The General Election of February 1974 - Professor Vernon Bogdanor
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- Опубликовано: 27 янв 2015
- Vernon Bogdanor continues his examination of important post war lectures: www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and...
This was the 'who governs' election, fought in the midst of a miners strike. Edward Heath appealed for a mandate to adopt a strong policy towards the trade unions, but was denied it. The outcome was the first hung parliament since 1929, and a Labour minority government which went to the country after just seven months. The Liberals gained their best result - 19% of the vote - since the 1920s, but only 14 seats in the Commons. The Scottish nationalists also made striking advances. The February 1974 election inaugurated the era of multi-party politics in Britain.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and...
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Absolutely brilliant lecture series. Thank you for making them available to the general public online.
23:30 - The early close downs of BBC1, BBC2 and ITV commenced on Monday 17th December 1973 and continued until Sunday 23rd December 1973, when the government lifted the restrictions, so people could enjoy Christmas television. They came back with a hard bang on Monday 7th January 1974 and remained in place until Friday 8th February 1974. No government ever again dared to "ration" television hours during a crisis.
Excellent lecture as ever, Professor Bogdanor. My recollection is that Mick MacGahey said to Edward Heath: "My aim is to bring you down and everything you stand for." Such humanity and compassion.
....''such anarchy, such tyranny, such extremism!'' T. unions destroyed Heath, effectively a coup d'état - by passing the concept of democracy - then they destroyed Callaghan ie, The Winter of Discontent 1979.
The early loss of Chancellor Iain Macleod was a crippling blow from which Heath never wholly recovered.
This seems especially relevant today after the current hung parliament
Dale Jennings At least with the 2017 hung parliament two parties were able to form a coalition (Torres and DUP) unlike this election where no two parties short of the Tories and Labour could've formed a coalition.
excellent!
10:29 He was definitely not a good communicator. There was a former Tory national party leader interviewed in the mid 2010s who described Heath this way:
“When he spoke he gave one almost homicidal feelings”
Lol watch any interview with him and it will become apparent. The Crown does a perfect job of capturing his complexity though. He deserved that episode as a proper eulogy to the tragedy and honor of his character.
Is history about to repeat?
3:13 "Strong and stable Government"?