to England and Wales, “laid down

16731-575: The vote, its greatest share since 2001 and the biggest increase in vote share in a single general election since 1945 . The party gained a net 30 seats with the Conservatives losing their overall majority. From 2016, the Labour Party faced criticism for failing to deal with antisemitism . Criticism was also levelled at Corbyn. The Chakrabarti Inquiry cleared the party of widespread antisemitism but identified an "occasionally toxic atmosphere". High-profile party members, including Ken Livingstone , Peter Willsman < and Chris Williamson , left

16874-487: The wage stop was finally abolished. In addition, differentials between skilled and unskilled workers were narrowed as a result of egalitarian pay policies involving flat-rate increases. The Social Security Pensions Act 1975 provided for equal access by men and women to employers' pension schemes and also included a home responsibilities provision ensuring that parents and those looking after elderly dependents could retain their pension rights in spite of employment breaks. As

17017-583: The war illegal and a violation of the UN Charter . The Iraq War was deeply unpopular in most western countries, with Western governments divided in their support and under pressure from worldwide popular protests . The decisions that led up to the Iraq war and its subsequent conduct were the subject of the Iraq Inquiry . In the 2005 general election , Labour was re-elected for a third term, but with

17160-446: The way for Harold Wilson to lead the party. A downturn in the economy and a series of scandals in the early 1960s had engulfed the Conservative government by 1963. The Labour Party returned to government with a 4-seat majority under Wilson in the 1964 general election but a landslide increased its majority to 96 in the 1966 general election . Labour was responsible for a number of sweeping social and cultural reforms mostly under

17303-621: The “10 Christmas bonus “was extended to include widows, the chronically sick, and the disabled, where these people were already receiving social security benefits.” In February 1975 the Supplementary Benefits Commission “introduced certain changes in the payment of rents in line with the recommendations of the Finer Report on One-Parent Families.” Circular 4/74 (1974) renewed pressure for moves towards comprehensive education (progress of which had stalled under

17446-450: Was a continuation of the trend that had begun under the leadership of Neil Kinnock . New Labour as a name has no official status, but remains in common use to distinguish modernisers from those holding to more traditional positions, normally referred to as "Old Labour". New Labour is a party of ideas and ideals but not of outdated ideology. What counts is what works. The objectives are radical. The means will be modern. The Labour Party won

17589-410: Was a repudiation of the Post-war consensus from the left. It alienated so many moderates, skilled workers and the general public that it was ridiculed as the " longest suicide note in history ." Some top leaders quit the Labour Party and formed a new Social Democratic Party , but it could not survive. After Labour's massive defeat in the 1983 General Election , Neil Kinnock replaced Foot. He defeated

17732-612: Was abolished, while the Price Commission was provided with greater powers to control and delay price increases. In addition, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 prohibited employers from discriminating against ex-offenders where offences were minor and committed a long time ago, and the Housing Rents and Subsidies Act 1975 gave power over rents back to local authorities. To help those with disabilities,

17875-410: Was carried out, and a scheme of grants was made to employers “towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment made to enable disabled individuals to obtain, or retain, employment.” The 4th of July 1977 saw the inception of an experimental Job Introduction Scheme “to provide financial assistance enabling certain disabled people to undertake a trial period of employment with an employer, where there

18018-539: Was carried out. £12.1 million was paid to the Rowntree Trust Family Fund for disabled children, while the terms of reference of the Rowntree Trust Family Fund were extended to include all severely disabled children. Limited right of appeal on diagnosis of pneumoconiosis was also introduced. Audiology services were developed, Hearing Therapists were introduced, and the Blind Person’s tax allowance

18161-465: Was epitomised in the Beveridge Report of 1942, by the Liberal economist William Beveridge . The Report assumed that the maintenance of full employment would be the aim of post-war governments, and that this would provide the basis for the welfare state . Immediately upon its release, it sold hundreds of thousands of copies. All major parties committed themselves to fulfilling this aim, but

18304-451: Was extended during 1977 to include provisions for training persons for self-employment. In addition, technician training was extended and the network of skillcentres continued to expand. In August 1977, a scheme for voluntary early retirement was introduced in the coal industry for men aged 62+ with at least twenty years of underground service, with weekly payments up to normal pensionable age. In January 1977, unions became authorized to lodge

18447-538: Was firmly re-established and inflation was below 10%, although unemployment now stood at a post-war high of 1.5 million. With most of the opinion polls showing a clear Labour lead, it was widely expected that Callaghan would call a general election that autumn, despite having another year to do so, in order to gain a majority and give his government the chance of surviving in office until 1983. However, he resisted these calls and Britain began 1979 with Labour still in power and Callaghan still in charge, but his failure to call

18590-403: Was followed by a sharp fall in unemployment, together with sustained economic growth. Nevertheless, the Labour lead in the polls remained strong. Smith died suddenly in May 1994, and Tony Blair became leader. Once again the battle resumed between the old guard on the left and the younger "modernisers". The old guard argued that they were regaining strength under Smith's strong leadership. Blair,

18733-689: Was formed by unions and left-wing groups to create a distinct political voice for the working class in Britain. In 1900 the Trades Union Congress (TUC), an umbrella body for most unions, sponsored a national conference to unite into a single party that would sponsor candidates for the House of Commons. The conference created the Labour Representation Committee (LRC), as a coalition of separate groups with Ramsay MacDonald as secretary. The fearsome issue for labour

18876-479: Was founded in 1900, having emerged from the trade union movement and socialist parties of the 19th century . It was electorally weak before the First World War , but in the early 1920s overtook the Liberal Party to become the main opposition to the Conservative Party , and briefly formed a minority government under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924. In 1929, Labour for the first time became the largest party in

19019-594: Was incapable of positive achievements. It was unable to control inflation, unable to control the unions, unable to solve the Irish problem, unable to solve the Rhodesian question, unable to secure its proposals for Welsh and Scottish devolution, unable to reach a popular modus vivendi with the Common Market, unable even to maintain itself in power until it could go to the country and the date of its own choosing. It

19162-422: Was increased. Improvements were made to the wheel-chair service, while further parking concessions were made for all ‘Orange Badge’ holders. In addition, the ‘Orange Badge’ scheme was extended to include the blind, and concessions to ‘Orange Badge’ holders at most tolled crossings were introduced. The petrol allowance was also restored and doubled for drivers of government-supplied invalid vehicles. Another measure

19305-428: Was influenced by the party's development of Anthony Giddens ' Third Way which attempted to provide a synthesis between capitalism and socialism . New Labour was first termed as an alternative branding for the Labour Party, dating from a conference slogan first used by the Labour Party in 1994, which was later seen in a draft manifesto published by the party in 1996, called New Labour, New Life For Britain . It

19448-1076: Was introduced for disabled people already in employment “but experiencing problems which can only be resolved by a period of intensive training.” District Handicap Teams were set up, the War Pensioners’ visiting scheme was extended, and zero rating of VAT was introduced “on aids and appliances for disabled people and also on medical equipment for donation to a hospital for the purpose of treatment or research.” New arrangements were introduced for dental treatment of disabled patients, and special concessionary TV license arrangements were extended for people in old people’s homes. The Safety Representatives and Committees Regulations of 1977 made provision for recognised trade unions to appoint health and safety representatives "and gave such representatives rights to representation and consultation on health and safety as well as rights to access to training and facilities to support them in undertaking these tasks." The Homes Insulation Act 1978 provided for grants to occupiers towards

19591-785: Was introduced. The therapeutic earnings limit for recipients of Invalidity Pension, Non-Contributory Invalidity Pension and Unemployability Supplement was raised while the Private Car Maintenance Allowance for War Pensioners was increased. From the 29th of August 1977, Attendance Allowance became payable to foster parents of disabled children, and was also extended to kidney patients dialysing at home. Industrial injury provisions for occupational deafness were introduced, and viral hepatitis and Vinyl Chloride Monomer induced diseases were prescribed as industrial diseases. Easing of conditions for entitlement to industrial death benefit in certain cases of death from pulmonary disease

19734-492: Was little wonder, therefore, that Mrs. Thatcher resoundingly defeated it in 1979. However, Alan Bailey in his 2013 article for the IPPR Progressive Policy Think Tank entitled: "Not all 'the bad old days': Revisiting Labour's 1970s industrial strategy" gives an alternative reading. The 'industrial strategy' of the 1974-79 Labour government has had a bad press. It is remembered, if at all, as

19877-572: Was much more successful in foreign policy. He helped end the impasse over German payment of reparations by enlisting Washington to launch the Dawes Plan. Much more controversial was his decision to recognize the Soviet Union. That ignited an anti-Communist backlash that exploded four days before the 1924 election in the fake Zinoviev Letter in which Kremlin supposedly called for revolutionary uprising by British workers. The 1924 election saw

20020-484: Was re-established by 1976—although inflation, which had run into double digits before Labour came to power, was now above 20%. It would remain high for the rest of this ministry, rarely falling below 10%. Unemployment was now well in excess of 1,000,000 people, whereas it had been less than 600,000 at the start of the decade. This was the result of the economic decline, as well as advancing engineering techniques which required fewer personnel, along with other factors including

20163-486: Was the 1901 Taff Vale legal decision which made most strikes illegal; the urgent goal was to get Parliament to reverse it. The LRC cut a secret deal with the Liberal Party : they would not compete against each other in the 1906 general election . Voters gave the Liberals a landslide with 397 seats out of 664; the new LRC won 29 seats. The LRC renamed itself "The Labour Party", with veteran MP Keir Hardie narrowly winning

20306-411: Was the extension of exemption from Road Tax (vehicle excise duty) to Mobility Allowance beneficiaries or their nominees. Concessionary fares for disabled people were introduced, along with a discretionary allowance of up to £160 to disabled students whose disability led to additional expenses in connection with their studies. Improved provision for the needs of disabled people in educational establishments

20449-673: Was to keep the Empire in business. Under Ernest Bevin 's leadership, London pushed Washington into an anti-Communist coalition that launched the Cold War in 1947 and established the NATO military alliance against the USSR in 1949. Furthermore, independent of Washington London committed large sums to developing a secret nuclear weapons programme . In the 1951 general election , Labour narrowly lost to Churchill's Conservatives, despite receiving

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