Making of Modern Britain 1880-1951 - labour reforms (background)

1. Making of Modern Britain
Labour
Reforms -
background

2. In today’s class, I am learning to:
• Describe events surrounding the
1945-1951 Labour Reforms
• Describe what is meant by the
‘welfare state’
Labour Reforms - background

3. In 1945 the Labour Party took charge of Britain’s
government. They introduced a series of social
reforms aimed at tackling poverty and hardship.
Labour Reforms - background

4. During World War Two,
Britain was controlled by a
National Government.
This was a form of
government that included
people from all political
parties, and it was led
(from 1940 onwards) by
Prime Minister Winston
Churchill.
Labour Reforms - background

5. The war in Europe came to
an end in May 1945
(although fighting sill
continued in Japan until
August 1945).
In July 1945, elections
were held to choose a new
UK government. Churchill’s
Conservatives were
expected to win.
Labour Reforms - background

6. The results of the election
shocked people across the
country.
The Labour Party – led by
Clement Attlee – won a
huge victory, with a
majority of 145 seats. This
was the first time that
Labour had won a majority
of seats.
Labour Reforms - background

7. Labour’s 1945 election
victory was a surprise
because Winston Churchill
was credited with leading
the country to war victory.
It was therefore expected
that most voters would
back Churchill and the
Conservatives, letting
them lead the government.
Labour Reforms - background

8. Instead most voters backed
Labour to introduce social
and economic reforms that
would improve their lives.
Labour’s plans were largely
driven by the issues and
ideas identified in the 1942
Beveridge Report, which
identified Five Giants the
country had to fix.
Labour Reforms - background

9. Labour therefore
introduced plans to
improve health, increase
state benefits, change
education and build more
houses too.
This included reforms like a
National Health Service
and creating new towns
across Britain.
Labour Reforms - background

10. Labour’s actions created a
welfare state in Britain.
This is where the
government plays an
active role in people’s lives,
providing services and
money to support them.
Opinion is often divided on
this being good or bad.
Labour Reforms - background

11. Labour’s policies faced
problems, including
opposition to some of their
plans based on cost.
Britain faced huge
economic problems after
the war, and needed to
borrow money from the
USA (known as the
Marshall Plan).
Labour Reforms - background

12. In 1950 another general
election was held.
Labour again won but this
time with a majority of
only five seats.
Another election was held
in 1951, this time won by
the Conservatives, led by
Winston Churchill.
Labour Reforms - background