2 Election deferred and the collapse of the social contract
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John Shepherd
Abstract
This chapter analyses why James Callaghan deferred the general election in the autumn of 1978, which has been the subject of considerable debate, and considers evidence revealed in recently released Cabinet papers. It assesses how far a lost opportunity contributed to the collapse of the Labour government's social contract with the unions and the advent of the 'winter of discontent' of 1978-79. Callaghan carried out wider soundings about the possibility of a Labour victory if he called the election in the autumn. In the end, Callaghan's decision to postpone the election in the autumn 1978 had devastating repercussions that were milestones on the way to Labour's election defeat in May 1979. His government was forced into a new parliamentary term without the support of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and was beset by industrial troubles that winter.
Abstract
This chapter analyses why James Callaghan deferred the general election in the autumn of 1978, which has been the subject of considerable debate, and considers evidence revealed in recently released Cabinet papers. It assesses how far a lost opportunity contributed to the collapse of the Labour government's social contract with the unions and the advent of the 'winter of discontent' of 1978-79. Callaghan carried out wider soundings about the possibility of a Labour victory if he called the election in the autumn. In the end, Callaghan's decision to postpone the election in the autumn 1978 had devastating repercussions that were milestones on the way to Labour's election defeat in May 1979. His government was forced into a new parliamentary term without the support of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and was beset by industrial troubles that winter.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of illustrations viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of abbreviations xii
- 1 The 1970s 1
- 2 Election deferred and the collapse of the social contract 18
- 3 The Ford strike, 1978 38
- 4 The oil tanker drivers’ dispute and the road hauliers’ strike 59
- 5 Public sector strikes 82
- 6 Media coverage 108
- 7 The Conservative Party and the ‘winter of discontent’ 130
- 8 Political aftermath 147
- 9 In conclusion 168
- ‘Winter of discontent’, 1978–79 176
- Bibliography 179
- Index 196
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of illustrations viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of abbreviations xii
- 1 The 1970s 1
- 2 Election deferred and the collapse of the social contract 18
- 3 The Ford strike, 1978 38
- 4 The oil tanker drivers’ dispute and the road hauliers’ strike 59
- 5 Public sector strikes 82
- 6 Media coverage 108
- 7 The Conservative Party and the ‘winter of discontent’ 130
- 8 Political aftermath 147
- 9 In conclusion 168
- ‘Winter of discontent’, 1978–79 176
- Bibliography 179
- Index 196
