ska invita
back on the other side
Curious to hear what people make of the record of Labour when in power during the 70s. Before my conscious time and have never read up on LP history
The "winter of discontent" was ace. The Labour government wasn't so keen mind
Callaghan was the first monetarist PM. His autobiography is worth reading.Curious to hear what people make of the record of Labour when in power during the 70s. Before my conscious time and have never read up on LP history
I used to work for the son of one of Healey's cabinet colleagues. When I asked him about the IMF deal he got genuinely huffy and said "all that money was paid back in six months".When the lights went out by Andy Beckett is a pretty good read on the 1970s in general, whether you were there (I was, but aged 6-16) or not.
There’s a particularly good bit documenting the lies that were told to Healey (who believed them) by the IMF.
The Red Pepper piece is interesting but obviously (and understandably) is left-leaning. Overall I suspect that the picture of the strike-ridden, inflation-ridden 70s has been massively exaggerated to suit right-wing agendas.
You could argue that on their own terms the 74-79 government did relatively well, and that it was the 64-70 lot who were the real travesty, and who had no excuse really.It's broad brush approach means that it also ends up giving Heath credit - not to mind letting labour off the hook and not relating any of it to wider changes in capital globally.
edit: that 74-79 govt has to be directly related back to the anti-w/c moves of the 64/66-70 labour govt and it's fights with the w/c+unions as well. They were still fighting battles they considered unfinished.
I dont think thats going to happenCallaghan was the first monetarist PM. His autobiography is worth reading.
Thats what i wonder - how much of the damage was already done and Labour came in to pick up the pieces?You could argue that on their own terms the 74-79 government did relatively well, and that it was the 64-70 lot who were the real travesty, and who had no excuse really.
I think the first lot helped to significantly narrow what those terms might be.You could argue that on their own terms the 74-79 government did relatively well, and that it was the 64-70 lot who were the real travesty, and who had no excuse really.
29 and a half million days lost to strikes... what's not to like?Not sure I would describe it as 'ace', the extra days off school were nice, but the rest of it was shit.
29 and a half million days lost to strikes... what's not to like?
I remember the 70s well. One thing that stands out is how much better dressed the kids at my primary school, which was in a poor area, were when I left school. Fewer kids with plimsolls for shoes and NHS specs mended with Sellotape.
The strikes I remember well actually took place during the Heath government. This was the miners' strike and the three day week. My main memory is of going to Guides in the church hall down the road in candlelight. We thought it was fun, though I bet a lot of people didn't!
Oddly, I don't remember the Winter of Discontent even though I was not far off leaving school and I wanted to work in the NHS. I think its effect have probably been exaggerated by the right.
I read somewhere recently that the mid-70s were the time when we had the most equal society. It was really normal and not looked down on to live in a council house. I honestly never saw people sleeping on the street until I went to New York in 1987.
I don't remember inflation but then I was basically a child so wouldn't have been concerned with shopping and bills. I do remember going on holiday to France and noticing how expensive it was.
I'd second planetgeli's recommendation of Andy Beckett's book.
The Red Pepper piece is interesting but obviously (and understandably) is left-leaning. Overall I suspect that the picture of the strike-ridden, inflation-ridden 70s has been massively exaggerated to suit right-wing agendas.
I was married with a child in 1975, and struggling hard to make ends meet under Wilson then Callaghan.
Prospered.God knows what you did under Thatcher then.
Lucky you.Prospered.
I dont think thats going to happen
Thats what i wonder - how much of the damage was already done and Labour came in to pick up the pieces?
I do remember reading about Tony Benns drive to set up co-ops in this era. In the most high profile cases co-ops took over failing/failed businesses (Meriden-Triumph car/bikes and a Scottish Newspaper). Nut surprisingly they failed again quickly - the businesses were already bust. This set back the UK co-op movement to this day arguably. Co-ops were also encouraged by local councils, and some funds were available, but there was a lack of support and education to go with it, or so Ive read. Anyhow the point is if the base conditions are set for failure its hard to make a success of them just because you have some version of socialism taking over.
If Brexit tanks the economy and Corbyn gets in power at that point history could yet repeat itself on this level.
Also more generally were Labour bereft of good ideas? Were they going through the motions? Out of date thinking for the times?
nCurious to hear what people make of the record of Labour when in power during the 70s. Before my conscious time and have never read up on LP history
Still to the left of auld corbyn mindCallaghan was the first monetarist PM. His autobiography is worth reading.