Crisis? What crisis?: The Callaghan government and the British ‘winter of discontent’

John Shepherd

Book

Crisis? What crisis?

The Callaghan government and the British ‘winter of discontent’

John Shepherd

Language: English

Published/Copyright: 2013

Published by

View more publications by Manchester University Press

To Publisher Page

About this book

Over thirty years later, the ‘winter of discontent’ of 1978–79 still resonates in British politics. On 22 January 1979, 1.5 million workers were on strike. Industrial unrest swept Britain in an Arctic winter. Militant shop stewards blocked medical supplies to hospitals; mountains of rubbish remained uncollected; striking road hauliers threatened to bring the country to a standstill; even the dead were left unburied. Within weeks, the beleaguered Callaghan Labour government fell from power. In the 1979 general election, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister, beginning eighteen years of unbroken Conservative rule.

Based on a wide range of newly available historical sources and key interviews, this full-length account breaks new ground, analysing the origins, character and impact of a turbulent period of industrial unrest. This important study will appeal to all those interested in contemporary history and British politics.

Author / Editor information

Contributor: John Shepherd John Shepherd is Professor of Modern British History at the University of Huddersfield

Topics

Front matter John Shepherd Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Dedication John Shepherd Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Contents John Shepherd Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
List of illustrations John Shepherd Publicly Available Download PDF	viii
Acknowledgements John Shepherd Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
List of abbreviations John Shepherd Publicly Available Download PDF	xii
1 The 1970s ‘Winters of discontent’ John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	1
2 Election deferred and the collapse of the social contract John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	18
3 The Ford strike, 1978 John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	38
4 The oil tanker drivers’ dispute and the road hauliers’ strike John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	59
5 Public sector strikes John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	82
6 Media coverage John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	108
7 The Conservative Party and the ‘winter of discontent’ John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	130
8 Political aftermath John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	147
9 In conclusion The ‘winter of discontent’ – views from abroad John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	168
‘Winter of discontent’, 1978–79 Chronology of key events, including by-elections John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	176
Bibliography John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	179
Index John Shepherd Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	196

Publishing information

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

eBook published on:

August 3, 2023

eBook ISBN:

9781526110817

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526110817

eBook ISBN: 9781526110817

Keywords for this book

1979 general election; British politics; Callaghan government; Conservative Party; economic performance; industrial relations; industrial strife; Labour administration; media; over-mighty union barons; winter of discontent

Audience(s) for this book

For a non-specialist adult audience

Crisis? What crisis?

Overview

About this book

Author / Editor information

Topics

Table of contents

Bibliographic data