Labour government, 1964–1970: Difference between revisions

First Wilson Ministry
First Wilson Ministry
; 81st Cabinet of the United Kingdom
1964 − 1970
	File:Harold Wilson Number 10 official.jpg
Date formed	16 October 1964
Date dissolved	19 June 1970
People and organisations
Head of state	Queen Elizabeth II
Head of government	Harold Wilson
Member party	Labour Party
Status in legislature	Majority
Opposition party	Conservative Party
Opposition leader	Sir Alec Douglas-Home (until 28 July 1965); Edward Heath (from 28 July 1965)
History
Elections	1964 general election; 1966 general election
Outgoing election	1970 general election
Predecessor	Douglas-Home Ministry
Successor	Heath Ministry

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Revision as of 21:28, 14 June 2015

Harold Wilson became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 16 October 1964, and formed the First Wilson Ministry 1964-1970. For Wilson's second ministry, see Labour Government 1974–79.

Formation

The Labour Party had won the 1964 general election by a majority of 4 seats. The Profumo affair had seriously damaged the previous Conservative government, meaning Alec Douglas-Home's Premiership lasted only 363 days. Wilson's tiny majority led to impotency during this Parliament, and in 1966 another election was called, leading to a majority of 96 and the continuation of the Wilson government.

Domestic issues

Social issues

A number of liberalising social reforms were passed through parliament during Wilson's first period in government. These included the abolition of capital punishment, decriminalisation of sex between men in private, liberalisation of abortion law and the abolition of theatre censorship. The Divorce Reform Act 1969 was passed by Parliament (and came into effect in 1971). Such reforms were mostly via private member's bills on 'free votes' in line with established convention, but the large Labour majority after 1966 was undoubtedly more open to such changes than previous parliaments had been.

Wilson personally, coming culturally from a provincial non-conformist background, showed no particular enthusiasm for much of this agenda (which some linked to the "permissive society"),^[1] but the reforming climate was especially encouraged by Roy Jenkins during his period at the Home Office. The franchise was also extended with the reduction of the voting age from twenty-one to eighteen in 1969.^[2]

Wilson's 1966–70 term witnessed growing public concern over the level of immigration to the United Kingdom. The issue was dramatised at the political level by the famous "Rivers of Blood speech" by the Conservative politician Enoch Powell, warning against the dangers of immigration, which led to Powell's dismissal from the Shadow Cabinet. Wilson's government adopted a two-track approach. While condemning racial discrimination (and adopting legislation to make it a legal offence), Wilson's Home Secretary James Callaghan introduced significant new restrictions on the right of immigration to the United Kingdom.

Education

Education held special significance for a socialist of Wilson's generation, in view of its role in both opening up opportunities for children from working-class backgrounds and enabling Britain to seize the potential benefits of scientific advances. Under the first Wilson government, for the first time in British history, more money was allocated to education than to defence.^[3] Wilson continued the rapid creation of new universities, in line with the recommendations of the Robbins Report, a bipartisan policy already in train when Labour took power. The economic difficulties of the period deprived the tertiary system of the resources it needed. Nevertheless, university expansion remained a core policy. One notable effect was the first entry of women into university education in significant numbers. More broadly, higher education overall was significantly expanded, with a distinct bias towards the non-university sector.^[4] During Wilson’s time in office from 1964-1970, some 30 polytechnics were set up to provide vocationally-oriented courses that were not fully provided by universities.^[5] In addition, student participation rates were increased from 5% to 10%.^[6] Within a year of taking office, the government awarded teachers a 13% pay increase, and also tripled spending on a large publicity campaign to persuade married teachers to return to the schools. Expenditure on school buildings was also increased, together with the number of teachers in training.^[7]

Wilson also deserves credit for grasping the concept of an Open University, to give adults who had missed out on tertiary education a second chance through part-time study and distance learning. His political commitment included assigning implementation responsibility to Baroness Lee, the widow of Aneurin Bevan, the charismatic leader of Labour's left wing whom Wilson had joined in resigning from the Attlee cabinet. The Open University worked through summer schools, postal tuition and television programmes.^[8] By 1981, 45,000 students had received degrees through the Open University.^[8] Money was also channelled into local-authority run colleges of education.^[9]

Wilson's record on secondary education is, by contrast, highly controversial. A fuller description is in the article Education in England. Two factors played a role. Following the Education Act 1944 there was disaffection with the tripartite system of academically oriented Grammar schools for a small proportion of "gifted" children, and Technical and Secondary Modern schools for the majority of children. Pressure grew for the abolition of the selective principle underlying the "eleven plus", and replacement with Comprehensive schools which would serve the full range of children (see the article Debates on the grammar school). Comprehensive education became Labour Party policy. From 1966 to 1970, the proportion of children in comprehensive schools increased from about 10% to over 30%.^[10] There was also a move in primary schools towards "child-centred" or individual learning, in keeping with the recommendations of the 1967 Plowden Report on improving the education system.^[11] Polytechnics were established in 1965 through the amalgamation of existing institutions such as colleges of technology, art, and commerce. A new external examination, designed for children of middling intellectual ability and leading to a Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE), was also introduced that same year. Advanced level courses in further education were also expanded by the government much faster than under the previous Conservative government.^[12]

Labour pressed local authorities to convert grammar schools into comprehensives. Conversion continued on a large scale during the subsequent Conservative Heath administration, although the Secretary of State, Margaret Thatcher, ended the compulsion of local governments to convert.

A major controversy that arose during Wilson's first government was the decision that the government could not fulfill its long-held promise to raise the school leaving age to 16, because of the investment required in infrastructure, such as extra classrooms and teachers. Baroness Lee considered resigning in protest, but narrowly decided against this in the interests of party unity. It was left to Thatcher to carry out the change, during the Heath government.

Attempts were also made to improve the provision of nursery education. In 1960, as a means of saving money, the Conservative government issued a circular which forbade the expansion of nursery education. This restriction was slightly relaxed just before the July 1964 election, when authorities were allowed to provide places "where this would enable married women to return to teaching." In 1965, the Labour government provided a further relaxation which allowed authorities to expand "so long as they provided some extra places for teachers to whom priority was to be given." Nevertheless, the number of children under five in maintained nursery, primary, and special schools increased only slightly, from 222,000 in 1965 to 239,000 in 1969.^[12]

Overall, public expenditure on education rose as a proportion of GNP from 4.8% in 1964 to 5.9% in 1968, and the number of teachers in training increased by more than a third between 1964 and 1967.^[13] The percentage of students staying on at school after the age of sixteen increased similarly, and the student population increased by over 10% each year. Pupil-teacher ratios were also steadily reduced. As a result of the first Wilson government's educational policies, opportunities for working-class children were improved, while overall access to education in 1970 was broader than in 1964.^[4] As summarised by Brian Lapping:

The years 1964–70 were largely taken up with creating extra places in universities, polytechnics, technical colleges, colleges of education: preparing for the day when a new Act would make it the right of a student, on leaving school, to have a place in an institution of further education.^[14]

Housing

Housing was a major policy area under the first Wilson government. During Wilson's time in office from 1964 to 1970, more new houses were built than in the last six years of the previous Conservative government. Within a year of the First Wilson Government assuming office, the amount of money available to local authorities at special favourable rates of interest was doubled from £50,000 to £100,000.^[15] The proportion of council housing rose from 42% to 50% of the total,^[16] while the number of council homes built increased steadily, from 119,000 in 1964 to 133,000 in 1965 and to 142,000 in 1966. Allowing for demolitions, 1.3 million new homes were built between 1965 and 1970,^[8] To encourage home ownership, the government introduced the Option Mortgage Scheme (1968), which made low-income housebuyers eligible for subsidies (equivalent to tax relief on mortgage interest payments).^[17] This scheme had the effect of reducing housing costs for buyers on low incomes^[18] and enabling more people to become owner occupiers.^[19] In addition, house owners were exempted from capital gains tax. Together with the Option Mortgage Scheme, this measure stimulated the private housing market.^[20] To improve conditions for homeless people, a joint circular of the Ministry of Health, Home Office, and Ministry of Local Government of 1966 recommended that families “ought not to be spilt at reception centres, and that more family privacy was desirable.” According to one study, the “great majority” of local authorities incorporated these suggestions into their policies.”^[21]

The government also accepted most of the recommendations of the 1961 Parker Morris Report for significantly improved standards of space and amenities new local authority dwellings.^[12] The first Wilson government made Parker Morris recommendations mandatory for public sector housing in new towns in 1967 and for local authorities in 1969.^[22] By 1967, almost 85% of council dwellings were being built to the standards laid out by the 1961 Parker Morris Report, and from January 1969 Parker Morris space and heating standards became mandatory.^[23] in public housing design.^[24] In 1965, a national framework of uniform building regulations was introduced.^[25]

Significant emphasis was also placed on town planning, with new conservation areas introduced and a new generation of new towns built, notably Milton Keynes. The New Towns Acts of 1965 and 1968 together gave the government the authority (through its ministries) to designate any area of land as a site for a New Town.^[26] The government also combined its push for the construction of more new housing with encouragement and subsidisation of the renovation of old houses (as an alternative to their destruction and replacement).^[27] The Housing Improvement Act 1969, for example, made it easier to turn old houses into new homes by encouraging rehabilitation and modernisation through increased grants to property owners.^[26] The Act sought to place the economics of housing improvement in a much better relationship to those of redevelopment. Under the Act, local authorities were provided with powers to designate "improvement areas" and to pursue a policy of area-wide improvement. An area could be declared an improvement area if 50% or more of the dwellings within its bounds lacked at least one of the following standard amenities, which included hot and cold running water, an inside toilet, a sink, a wash basin, and a fixed bath or shower. Local authorities in the area could encourage householders in the area to improve their dwellings with the aid of grants. The legislation also introduced major financial changes, including an increase in the normal total standard grant from £155 to £200, an increase from £400 to £1000 in the maximum improvement grant that might be given at the discretion of the local authority, and a new Exchequer grant to local authorities of 50% of the expense for environmental improvement on costs of up to £100 per dwelling in newly designated improvement areas.^[28] The legislation introduced special grants for installing amenities in houses in multi-occupation and government grants towards environmental improvement up to an expenditure of £100 per dwelling, while approved works of repair and replacement became eligible for grant aid for the first time ever.^[29] Altogether, between 1965 and 1970, over 2 million homes had been constructed (almost half of which were council properties), more than in any other five-year period since 1918.^[30]

The Protection from Eviction Act 1964 outlawed the eviction of tenants without a court order,^[31] and according to Colin Crouch and Martin Wolf, did much "to stem the rising tide of homelessness," especially in London.^[12] The Rent Act 1965 extended security of tenure, introduced registration of rents, and protection from eviction for private tenants,^[31] making illegal the harassment of tenants.^[32] This legislation was attributed to fall in number of homeless families taken into welfare accommodation each year in the LCC area, from 2,000 in 1962–64 to 1,300 in 1965 and 1,500 in 1966.^[12] The Leasehold Reform Act 1967 was passed in order to enable holders of long leases to purchase the freehold of their homes.^[16] This legislation provided about one million leaseholders with the right to purchase the freehold of their homes. Controls were introduced over increases in the rents of council accommodation, a new Rent Act 1965 froze the rent for most unfurnished accommodation in the private sector while providing tenants with greater security of tenure and protection against harassment, and a system was introduced whereby independent arbitrators had the power to fix fair rents.^[33] In addition, the First Wilson government encouraged the introduction of discretionary local authority rent rebates to assist with housing costs,^[34] and also initiated the possibility of paying rates by instalments.^[35] In November 1969, legislation was passed by the government limiting rent rises following anti-eviction protests.^[36]

Generous new subsides were introduced by the government to encourage authorities to construct many more houses and to build them to Parker Morris standards. In 1967, the government issued a circular which urged authorities to adopt and publicise rent rebate schemes. As a result of this circular, the number of authorities adopting such schemes rose from 40% before the circular to 53% by March 1968. About 70% of tenants were covered, though not necessarily in receipt of rebates:

"... 495 authorities operated rent rebate schemes, and the £9.5 million total rebate went to over a quarter of a million tenants, representing nearly 12 per cent of the total housing stock. The average rebate, 13s 9d, amounted to one third of the average rent."^[12]

Legislation was introduced which regulated tenancies for properties with a rateable value of up to £200 per year (£400 in London), which meant that tenants were not only to be protected from intimidation, but that evictions would now require court orders. It also restructured the housing subsidy system such that the borrowing charges of local authorities of individual local authorities would be pegged to 4% interest.^[26] The Rating Act 1966 introduced the rating of empty properties and provided for the payment of rates in instalments. The Local Government Act 1966 introduced a "domestic" element in the new Rate Support Grant, by providing relief to domestic ratepayers on a rising scale, so that as local expenditure rose, government grant was geared to outpace it. As noted by one historian,

"The amount of grant in the domestic element would be calculated as sufficient to subsidise domestic ratepayers to the extent of a fivepenny rate in the first year, tenpence in the second, and so on."^[37]

The Housing (Slum Clearance Compensation) Act 1965 continued a provision for home owners of unfit dwellings purchased between 1939 and 1955 to be compensated at market values. The Building Control Act 1966 introduced building licensing to give priority to housing construction. Under the Supplementary Benefit Act 1966, an owner occupier on benefits was entitled to an allowance for repairs, insurance, rates, and "reasonable" interest charges on a mortgage.^[29] A Land Commission was also established to purchase land for building and therefore prevent profiteering in land values, although it only had limited success.^[16] The aim of the Land Commission was to purchase land for public goods such as housing or shopping redevelopment (compulsorily, if the need arose), and investigated the planning needs of a particular area in conjunction with the Ministry of Housing and some planning authorities to see if any land in any particular area would be needed for such developmental schemes. Although the Land Commission purchased substantial quantities of land, it did not become the dominant influence in the land market that the government had hoped for.^[38]

The Housing Subsidies Act 1967 fixed interest rates at 4% for councils borrowing to build homes.^[39] It also provided financial assistance to local authorities for conversions and improvements, while also reforming the standard of fitness for human habitation.^[31] The 1967 Act increased subsides on new houses to such an extent that it became the largest individual source of subsidy after a previous Housing Subsidy Act 1946. For a period, as part of the prices and incomes standstill introduced by the government, local authorities were not permitted to raise rents. Thereafter, a limit was set on the extent of increases that were permitted.^[12]

The Town and Country Planning Act 1968 provided more local autonomy in town planning.^[40] This piece of legislation aimed for greater flexibility and speed in the planning of land use,^[41] and made public participation a statutory requirement in the preparation of development plans.^[42] The Act also introduced a new system of process planning under which the spatial distribution of social and economic trends superseded physical standards as the principal concern of planners. According to Maureen Rhoden, this effectively meant that the development control system operated by local authorities 'policed' new housing demand. This allowed for new development on infill sites or on the edge of larger towns and villages, "but preventing development in the open countryside and in designated areas such as green belts and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty."^[43] In addition, opportunities for public participation in the planning process were also increased by the Act, partly in response to opposition to some features of urban housing and planning policies.^[18] By September 1970, general improvement areas covering 23,254 dwellings had been declared, with work having been completed on 683 dwellings. In addition, the Labour government went further than previous administrations in aiming to safeguard the housing programme from wider economic problems.^[12]

External affairs

Europe

Among the more challenging political dilemmas Wilson faced during his two terms in government and his two spells in Opposition before 1964 and between 1970 and 1974 was the issue of British membership of the European Community, the forerunner of the present European Union. An entry attempt had been issued in July 1961 by the Macmillan government, and negotiated by Edward Heath as Lord Privy Seal, but was vetoed in 1963 by French President Charles de Gaulle. The Labour Party in Opposition had been divided on the issue, with former party leader Hugh Gaitskell having come out in 1962 in opposition to Britain joining the Community.^[44]

After initially hesitating over the issue, Wilson's Government in May 1967 lodged the UK's second application to join the European Community. Like the first, though, it was vetoed by de Gaulle in November that year.^[45]

After De Gaulle left office Conservative prime minister Edward Heath negotiated Britain's admission to the EC in 1973. The Labour Party in opposition continued to be deeply divided on the issue, and risked a major split. Leading opponents of membership included Richard Crossman, who was for two years (1970–72) the editor of New Statesman, at that time the leading left-of-centre weekly journal, which published many polemics in support of the anti-EC case. Prominent among Labour supporters of membership was Roy Jenkins.

Asia

American military involvement in the Vietnam War Escalated continuously 1964-68. President Lyndon Johnson brought pressure to bear for at least a token involvement of British military units. Wilson consistently avoided any commitment of British forces, giving as reasons British military commitments to the Malayan Emergency and British co-chairmanship of the 1954 Geneva Conference which agreed the cessation of hostilities and called for internationally supervised elections in Vietnam.^[46]

Since 1945 Britain's presence in the Far East had gradually been run down. Former British colonies, whose defence had provided much of the rationale for a British military presence in the region, moved towards independence under British governments of both parties. Successive UK Governments also became conscious of the cost to the exchequer and the economy of maintaining major forces abroad (in parallel, several schemes to develop strategic weaponry were abandoned on the grounds of cost, for example, the Blue Streak missile and the TSR2 aircraft).

Part of the price paid by Wilson after talks with President Johnson in June 1967 for US assistance with the UK economy was his agreement to maintain a military presence East of Suez.^[47] In July 1967 Defence Secretary Denis Healey announced that Britain would abandon her mainland bases East of Suez by 1977, although airmobile forces would be retained which could if necessary be deployed in the region. Shortly afterward, in January 1968, Wilson announced that the proposed timetable for this withdrawal was to be accelerated, and that British forces were to be withdrawn from Singapore, Malaysia, and the Persian Gulf by the end of 1971.^[48]

Wilson held strong pro-Israel views. He was a particular friend of Israeli Premier Golda Meir, though her tenure largely coincided with Wilson's 1970–1974 hiatus. Another associate was West German Chancellor Willy Brandt; all three were members of the Socialist International.^[49]

Africa

The British "retreat from Empire" had made headway by 1964 and was to continue during Wilson's administration. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland came to present serious problems.

The Federation was set up in 1953, and was an amalgamation of the British Colonies of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland and the self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia. The Federation was dissolved in 1963 and the states of Zambia and Malawi were granted independence. Southern Rhodesia, which had been the economic powerhouse of the Federation, was not granted independence, principally because of the régime in power. The country bordered South Africa to the south and its governance was influenced by the apartheid régime, then headed by Hendrik Verwoerd. Wilson refused to grant independence to the white minority government headed by Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith which not willing to extend unqualified voting rights to the native African population. His government's view was that the native population was ingenuous, and doing that would lay them open to undue influence and intimidation. The franchise was open to those who had achieved a certain (fairly low) standard of education, and to property owners, and to people of "importance", i.e., chiefs and indunas – in other words, you needed to qualify for a vote – which many natives did.

Smith's defiant response was a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, timed to coincide with Armistice Day at 11.00 am on 11 November 1965, an attempt to garner support in the UK by reminding people of the contribution of the colony to the war effort (Smith himself had been a Spitfire pilot).^[50] Smith was personally vilified in the British media.^[51] Wilson's immediate recourse was to the United Nations, and in 1965, the Security Council imposed sanctions, which were to last until official independence in 1979. This involved British warships blockading the port of Beira to try to cause economic collapse in Rhodesia. Wilson was applauded by most nations for taking a firm stand on the issue (and none extended diplomatic recognition to the Smith régime). A number of nations did not join in with sanctions, undermining their efficiency. Certain sections of public opinion started to question their efficacy, and to demand the toppling of the régime by force. Wilson declined to intervene in Rhodesia with military force, believing the British population would not support such action against their "kith and kin". The two leaders met for discussions aboard British warships, Tiger in 1966 and Fearless in 1968. Smith subsequently attacked Wilson in his memoirs, accusing him of delaying tactics during negotiations and alleging duplicity; Wilson responded in kind, questioning Smith's good faith and suggesting that Smith had moved the goal-posts whenever a settlement appeared in sight.^[52] The matter was still unresolved at the time of Wilson's resignation in 1976.

Elsewhere in Africa, trouble developed in Nigeria, brought about by the ethnic hatreds and Biafra's efforts to become independent. Wilson supported the established new governments in former colonies and refused to countenance breakaway movements. He supported the government of General Yakubu Gowon during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967–1970.^[53]

Fate

Although the First Wilson Government had enacted a wide range of social reforms and arguably did much to reduce social inequalities during its time in office, the economic difficulties that it faced led to austerity measures being imposed on numerous occasions, forcing the government to abandon some of its key policy goals. Amongst the controversial austerity measures introduced included higher dental charges, the abolition of free school milk in all secondary schools in 1968, increased weekly National Insurance Contributions, the postponement of the planned rise in the school leaving age to 16, and cuts in road and housing programmes,^[54] which meant that the government's house-building target of 500,000 per year was never met.^[8] The government also failed to meet its 1964 manifesto commitment to tie increases in national insurance benefits to increases in average earnings,^[55] although this reform would later be implemented during Wilson's second premiership in 1975.^[56]

There was also much controversy over the government's decision to reintroduce Prescription charges in 1968 (after having abolished them in 1964),^[57] although the blow of this measure was arguably by softened by the fact that many people were exempted from charges.^[58] In 1968, arguably in response to sensationalist stories about supposed "scroungers" and "welfare cheats," the government made the decision to introduce a controversial new rule terminating benefits for single men under the age of 45. Under this rule, young, single, unskilled men who lived in areas of low unemployment would have their supplementary benefits stopped after four weeks.^[12] Wilson’s government also failed to maintain the real value of family allowances during its time in office, which (despite being doubled under Wilson^[59]) fell by 13% in real terms between 1964 and 1969.^[60] In addition, tax allowances were reduced in 1968 to pay in part for increases in family allowances, and despite inflation were not increased again until 1971.^[61] Family allowances were increased for the fourth and subsequent children from 50p to 75p per week in October 1966, and then in April 1967 to 75p for the second child and 85p for each subsequent child. According to one writer, however, this policy did not help single mothers with only one child, Supplementary Benefit payments were reduced “by the amount of this increase,” and tax allowances were adjusted “to recover the cost of family allowances from taxpayers, including some low earners.”^[62]

In the field of housing, the First Wilson Government has received criticism by historians for encouraging the building of high-rise council flats, continuing the high-rise boom launched by the preceding Conservative administration in 1956 when it introduced a progressive storey-height subsidy that gave large increments for four-, five-, and six-storey flats and a fixed increment for every additional storey above that.^[63]^[64] In 1966, tall flats accounted 25.6% of all approved starts, compared with only 3% in 1954.^[65] From 1964 to 1966, the percentage of homes built in England and Wales by local authorities and New Towns in the form of flats in buildings of 5 storeys or more rose from 22.4% to 25.7%, falling to 9.9% in 1970.^[66]

According to the historian Andrew Thorpe, much of the high-rise and high-density housing that was erected proved to be poorly constructed and unpopular with tenants, and social and extended family networks were disrupted by rehousing, leading to increased strain on social services and therefore public expenditure as older, informal support networks were ruptured. As argued by Thorpe, Labour's accomplishments "were equivocal, and in retrospect many would see its policies as leading to significant social problems."^[57]

According to another historian, Eric Shaw, in the rush to build, and to overcome shortages in funds, the First Wilson Government "succumbed to the fashion for high-rise blocks of flats." For Shaw, the housing drive demonstrated "flaws in Labour's centralist brand of social democracy," the assumption that the interests of ordinary people could be safeguarded by public officials without needing to consult them, "a well-intentioned but short-sighted belief that pledges could be honored by spreading resources more thinly; and a 'social engineering' approach to reform in which the calculation of the effects of institutional reform neglected their impact upon the overall quality of people's lives." This approach resulted in people being wrenched from their local communities and transferred to isolating and forbidding environments which often lacked basic social and commercial amenities and which hindered the revival of community networks. High-rise council flats, according to Shaw, intensified class inequalities by becoming a low-grad reserve for the poorer sections of the working class, which reflecting the "extent to which Keynesian social democracy had departed from the traditions of ethical socialism, with its aspirations to construct institutions which would foster greater fellowship, a communal spirit and more altruistic forms of behaviour." As further noted by Shaw, the "new soulless working-class estates" became the breeding grounds of a host of social evils, "as socialists from an older generation like William Morris could have predicted."^[59]

A plan to boost economic growth to 4% a year was never met, while development aid was cut severely as a result of austerity measures. A proposed "minimum income guarantee"^[67] for widows and pensioners was never implemented, together with Richard Crossman's compulsory national superannuation scheme. This scheme, a system of universal secondary pensions, was aimed at providing British pensioners with an income closer to what they enjoyed during the best years of their working life, when their earnings were at their highest. According to Brian Lapping, this would have been Wilson's largest reform of social security, had it been carried out.^[8] A proposed means-tested Family Supplement debated in cabinet and supported by the (then) Chancellor James Callaghan.^[68] never came into being, although it was later introduced by the Heath Government under the name “Family Income Supplement.”^[69] In June 1969, the government announced plans for introducing two new benefits for the disabled an “attendance allowance” for the very severely disabled, and an “invalidity pension” for people forced to retire early due to illness.^[70] Neither benefit, however, came into being during the remainder of the First Wilson Government’s time in office, although the proposed attendance allowance would later be introduced by the Heath Government^[71] and the invalidity pension by the Second Wilson Government.^[72] In addition, the government's austerity measures led to an unpopular squeeze on consumption in 1968 and 1969.^[4]

By 1969, the Labour Party was suffering serious electoral reverses. In May 1970, Wilson responded to an apparent recovery in his government's popularity by calling a general election, but, to the surprise of most observers, was defeated at the polls by the Conservatives under Edward Heath.

List of Ministers

Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.

Office	Name	Dates	Notes
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service	Harold Wilson	16 October 1964 – 19 June 1970
First Secretary of State	George Brown	16 October 1964	Office linked to Department of Economic Affairs until 29 August 1967
	Michael Stewart	11 August 1966 – 18 March 1968
	Barbara Castle	6 April 1968	Office linked to Ministry of Employment
Lord Chancellor	Lord Gardiner	16 October 1964
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons	Herbert Bowden	16 October 1964
	Richard Crossman	11 August 1966
	Fred Peart	18 October 1968
Lord Privy Seal	The Earl of Longford	18 October 1964	also Leader of the House of Lords
	Sir Frank Soskice	23 December 1965
	The Earl of Longford	6 April 1966	also Leader of the House of Lords
	Lord Shackleton	16 January 1968	also Leader of the House of Lords
	Fred Peart	6 April 1968
	Lord Shackleton	18 October 1968	also Leader of the House of Lords
Chancellor of the Exchequer	James Callaghan	16 October 1964
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Roy Jenkins	30 November 1967
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	John Diamond	20 October 1964	Office in Cabinet from 1 November 1968
Minister of State, Treasury	David John Mauerman	6 April 1968
Minister of State, Treasury	Bill Rodgers	13 October 1969
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	Edward Short	18 October 1964
	John Silkin	4 July 1966
	Robert Mellish	30 April 1969
	office vacant	31 May 1970
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Niall MacDermot	21 October 1964
	Harold Lever	29 August 1967
	Dick Taverne	13 October 1969
Economic Secretary to the Treasury	Anthony Crosland	19 October 1964	de facto Minister of State for Economic Affairs. Office abolished 22 December 1964
Secretary of State for Economic Affairs	George Brown	16 October 1964
	Michael Stewart	11 August 1966
	Peter Shore	29 August 1967	Office abolished 6 October 1969
Minister of State for Economic Affairs	Anthony Crosland	20 October 1964	Nominally Economic Secretary to the Treasury until 22 December 1964
	Austen Albu	27 January 1965 – 7 January 1967
	Thomas Urwin	6 April 1968 – 6 October 1969
Under-Secretary of State for Economic Affairs	Maurice Foley	21 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	Bill Rodgers	21 October 1964 – 7 January 1967
	Harold Lever	7 January 1967 – 29 August 1967
	Peter Shore	7 January 1967 – 29 August 1967
	Alan Williams	29 August 1967 – 6 October 1969
	Edmund Dell	29 August 1967 – 6 April 1968
Lords of the Treasury	George Rogers	21 October 1964 – 11 January 1966
	George Lawson	21 October 1964 – 1 April 1967
	Jack McCann	21 October 1964 – 11 April 1966 and 29 July 1967 – 13 October 1969
	Ifor Davies	21 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	Harriet Slater	21 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	John Silkin	11 January 1966 – 11 April 1966
	Alan Fitch	16 April 1966 – 13 October 1969
	Joseph Harper	16 April 1966 – 19 June 1970
	William Whitlock	11 April 1966 – 7 July 1966 and 1 April 1967 – 28 July 1967
	William Howie	16 April 1966 – 1 April 1967
	Harry Gourlay	7 July 1966 – 1 April 1967
	Brian O'Malley	1 April 1967 – 13 October 1969
	Walter Harrison	29 October 1968 – 19 June 1970
	Neil McBride	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
	Ernest Perry	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
	Ernest Armstrong	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Patrick Gordon Walker	16 October 1964
	Michael Stewart	22 January 1965
	George Brown	11 August 1966	Resigned
	Michael Stewart	16 March 1968	Merged with Commonwealth Office 17 October 1968
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Michael Stewart	17 October 1968
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs	Lord Caradon	16 October 1964 – 19 June 1970
	George Thomson	19 June 1964 – 6 April 1966 and 7 January 1967 – 29 August 1967
	Walter Padley	19 October 1964 – 7 January 1967
	Lord Chalfont	23 October 1964 – 19 June 1970
	Eirene White	11 April 1966 – 7 January 1967
	Frederick Mulley	7 January 1967 – 17 October 1968	Merged with Commonwealth Office 17 October 1968
	Goronwy Roberts	29 August 1967 – 17 October 1968	Merged with Commonwealth Office 17 October 1968
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Frederick Mulley	17 October 1968 – 6 October 1969
	Goronwy Roberts	17 October 1968 – 13 October 1969
	The Lord Shepherd	17 October 1968 – 19 June 1970
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Lord Walston	20 October 1964
	Bill Rodgers	7 January 1967
	Maurice Foley	3 July 1968	Merged with Commonwealth Office 17 October 1968
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Maurice Foley	17 October 1968 – 19 June 1970
	William Whitlock	17 October 1968 – 13 October 1969
	Evan Luard	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Secretary of State for the Home Department	Sir Frank Soskice	18 October 1964
	Roy Jenkins	23 December 1965
	James Callaghan	30 November 1967
Minister of State for Home Affairs	Alice Bacon	19 October 1964
	Lord Stonham	29 August 1967
	Shirley Williams	13 October 1969
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department	Lord Stonham	20 October 1964 – 29 August 1967
	George Thomas	20 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	Maurice Foley	6 April 1966 – 7 January 1967
	Dick Taverne	6 April 1966 – 6 April 1968
	David Ennals	7 January 1967 – 1 November 1968
	Elystan Morgan	6 April 1968 – 19 June 1970
	Merlyn Rees	1 November 1968 – 19 June 1970
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Fred Peart	18 October 1964
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Cledwyn Hughes	6 April 1968
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	John Mackie	20 October 1964 – 19 June 1970
	James Hutchison Hoy	21 October 1964 – 19 June 1970
Minister of State for Aviation	Roy Jenkins	18 October 1964
	Frederick Mulley	23 December 1965
	John Stonehouse	7 January 1967	Office abolished 15 February 1967
Parliamentary Secretary for Aviation	John Stonehouse	20 October 1964
Parliamentary Secretary for Aviation	Julian Snow	6 April 1966	Office abolished 7 January 1967
Secretary of State for the Colonies	Anthony Greenwood	18 October 1964
	The Earl of Longford	23 December 1965	also Leader of the House of Lords
	Frederick Lee	6 April 1966	Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs from 1 August 1966. Office abolished 7 January 1967
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies	Eirene White	20 October 1964 – 11 October 1965
	Lord Taylor	20 October 1964 – 11 April 1966	Also Under-Secretary at Commonwealth Relations
	Lord Beswick	11 October 1965 – 1 August 1966	Also Under-Secretary at Commonwealth Relations
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations	Arthur Bottomley	18 October 1964	Merged into Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs	Herbert Bowden	11 August 1966
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs	George Thomson	29 August 1967	Merged with Foreign Office 17 October 1968
Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations	Cledwyn Hughes	19 October 1964 – 6 April 1966	Merged into Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs
Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs	Judith Hart	6 April 1966 – 26 July 1967
	George Thomas	7 January 1967 – 6 April 1968
	The Lord Shepherd	26 July 1967	Merged with Foreign Office 17 October 1968
Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations	Lord Taylor	20 October 1964	Also Under-Secretary for the Colonies
Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations	Lord Beswick	11 October 1965	Also Under-Secretary for the Colonies until 1 August 1966
Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs	Lord Beswick	1 August 1966
Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs	William Whitlock	26 July 1967	Merged with Foreign Office 17 October 1968
Secretary of State for Defence	Denis Healey	16 October 1964
Minister of State for the Army	Frederick Mulley	19 October 1964	Also Deputy Secretary of State
Minister of State for the Army	Gerald Reynolds	24 December 1965
Under-Secretary of State for the Army	Gerald Reynolds	20 October 1964
	Merlyn Rees	24 December 1965
	David Ennals	6 April 1966
	James Boyden	7 January 1967
	Ivor Richard	13 October 1969
Minister of State for the Navy	Christopher Mayhew	19 October 1964
Minister of State for the Navy	Joseph Mallalieu	19 February 1966	Office abolished 7 January 1967
Under-Secretary of State for the Navy	Joseph Mallalieu	21 October 1964
	Lord Winterbottom	6 April 1966
	Maurice Foley	7 January 1967
	David Owen	3 July 1968
Minister of State for the Air Force	Lord Shackleton	19 October 1964	Office abolished 7 January 1967
Under-Secretary of State for the Air Force	Bruce Millan	20 October 1964
	Merlyn Rees	16 April 1966
	Lord Winterbottom	1 November 1968
Minister of Defence for Administration	Gerald Reynolds	7 January 1967
Minister of Defence for Administration	Roy Hattersley	15 July 1969
Minister of Defence for Equipment	Roy Mason	7 January 1967
Minister of Defence for Equipment	John Morris	16 April 1968
Secretary of State for Education and Science	Michael Stewart	18 October 1964
	Anthony Crosland	22 January 1965
	Patrick Gordon Walker	29 August 1967
	Edward Short	6 April 1968
Minister of State for Education and Science	Lord Bowden	19 October 1964 – 11 October 1965
	Reg Prentice	20 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	Edward Redhead	11 October 1965 – 7 January 1967
	Goronwy Roberts	6 April 1966 – 29 August 1967
	Shirley Williams	7 January 1967 – 13 October 1969
	Alice Bacon	29 August 1967 – 19 June 1970
	Gerald Fowler	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Minister of State for the Arts	Jennie Lee	17 February 1967 – 19 June 1970
Under-Secretary of State for Education	James Boyden	20 October 1964 – 24 February 1965
	Denis Howell	20 October 1964 – 13 October 1969
	Jennie Lee	24 February 1965 – 17 February 1967	Arts
	Joan Lestor	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity	Barbara Castle	6 April 1968
Minister of State for Employment and Productivity	Edmund Dell	13 October 1969
Under-Secretary of State for Employment	Ernest Fernyhough	6 April 1968 – 13 October 1969
	Roy Hattersley	6 April 1968 – 13 October 1969
	Harold Walker	6 April 1968 – 13 October 1969
Minister of Health	Kenneth Robinson	18 October 1964	Office abolished 1 November 1968
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health	Sir Barnett Stross	20 October 1964
	Charles Loughlin	24 February 1965
	Julian Snow	7 January 1967
Secretary of State for Social Services	Richard Crossman	1 November 1968	Incl. Health
Minister of State for Social Services	Stephen Swingler	1 November 1968 – 19 February 1969
	David Ennals	1 November 1968 – 19 June 1970
	Lady Serota	25 February 1969 – 19 June 1970
Under-Secretary of State for Social Services	Norman Pentland	1 November 1968 – 13 October 1969
	Charles Loughlin	1 November 1968 – 20 November 1968
	Julian Snow	1 November 1968 – 13 October 1969
	Brian O'Malley	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
	John Dunwoody	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Minister of Housing and Local Government	Richard Crossman	18 October 1964
	Anthony Greenwood	11 August 1966	Office not in Cabinet from 6 October 1969
	Robert Mellish	31 May 1970
Minister of State for Housing and Local Government	Frederick Willey	17 February 1967
	Niall MacDermot	29 August 1967 – 28 September 1968
	Denis Howell	13 October 1969
Minister for Planning and Land	Kenneth Robinson	1 November 1968	Office abolished 6 October 1969
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Housing and Local Government	Robert Mellish	18 October 1964 – 29 August 1967
	James MacColl	20 October 1964 – 13 October 1969
	The Lord Kennet	6 April 1966 – 19 June 1970
	Arthur Skeffington	17 February 1967 – 19 June 1970
	Reginald Freeson	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
	Richard Marsh	20 October 1964 – 11 October 1965
	Ernest Thornton	21 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	Shirley Williams	6 April 1966 – 7 January 1967
	Ernest Fernyhough	7 January 1967 – 6 April 1968
	Roy Hattersley	7 January 1967 – 6 April 1968
Minister of Labour	Ray Gunter	18 October 1964	Reorganised as Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity 6 April 1968
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	Douglas Houghton	18 October 1964
	George Thomson	6 April 1966	Office not in Cabinet
	Frederick Lee	7 January 1967
	George Thomson	6 October 1969	Office in Cabinet
Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning	Anthony Crosland	6 October 1969
Minister of State for Local Government and Regional Planning	Thomas Urwin	6 October 1969
Minister for Land and Natural Resources	Frederick Willey	18 October 1964	Office wound up 17 February 1967
Parliamentary Secretary for Land and Natural Resources	Lord Mitchison	October 1964 – 6 April 1966
Parliamentary Secretary for Land and Natural Resources	Arthur Skeffington	21 October 1964 – 17 February 1967
Minister of Overseas Development	Barbara Castle	18 October 1964
	Anthony Greenwood	23 December 1965
	Arthur Bottomley	11 August 1966
	Reginald Prentice	29 August 1967	Office no longer in Cabinet
	Judith Hart	6 October 1969
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Overseas Development	Albert Oram	21 October 1964
	Ben Whitaker	13 October 1969
Paymaster General	George Wigg	19 October 1964 – 12 November 1967
	office vacant	12 November 1967
	Lord Shackleton	6 April 1968	also Leader of the House of Lords
	Judith Hart	1 November 1968
	Harold Lever	6 October 1969
Minister of Pensions and National Insurance	Margaret Herbison	18 October 1964	Minister of Social Security from 6 August 1966
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions	Harold Davies	20 October 1964 – 6 August 1966
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions	Norman Pentland	21 October 1964 – 6 August 1966
Minister without Portfolio	Sir Eric Fletcher	19 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	Lord Champion	21 October 1964 – 7 January 1967
	Douglas Houghton	6 April 1966 – 7 January 1967	In Cabinet
	Lord Shackleton	7 January 1967 – 16 January 1968
	Patrick Gordon Walker	7 January 1967 – 21 August 1967
	George Thomson	17 October 1968 – 6 October 1969
	Peter Shore	6 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Postmaster-General	Tony Benn	19 October 1964
	Edward Short	4 July 1966
	Roy Mason	6 April 1968
	John Stonehouse	1 July 1968	Post Office became public corporation 1 October 1969
Assistant Postmaster-General	Joseph Slater	20 October 1964
Minister for Posts and Telecommunications	John Stonehouse	1 October 1969
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Posts and Telecommunications	Joseph Slater	1 October 1969
	Norman Pentland	13 October 1969
Minister of Power	Fred Lee	18 October 1964
	Richard Marsh	6 April 1966
	Ray Gunter	6 April 1968
	Roy Mason	1 July 1968	Office abolished 6 October 1969
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Power	John Morris	21 October 1964
	Lord Lindgren	10 January 1966
	Jeremy Bray	6 April 1966
	Reginald Freeson	7 January 1967 – 6 October 1969
Minister of Public Building and Works	Charles Pannell	19 October 1964
	Reginald Prentice	6 April 1966
	Robert Mellish	29 August 1967
	John Silkin	30 April 1969
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Public Building and Works	Jennie Lee	20 October 1964	Arts
	James Boyden	24 February 1965
	Lord Winterbottom	7 January 1967
	Charles Loughlin	20 November 1968
Secretary of State for Scotland	Willie Ross	18 October 1964
Minister of State for Scotland	George Willis	20 October 1964 – 7 January 1967
	Dickson Mabon	7 January 1967 – 19 June 1970
	Lord Hughes	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	Lord Hughes	21 October 1964 – 13 October 1969
	Judith Hart	20 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	Dickson Mabon	21 October 1964 – 7 January 1967
	Bruce Millan	6 April 1966 – 19 June 1970
	Norman Buchan	7 January 1967 – 19 June 1970
Minister of Social Security	Margaret Herbison	6 August 1966
Minister of Social Security	Judith Hart	26 July 1967	Office abolished 1 November 1968 – thereafter Health & Social Security
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Social Security	Harold Davies	6 August 1966 – 7 January 1967
	Norman Pentland	6 August 1966 – 1 November 1968
	Charles Loughlin	7 January 1967 – 1 November 1968
Minister of Technology	Frank Cousins	18 October 1964
Minister of Technology	Tony Benn	4 July 1966
Minister of State for Technology	John Stonehouse	15 February 1967 – 1 July 1968
	Joseph Mallalieu	1 July 1968 – 13 October 1969
	Reg Prentice	6 October 1969 – 10 October 1969
	Lord Delacourt-Smith	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
	Eric Varley	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Technology	Julian Snow	19 October 1964 – 6 April 1966
	Richard Marsh	11 October 1965 – 6 April 1966
	Peter Shore	6 April 1966 – 7 January 1967
	Edmund Dell	6 April 1966 – 29 August 1967
	Jeremy Bray	7 January 1967 – 24 September 1969
	Gerald Fowler	29 August 1967 – 13 October 1969
	Alan Williams	6 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
	Neil Carmichael	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
	Ernest Davies	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
President of the Board of Trade	Douglas Jay	18 October 1964
	Anthony Crosland	29 August 1967
	Roy Mason	6 October 1969
Minister of State for Trade	George Darling	20 October 1964 – 6 April 1968
	Edward Redhead	20 October 1964 – 11 October 1965
	Roy Mason	20 October 1964 – 7 January 1967
	Lord Brown	11 October 1965 – 19 June 1970
	Joseph Mallalieu	7 January 1967 – 1 July 1968
	Edmund Dell	6 April 1968 – 13 October 1969
	William Rodgers	1 July 1968 – 13 October 1969
	Goronwy Roberts	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade	Lord Rhodes	20 October 1964
	Lord Walston	7 January 1967
	Gwyneth Dunwoody	29 August 1967
Minister of Transport	Thomas Fraser	18 October 1964
	Barbara Castle	23 December 1965
	Richard Marsh	6 April 1968
	Frederick Mulley	6 October 1969	Office no longer in Cabinet
Minister of State for Transport	Stephen Swingler	29 August 1967	Office vacant 1 November 1968
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport	Lord Lindgren	20 October 1964 – 10 January 1966
	Stephen Swingler	20 October 1964 – 29 August 1967
	John Morris	10 January 1966 – 6 April 1968
	Neil George Carmichael	29 August 1967 – 13 October 1969
	Robert Brown	6 April 1968 – 19 June 1970
	Albert Murray	13 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Secretary of State for Wales	James Griffiths	18 October 1964
	Cledwyn Hughes	6 April 1966
	George Thomas	6 April 1968
Minister of State for Wales	Goronwy Roberts	20 October 1964
	George Thomas	6 April 1966
	Eirene White	7 January 1967
Under-Secretary of State for Wales	Harold Finch	21 October 1964
	Ifor Davies	6 April 1966
	Edward Rowlands	13 October 1969
Attorney General	Sir Elwyn Jones	18 October 1964
Solicitor General	Sir Dingle Foot	18 October 1964
Solicitor General	Sir Arthur Irvine	24 August 1967
Lord Advocate	Gordon Stott	20 October 1964	Not an MP
Lord Advocate	Henry Wilson	26 October 1967	Not an MP
Solicitor General for Scotland	James Graham Leechman	20 October 1964	Not an MP
	Henry Wilson	11 October 1965	Not an MP
	Ewan George Francis Stewart	26 October 1967	Not an MP
Treasurer of the Household	Sydney Irving	21 October 1964
	John Silkin	11 April 1966
	Charles Grey	7 July 1966
	Charles Richard Morris	13 October 1969
Comptroller of the Household	Charles Grey	21 October 1964
	William Whitlock	7 July 1966
	William Howie	1 April 1967
	Ioan Evans	6 February 1968
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household	William Whitlock	21 October 1964
	Jack McCann	11 April 1966
	Charles Richard Morris	29 July 1967
	Alan Fitch	13 October 1969
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms	The Lord Shepherd	21 October 1964
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms	Lord Beswick	29 July 1967
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard	Lord Bowles	28 December 1964
Lords in Waiting	Lord Hobson	21 October 1964 – 17 February 1966
	Lord Beswick	28 December 1964 – 11 October 1965
	Lord Sorensen	28 December 1964 – 20 April 1968
	Lady Phillips	10 December 1965 – 19 June 1970
	Lord Hilton of Upton	6 April 1966 – 19 June 1970
	Lady Serota	23 April 1968 – 25 February 1969
	Lady Llewelyn-Davies	13 March 1969 – 19 June 1970

Notes

^ Wilson's 790 page "The Labour Government 1964–70: a Personal Record" contains no index entry for abortion, or for David Steel who sponsored abortion law reform, no index entry for homosexuality or for Leo Abse who sponsored reform in this area, no entry for divorce, or for censorship. The exception to this pattern is the abolition of capital punishment, which Wilson had consistently supported, and which is discussed at some length in his book.
^ The Battle of Britain: The Home Front, by George Goldsmith Carter.
^ The Decade of Disillusion: British Politics in the Sixties, edited by David Mckie and Chris Cook
^ ^a ^b ^c Socialists in the Recession: The Search for Solidarity by Giles Radice and Lisanne Radice
^ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SBTAQgv2hgAC&pg=PA102&dq=tony+crosland+council+for+academic+awards+1964&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7oGNVP
^ Ten Years of New Labour, edited by Matt Beech and Simon Lee
^ Action: Education Published by the Labour Party, 1965
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Breach of Promise – Labour in Power, 1964–70 by Clive Ponting
^ Brian Lapping, The Labour Government 1964–70 (1970)
^ Changing party policy in Britain: an introduction by Richard Kelly
^ David Taylor, Mastering Economic and Social History (1996)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Townsend, Peter. Bosanquet, Nicholas (ed.). Labour and inequality: Sixteen Fabian Essays. Fabian Society. ISBN 978-0-7163-4004-1.
^ Henry Pelling, A Short History Of The Labour Party (1993)
^ Brian Lapping, The Labour Government 1964–70 (1970)
^ Facts on Housing, Published by the Labour Party, Transport House, Smith Square, S.W.1., Printed by C.W.S. Printing Works, Elgar Road, Reading, March 1965
^ ^a ^b ^c A Short History of the Labour Party by Alastair J. Reid and Henry Pelling
^ Housing policy: an introduction by Paul N. Balchin and Maureen Rhoden
^ ^a ^b Capitalism and public policy in the UK by Tom Burden and Mike Campbell
^ "Speech Archive". British Political Speech. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
^ The Evolution of the British Welfare State by Derek Fraser
^ Socially Deprived Families in Britain edited by Robert Holman, reprinted edition 1971, first published in 1970
^ A Social History of Housing 1815–1985 by John Burnett
^ In Defence of the Welfare State - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
^ State Housing in Britain - Stephen Merrett - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
^ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=xGcABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA194&dq=United+kingdom+1965+national+building+codes+housing&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HjRWVaiFIs-Q7AbI04OoAQ&ved=0CC0Q6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=United%20kingdom%201965%20national%20building%20codes%20housing&f=false
^ ^a ^b ^c Social Services: Made Simple by Tony Byrne, BA, BSc(Econ.), and Colin F. Padfield, LLB, DPA(Lond)
^ Duncan Tanner, Pat Thane, and Nick Tiratsoo, eds. Labour's first century (Cambridge University Press, 2000)
^ Britannica Book of the Year 1971, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., William Benton (Publisher)
^ ^a ^b Merrett, Stephen, and Fred Gray. Owner-occupation in Britain (Routledge, 1982)
^ Andrew Thorpe, A history of the British Labour Party (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008)
^ ^a ^b ^c The Longman Companion to The Labour Party 1900–1998 by Harry Harmer
^ Labour: A Dictionary Of Achievement, Published by the Labour Party, Transport House, Smith Square, London, S.W.1. Printed by C.W.S. Printing Factory, Elgar Road, Reading (October, 1968)
^ The Labour Party: An introduction to its history, structure and politics, edited by Chris Cook and Ian Taylor
^ The Five Giants: A Biography of the Welfare State by Nicholas Timmins
^ Municipal Journal: Volume 93, Part 1 - Page 284, 1985
^ http://www.tenantshistory.org.uk/
^ Local government since 1945 by Ken Young and Nirmala Rao
^ Lapping, The Labour Government 1964–70
^ Brian Lapping, The Labour Government, 1964-70 (Penguin Books, 1970)
^ Lapping, The Labour Government 1964–70
^ "The Cabinet Papers | Housing and the Land Commission". Nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
^ Town and country planning in the UK by J. B. Cullingworth and Vincent Nadin
^ Housing: the essential foundations by Maureen Rhoden
^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: "Hugh Gaitskell".
^ David Gowland; et al. (2008). Britain and European Integration Since 1945: On the Sidelines. Routledge. p. 69. {{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
^ Tran, Mark (28 March 2010). "Why UK diplomats dislike the 'special relationship' label". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
^ The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Army (1994) p. 359
^ French, David (1990). The British Way in Warfare, 1688–2000. Routledge. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-04-445789-3.
^ [1] Wilson pictured with Golda Meir and Willy Brandt in Eastbourne during the International Socialist's Convention ^{[dead link]}
^ Andrew Thorpe, A history of the British Labour Party (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008)
^ "Smith caricatured on the cover of ''Private Eye'' Number 163 15 March 1968". Private Eye. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
^ Harold Wilson, "The Labour Government, 1964–70: a Personal Record"
^ J. J. Stremlau, The International Politics of the Nigerian Civil War, 1967–1970 (Princeton University Press, 1977).
^ Cite error: The named reference Crossman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "1964 Labour Party Election Manifesto". Labour-party.org.uk. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
^ Understanding Social Policy - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference A History Of The British Labour Party was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference ReferenceC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference labour1945 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ The Labour Party in Crisis by Paul Whiteley
^ Poverty in the United Kingdom: A Survey of Household Resources and Standards ... - Peter Townsend - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
^ Cite error: The named reference books.google.co.uk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ A Journey Through Ruins: The Last Days of London - Patrick Wright - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
^ Urban Process and Power - Peter J. Ambrose - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
^ The Practice of Modernism: Modern Architects and Urban Transformation, 1954 1972 - John R. Gold - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
^ The Future of Council Housing - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
^ https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/writers/kincaid/1966/xx/socsec.htm
^ http://www.revenuebenefits.org.uk/child-benefit/policy/where_it_all_started/
^ http://blogs.channel4.com/gary-gibbon-on-politics/scrapping-the-child-benefit-for-higher-rate-taxpayers/13845
^ Cite error: The named reference Robert Holman 1971 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HUa0KnfCKaMC&pg=PT438&dq=edward+heath+attendance+allowance+1971&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9DFGVa2gIcL-aMfsgbAF&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=edward%20heath%20attendance%20allowance%201971&f=false
^ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=4wxjQFu2zsMC&pg=PA100&dq=labour+government+invalidity+pension+1975&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mzJGVc_iC5TlauOYgfgE&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=labour%20government%20invalidity%20pension%201975&f=false

@@ Line 115: / Line 115: @@
 ==Fate==
+Although the First Wilson Government had enacted a wide range of social reforms and arguably did much to reduce social inequalities during its time in office, the economic difficulties that it faced led to austerity measures being imposed on numerous occasions, forcing the government to abandon some of its key policy goals. Amongst the controversial austerity measures introduced included higher [[dental charges]], the abolition of [[free school milk]] in all secondary schools in 1968, increased weekly [[National Insurance Contributions]], the postponement of the planned rise in the [[school leaving age]] to 16, and cuts in road and housing programmes,<ref name="Crossman" /> which meant that the government's house-building target of 500,000 per year was never met.<ref name="ponting" /> The government also failed to meet its 1964 manifesto commitment to tie increases in national insurance benefits to increases in average earnings,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.labour-party.org.uk/manifestos/1964/1964-labour-manifesto.shtml |title=1964 Labour Party Election Manifesto |publisher=Labour-party.org.uk |date= |accessdate=6 August 2014}}</ref> although this reform would later be implemented during Wilson's second premiership in 1975.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5Kbw9i235qEC&pg=PA126&dq=understanding+social+policy+social+security+act+1975&hl=en&sa=X&ei=M2FiT-SgH8SY8QOBsqWgCA&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=understanding%20social%20policy%20social%20security%20act%201975&f=false |title=Understanding Social Policy - Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=10 April 2014}}</ref>
+There was also much controversy over the government's decision to reintroduce [[Prescription charges]] in 1968 (after having abolished them in 1964),<ref name="A History Of The British Labour Party"/> although the blow of this measure was arguably by softened by the fact that many people were exempted from charges.<ref name="ReferenceC"/> In 1968, arguably in response to sensationalist stories about supposed "scroungers" and "welfare cheats," the government made the decision to introduce a controversial new rule terminating benefits for single men under the age of 45. Under this rule, young, single, unskilled men who lived in areas of low unemployment would have their supplementary benefits stopped after four weeks.<ref name="inequality" /> Wilson’s government also failed to maintain the real value of family allowances during its time in office, which (despite being doubled under Wilson<ref name="labour1945"/>) fell by 13% in real terms between 1964 and 1969.<ref>The Labour Party in Crisis by Paul Whiteley</ref> In addition, tax allowances were reduced in 1968 to pay in part for increases in family allowances, and despite inflation were not increased again until 1971.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=weGYy_-czvsC&pg=PA151&dq=UK+family+allowances+increases+1967&hl=en&sa=X&ei=DxBuU633IsTwPPDNgKAD&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=UK%20family%20allowances%20increases%201967&f=false |title=Poverty in the United Kingdom: A Survey of Household Resources and Standards ... - Peter Townsend - Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=6 August 2014}}</ref> Family allowances were increased for the fourth and subsequent children from 50p to 75p per week in October 1966, and then in April 1967 to 75p for the second child and 85p for each subsequent child. According to one writer, however, this policy did not help single mothers with only one child, Supplementary Benefit payments were reduced “by the amount of this increase,” and tax allowances were adjusted “to recover the cost of family allowances from taxpayers, including some low earners.”<ref name="books.google.co.uk"/>
+In the field of housing, the First Wilson Government has received criticism by historians for encouraging the building of high-rise council flats, continuing the high-rise boom launched by the preceding Conservative administration in 1956 when it introduced a progressive storey-height subsidy that gave large increments for four-, five-, and six-storey flats and a fixed increment for every additional storey above that.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jPn4wFyFrekC&pg=PA91&dq=Conservatives+1956+high-rise+boom&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4zfsUY_qJeST0QWpp4CIDg&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Conservatives%201956%20high-rise%20boom&f=false |title=A Journey Through Ruins: The Last Days of London - Patrick Wright - Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date=26 February 2009 |accessdate=10 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=R3Y9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA113&dq=Conservatives+1956+high-rise+boom&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EjjsUbz1MdDv0gWd_YGADg&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Conservatives%201956%20high-rise%20boom&f=false |title=Urban Process and Power - Peter J. Ambrose - Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=10 April 2014}}</ref> In 1966, tall flats accounted 25.6% of all approved starts, compared with only 3% in 1954.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=I1DcjOsIR54C&pg=RA3-PT58&dq=harold+wilson+high-rise+flats&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QVbsUeK9MKOx0QXHwoGIDg&redir_esc=y |title=The Practice of Modernism: Modern Architects and Urban Transformation, 1954 1972 - John R. Gold - Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=10 April 2014}}</ref> From 1964 to 1966, the percentage of homes built in England and Wales by local authorities and New Towns in the form of flats in buildings of 5 storeys or more rose from 22.4% to 25.7%, falling to 9.9% in 1970.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wWQ9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA27&dq=Great+britain+percentage+of+housing+built+as+high-rise+flats+1968&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wxzoUd_XM6LG4gTFzoC4CQ&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Great%20britain%20percentage%20of%20housing%20built%20as%20high-rise%20flats%201968&f=false |title=The Future of Council Housing - Google Books |publisher=Books.google.co.uk |date= |accessdate=10 April 2014}}</ref>
+According to the historian Andrew Thorpe, much of the high-rise and high-density housing that was erected proved to be poorly constructed and unpopular with tenants, and social and extended family networks were disrupted by rehousing, leading to increased strain on social services and therefore public expenditure as older, informal support networks were ruptured. As argued by Thorpe, Labour's accomplishments "were equivocal, and in retrospect many would see its policies as leading to significant social problems."<ref name="A History Of The British Labour Party"/>
+According to another historian, Eric Shaw, in the rush to build, and to overcome shortages in funds, the First Wilson Government "succumbed to the fashion for high-rise blocks of flats." For Shaw, the housing drive demonstrated "flaws in Labour's centralist brand of social democracy," the assumption that the interests of ordinary people could be safeguarded by public officials without needing to consult them, "a well-intentioned but short-sighted belief that pledges could be honored by spreading resources more thinly; and a 'social engineering' approach to reform in which the calculation of the effects of institutional reform neglected their impact upon the overall quality of people's lives." This approach resulted in people being wrenched from their local communities and transferred to isolating and forbidding environments which often lacked basic social and commercial amenities and which hindered the revival of community networks. High-rise council flats, according to Shaw, intensified class inequalities by becoming a low-grad reserve for the poorer sections of the working class, which reflecting the "extent to which Keynesian social democracy had departed from the traditions of ethical socialism, with its aspirations to construct institutions which would foster greater fellowship, a communal spirit and more altruistic forms of behaviour." As further noted by Shaw, the "new soulless working-class estates" became the breeding grounds of a host of social evils, "as socialists from an older generation like William Morris could have predicted."<ref name="labour1945"/>
+A plan to boost economic growth to 4% a year was never met, while development aid was cut severely as a result of austerity measures. A proposed "minimum income guarantee"<ref>https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/writers/kincaid/1966/xx/socsec.htm</ref> for widows and pensioners was never implemented, together with [[Richard Crossman]]'s compulsory national superannuation scheme. This scheme, a system of universal secondary pensions, was aimed at providing British pensioners with an income closer to what they enjoyed during the best years of their working life, when their earnings were at their highest. According to Brian Lapping, this would have been Wilson's largest reform of social security, had it been carried out.<ref name="ponting" /> A proposed means-tested Family Supplement debated in cabinet and supported by the (then) Chancellor James Callaghan.<ref>http://www.revenuebenefits.org.uk/child-benefit/policy/where_it_all_started/</ref> never came into being, although it was later introduced by the Heath Government under the name “Family Income Supplement.”<ref>http://blogs.channel4.com/gary-gibbon-on-politics/scrapping-the-child-benefit-for-higher-rate-taxpayers/13845</ref> In June 1969, the government announced plans for introducing two new benefits for the disabled an “attendance allowance” for the very severely disabled, and an “invalidity pension” for people forced to retire early due to illness.<ref name="Robert Holman 1971"/> Neither benefit, however, came into being during the remainder of the First Wilson Government’s time in office, although the proposed attendance allowance would later be introduced by the Heath Government<ref>https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HUa0KnfCKaMC&pg=PT438&dq=edward+heath+attendance+allowance+1971&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9DFGVa2gIcL-aMfsgbAF&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=edward%20heath%20attendance%20allowance%201971&f=false</ref> and the invalidity pension by the Second Wilson Government.<ref>https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=4wxjQFu2zsMC&pg=PA100&dq=labour+government+invalidity+pension+1975&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mzJGVc_iC5TlauOYgfgE&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=labour%20government%20invalidity%20pension%201975&f=false</ref> In addition, the government's austerity measures led to an unpopular squeeze on consumption in 1968 and 1969.<ref name="socialists1"/>
 By 1969, the Labour Party was suffering serious electoral reverses. In May 1970, Wilson responded to an apparent recovery in his government's popularity by calling a general election, but, to the surprise of most observers, was defeated at the polls by the Conservatives under [[Edward Heath]].

v t e British governments
Great Britain (1707–1801)	Godolphin–Marlborough Harley Townshend Stanhope–Sunderland I Stanhope–Sunderland II Walpole–Townshend Walpole Carteret Broad Bottom I and II Short-lived Newcastle I Pitt–Devonshire 1757 Caretaker Pitt–Newcastle (Newcastle II) Bute Grenville Rockingham I Chatham Grafton North Rockingham II Shelburne Fox–North (Portland I) Pitt I
UK (GB and Ire) (1801–1922)	Addington Pitt II All the Talents Portland II Perceval Liverpool Canning Goderich Wellington–Peel Grey Melbourne I Wellington Caretaker Peel I Melbourne II Peel II Russell I Who? Who? (Derby–Disraeli I) Aberdeen Palmerston I Derby–Disraeli II Palmerston II Russell II Derby–Disraeli III (Disraeli I) Gladstone I Disraeli II Gladstone II Salisbury I Gladstone III Salisbury II Gladstone IV Rosebery Salisbury III and IV Balfour Campbell-Bannerman Asquith I–III Asquith Coalition Lloyd George I and II
UK (GB and NI) (1922–present)	Law Baldwin I MacDonald I Baldwin II MacDonald II National Government I National Government II National Government III National Government IV Chamberlain War Churchill War Churchill Caretaker Attlee I and II Churchill III Eden Macmillan I and II Douglas-Home Wilson I and II Heath Wilson III and IV Callaghan Thatcher I Thatcher II Thatcher III Major I Major II Blair I Blair II Blair III Brown Cameron–Clegg (Cameron I) Cameron II May I May II Johnson I Johnson II Truss Sunak Starmer
Current ministry

v t e Harold Wilson
Premierships	1964–1970 1974–1976
General elections	1964 1966 1970 February 1974 October 1974
Party elections	1960 leadership 1962 deputy leadership 1963 leadership
Shadow Cabinet elections	1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
Referendum	1975 European Communities membership
Constituencies	Ormskirk Huyton
Resignation Honours	1970 1976
Family	Mary Wilson (wife) Robin Wilson (son) Harold Seddon (Uncle)
Media and popular culture	Mrs. Wilson's Diary Yesterday's Men (TV documentary, 1971) The Lavender List (TV, 2006) Longford (TV, 2006) Made in Dagenham (Film, 2010) The Audience (Play, 2013) The Crown (TV, 2019) Stonehouse (TV, 2023)
Related articles	Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence Beira Patrol D-notice affair Gnomes of Zurich Harold Wilson plot allegations Clockwork Orange Harry letters affair In Place of Strife Wilson Doctrine Bibliography
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