BBC ON THIS DAY | 19 | 1970: Shock election win for Heath About This Site | Text Only 1970: Shock election win for Heath Edward Heath has become the new British prime minister after a surprise victory for the Conservatives in the general election. The result has confounded all opinion polls conducted before yesterday's election which had predicted a comfortable win for Labour. But with all 630 seats now declared the Conservatives have won 330 seats, giving them a majority of 30. Labour have won 287 seats. The new prime minister, Edward Richard George Heath, who has led the Conservative party since 1965, has pledged to "restore honesty to government and integrity to politics" and bring to an end what he referred to as "six long years of hard labour". New style of government The outgoing prime minister, Harold Wilson, refused to admit defeat until the last minute. But just after 1400 hrs today, when the Conservatives reached the required majority of 316 seats, he requested an audience with the Queen to tender his resignation. Shortly afterwards the Queen invited Mr Heath to Buckingham Palace where she asked him to form a new administration.

Edward Heath was born in Broadstairs on 9 July 1916 and was educated at Oxford university, before becoming MP for Bexley in 1950. A confirmed bachelor, he has a passion for yachting and classical music. Throughout the past three weeks, during which all the party leaders have toured the length and breadth of Britain on their arduous election campaign trails, Edward Heath, 53, has consistently offered the British people a new style of government. As well as his commitment to European unity, he has promised to reduce taxes, cut down on wild-cat strikes by updating the law on industrial relations, and give more help to the poor, the old and the sick by concentrating government subsidies on those that need them most. As he arrived at Downing Street this evening he was given a rapturous welcome.

Huge crowds, who had gathered throughout the afternoon, sang "For he's a jolly good fellow" and shouted "Good old Ted." In an interview with the BBC, the defeated Harold Wilson said he had always admired Edward Heath although he had not agreed with many of his election tactics, including the Conservatives' attempt to "drag sterling into the campaign." Devaluation of the pound has remained a controversial issue for both the main parties. But Mr Wilson said Mr Heath would now have the strongest economic position any prime minister had taken over in living memory. He suggested the low turn-out of voters - just 70% - may have contributed to his defeat: "We were up against something that no-one foresaw. (...) It was a low poll and a low poll is going to count against us. All the signs were of a high poll." Mr Wilson and his family left Downing Street via a back door this afternoon and went to Chequers, the Prime Minister's country seat, where they will remain until they find alternative accommodation in London. In Context Edward Heath remained prime minister until 1974. <br> During his four years at Downing Street he brought in the Industrial Relations Act, which caused conflict with the trade unions.

<br> In 1972, two miners' strikes resulted in power shortages. The government reduced the working week to three days as part of several measures to reduce electricity use. <br> Edward Heath was finally forced to give in to the miners' demands. <br> In 1973 Mr Heath achieved his long-held ambition to lead Britain into the European Community after many years of campaigning on pro-European issues. <br> But his fortunes were lost in 1974 when he lost two general elections - one in February and one in October. Harold Wilson took power over a minority government in February and therefore called another election later in the year in which he won a tiny majority. <br> In 1975, with Conservative confidence dented by his failures to win the elections, he was forced to resign as leader. <br> He was replaced by the first woman ever to head a political party in Britain, Margaret Thatcher. <br> Mr Heath refused to serve in Mrs Thatcher's shadow cabinet and years later continued to express disapproval of many of her policies.

<br> He died in 2005.<br> Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female PM, dead at 87 - CNN.com Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female PM, dead at 87 By Richard Allen Greene, CNN Updated 9:49 PM ET, Mon April 8, 2013 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. JUST WATCHED The life and legacy of the 'Iron Lady' 03:40 Story highlights Thatcher, Britain's "Iron Lady," died after suffering a stroke Monday, her spokeswoman said She retired from public life in 2002 after a stroke As British PM from 1975 to 1990, she played a key role in ending the Cold War But Thatcher opposed reunification of Germany Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a towering figure in postwar British and world politics and the only woman to become British prime minister, has died at the age of 87. She suffered a stroke Monday, her spokeswoman said. A British government source said she died at the Ritz Hotel in London. Thatcher's funeral will be at St.

Paul's Cathedral, with full military honors, followed by a private cremation, the British prime minister's office announced. Thatcher served from 1975 to 1990 as leader of the Conservative Party. She was called the "Iron Lady" for her personal and political toughness. She retired from public life after a stroke in 2002 and suffered several strokes after that. Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Margaret Thatcher , the first woman to become British prime minister, has died at 87 after a stroke, a spokeswoman said Monday, April 8. Known as the "Iron Lady," Thatcher, as Conservative Party leader, was prime minister from 1979 to 1990. Here she visits British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street in London in June 2010. Hide Caption 1 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher with her parents and sister Muriel in 1945.

Thatcher, born Margaret Hilda Roberts in 1925, studied chemistry at Oxford University and worked as a research chemist before becoming a barrister in 1954. Hide Caption 2 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Conservative Party candidate Margaret Roberts, the youngest candidate for any party in the 1950 general election, works in a laboratory where she was a research chemist. Hide Caption 3 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – The Conservative Party candidate for Dartford in Kent, England, meets some potential constituents in January 1950. Hide Caption 4 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher chats with a police officer outside the House of Commons, where she took a seat as a member of Parliament for Finchley in October 1959. Hide Caption Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher addresses a Conservative Party conference in October 1967. Hide Caption 6 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher in 1970.

Within five years, she would become leader of the Conservatives. Hide Caption 7 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Prime Minister Edward Heath with 13 of 15 newly elected Conservative women members of Parliament outside the House of Commons in June 1970. Thatcher became secretary of state for education and science under Heath. Hide Caption 8 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher plays the piano for her husband, Denis, and their twins, Mark and Carol, then 17, in September 1970. Hide Caption 9 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher takes over from Edward Heath as leader of the Conservative Party in 1975. Hide Caption 10 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher addresses Conservatives at the start of the 1979 election campaign. William Whitelaw, at her right, later became home secretary and deputy prime minister under Thatcher.

Hide Caption 11 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher, becoming the first female prime minister of a European country, stands with her husband, Denis, outside 10 Downing Street in May 1979 after her party's success in the general election. Hide Caption Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher with her new Cabinet in June 1979. Hide Caption 13 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and Thatcher at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in September 1982. They were holding meetings leading up to the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong in 1984. Hide Caption 14 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher meets personnel aboard the HMS Antrim during her trip to the Falkand Islands in January 1983. The United Kingdom fought a short war with Argentina over the Falklands in 1982, responding with force when Buenos Aires laid claim to the islands.

Hide Caption 15 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher and her husband, Denis, left, visit a school in the Falkland Islands in 1983. Hide Caption 16 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher secures her second term of office in June 1983. She won a landslide re-election on the heels of the Falklands victory, with her Conservative Party taking a majority of seats in Parliament with 42% of the vote. Hide Caption 17 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher and President Ronald Reagan share a joke in London in June 1984. The British politician enjoyed a close working relationship with Reagan, with whom she shared similar conservative views. Hide Caption 18 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher addresses a Conservative Party conference in Brighton, England, following an IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel, where many delegates were staying, in October 1984.

Hide Caption Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher addresses the Conservative Party in May 1985. Hide Caption 20 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher receives Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at 10 Downing Street in April 1986. Hide Caption 21 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at the start of talks at the Kremlin in Moscow in March 1987. Hide Caption 22 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher and her husband, Denis, wave to the crowd at a London polling station in June 1987. She was re-elected to another term as prime minister that year with a slightly reduced majority. Hide Caption 23 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher dances with Reagan in November 1988 following a state dinner given in her honor at the White House.

Hide Caption 24 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher greets Nelson Mandela on the steps of 10 Downing Street in July 1990. The anti-apartheid activist and future South African president had been freed that year after more than 25 years as political prisoner. Hide Caption 25 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher, flanked by her husband Denis, addresses the press for the last time at 10 Downing Street before her resignation as prime minister in November 1990 after an internal leadership struggle among Conservatives. Hide Caption 26 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – The former prime minister chats with President George H.W. Bush in March 1991 in the White House Oval Office before receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The award is the highest civilian honor bestowed in the United States.

Hide Caption 27 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher, with her son, Mark, and her daughter, Carol, watches the coffin of her husband, Denis, during his funeral in July 2003 in London. Denis Thatcher died at age 88. Hide Caption 28 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher touches the flag-draped coffin of Reagan as he lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in June 2004. In a prerecorded video at his funeral, she called Reagan "a great president, a great American and a great man." "And I have lost a dear friend," she said. Hide Caption 29 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher, from left, Cherie Blair, Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair attend a church service at Pangbourne College in June 2007 to mark the 25th anniversary of victory in the Falklands War.

Hide Caption 30 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – An usher helps Thatcher, now a baroness, to her seat during the state opening of Parliament in November 2009. Hide Caption 31 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – The ex-prime minister helps unveil a portrait of herself at the opening of the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London in March 2009. Hide Caption 32 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Pope Benedict XVI greets Thatcher in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in May 2009. Hide Caption 33 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher attends the House of Lords during the state opening of Parliament in May 2010. Hide Caption 34 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher waves from the door of her London home after a hospital stay to operate on a broken arm in June 2009.

She had a pin placed in her shoulder after suffering a fall. Hide Caption 35 of 36 Photos: Photos: Thatcher through the years Margaret Thatcher through the years – Thatcher waves to journalists from her London home after another hospital visit -- this time with a bout of flu -- in November 2010. Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher and Reagan chat at a British Embassy dinner in Washington in February 1981. Hide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher, right, and Reagan at the summit of the seven industrialized powers at Versailles in Paris in 1982. Hide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher reads a joint declaration in the Guildhall as Reagan and French President Francois Mitterand listen after a summit conference in London in May 1984.

Hide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher and Reagan listen to the American national anthem at Kensington Palace Gardens after Reagan's arrival from Ireland for a summit in London in June 1984. Hide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher and Reagan share a joke at her residence, No. 10 Downing St., in London in June 1984. Hide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Reagan and Thatcher take a golf cart around Camp David in December 1984. Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – First lady Nancy Reagan meets Thatcher at No. 10 Downing St. in July 1986. Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher and Reagan meet in the garden of the Cipriani Hotel in Venice, Italy, during an economic summit in June 1987.

Hide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – The two world leaders dance during a White House state dinner in November 1988. Hide Caption Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher and Reagan attend a formal event in January 1989. Hide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher pays her respects at Reagan's casket during his viewing at the Capitol in June 2004. Hide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: Photos: Thatcher and Reagan's friendship Thatcher and Reagan's friendship – Thatcher sits behind Ronald Prescott Reagan as he comforts his mother, Nancy Reagan, during the late president's interment ceremony in Simi Valley, California, in June 2004. Hide Caption BBC - History : British History Timeline 15 August 1947 India gains independence from Britain India was regarded as the most valuable British imperial possession. World War Two forced Britain to realise that it could not maintain a global empire and the British agreed to Indian self-government.

However, they could not find a political solution that was acceptable to both Hindus and Muslims, and the country was partitioned into India and Pakistan. The British were unable to prevent the resulting inter-communal violence which resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. 22 June 1948 Post-war immigration from the Commonwealth begins The liner 'SS Empire Windrush' docked at Tilbury carrying nearly 500 Caribbean immigrants to Britain, many attracted by offers of work. This arrival represented the beginning of significant immigration to Britain from the Commonwealth, particularly the Caribbean, and later the Indian subcontinent. 5 July 1948 National Health Service is established The National Health Service, established by the post-war Labour government, represented a fundamental change in the provision of medical services. The General Practitioner (GP) service became organised on the basis of a 'capitation fee' paid by the government on every patient registered with a doctor.

Voluntary and municipal hospitals were integrated under state control, exercised by the Ministry of Health 25 July 1948 Berlin Airlift begins after Soviet forces blockade the city In June 1948, the Soviet Union began a blockade of Berlin, which had been divided into occupation zones by the victorious Allies at the end of the war. They hoped to drive the western Allies out of Berlin. The following month, British and American aircraft began to airlift supplies to West Berliners. In total, there were more than 277,000 flights to deliver food, fuel and medicine. In May 1949, the Soviets backed down and lifted their blockade. 29 July 1948 Olympic Games open at Wembley Stadium in London The so-called 'Austerity Games' were held in London while rationing was still in force in Britain. Fifty nine nations took part, but the defeated powers of Germany and Japan were excluded. London saw the first Olympic photo finish, in the 100 metres, and the introduction of starting blocks for sprinters. These were the first Games since Berlin in 1936.

The 1940 Games went to Tokyo, then Stockholm, but were cancelled - as were the 1944 games - due to World War Two. 18 April 1949 Republic of Ireland comes into being The Republic of Ireland Act (1948) came into force on Easter Monday, April 1949, ending vestigial British authority in Eire. Under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, the British crown had retained some authority in the Irish Free State, although this was limited by the 1937 constitution. The 1948 Act repealed the External Relations Act and took Eire out of the Commonwealth. 8 June 1949 George Orwell's novel 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' is published Orwell's novel was a bleak political account of the future, in which big government had created a destructive totalitarianism which denied both human values and the truth. The novel made a major impact - such that it contributed the phrase 'Big Brother' to the language - and was seen as an attack on the Soviet Union.

23 February 1950 Labour wins the general election with Clement Attlee returned as prime minister Labour remained in government but its majority fell greatly, to only five seats, as the electorate's enthusiasm for Labour's post-war vision dwindled away. 29 August 1950 British troops arrive to support US forces in the Korean War British troops were sent to help the US-led United Nations force repel the Communist invasion of South Korea by North Korea. The conflict set the pattern for the Cold War, with South Korea backed by the US and its allies, and North Korea backed by the Soviet Union and China. An armistice was agreed in July 1953 and Korea was partitioned. Approximately two million Korean civilians, 1.5 million Communist troops and 450,000 UN and South Korean troops were killed. No peace treaty was ever agreed. 3 May 1951 Festival of Britain is opened by George VI The Festival sought to sustain a mood of post-war optimism and confidence - or at least interest - in new solutions. The site chosen for the Festival, on the South Bank of the Thames, London, had been extensively bombed in World War Two.

The dominant artistic mood of the Festival was neo-Romantic, apt for the traditionalist 1950s, although the Royal Festival Hall itself was a Modernistic work. 23 October 1951 Conservatives under Winston Churchill win the general election The Labour government fell as the Conservatives won a clear majority. Remarkably, Winston Churchill became prime minister again at the age of 76. He focused on foreign affairs, including reducing escalating Cold War tensions and maintaining the 'special relationship' with America, which he had done so much to develop during World War Two. Other foreign concerns included the Malayan emergency and the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya. 6 February 1952 Elizabeth II succeeds her father, George VI Princess Elizabeth was in Kenya when news of her father's death reached her. She immediately returned to Britain and was crowned on 2 June 1953. Elizabeth II proved an experienced and skilful adviser of successive prime ministers, but was careful to main constitutional conventions and not take a political stand publicly. Nonetheless, she held strong opinions, not least a belief in the Commonwealth. Under Elizabeth, members of the royal family maintained their important charitable role.

25 April 1953 Watson and Crick publish their discovery of the structure of DNA Scientists James Watson and Francis Crick were the first to describe the structure of a chemical called deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, which makes up the genes that pass hereditary characteristics from parent to child. They received the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, which they shared with another DNA pioneer, Maurice Wilkins. A hugely important discovery, it has since formed the basis for a wide range of scientific advances. 5 April 1955 Winston Churchill retires as prime minister Winston Churchill was by now 80 and his health was declining. He was succeeded as prime minister by Anthony Eden, who had also served as Churchill's Foreign Secretary and was widely recognised as his 'heir apparent'. Conservatives win the general election, with Sir Anthony Eden as prime minister This Conservative victory, with 345 seats to Labour's 277, strengthened the Conservatives' parliamentary position.

22 September 1955 Commercial television starts with the first ITV broadcast The monopoly of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was broken when commercial television companies, financed by advertising, began broadcasting under the name of Independent Television (ITV) following the Television Act of 1954. The BBC started broadcasting a second channel, BBC Two, in 1964, and Channel 4 started broadcasting in 1982. 11 February 1956 'Cambridge spies' surface in Moscow after disappearing in 1951 Two British diplomats, Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean, were among five men recruited by the Soviet secret service, the KGB, at Cambridge University in the 1930s. The others were Harold (Kim) Philby, Anthony Blunt and John Cairncross. All had been involved in passing to the Soviets highly damaging military information, and the identities of British agents. Burgess and Maclean, who had fled Britain five years before, suddenly reappeared in the Soviet Union where they denied being spies.

8 May 1956 John Osborne's play 'Look Back in Anger' is staged The 'Angry Young Men' generation of writers rejected what they saw as Britain's vulgar 'materialist' society, which they believed was disagreeable in itself and frustrating to them as individuals. Social values were lacerated by Osborne's play and in the novels 'Room at the Top' (1957) by John Braine, 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning' (1958) by Alan Sillitoe, and 'This Sporting Life' (1960) by David Storey. 5 July 1956 Worsening pollution prompts the passing of the Clean Air Act The Clean Air Act was part of a general move towards a cleaner environment, directed in particular against the burning of coal in urban areas. The Act was in response to the severe London smog of 1952, which killed more than 4,000 people. Another Clean Air Act followed in 1968.

17 October 1956 Britain switches on its first nuclear power station Calder Hall, Britain's first nuclear power station - and the first in the world to supply substantial quantities of electricity to a national system - was opened by Elizabeth II. 5 November 1956 Britain and France invade Egypt after nationalisation of the Suez Canal The Suez Crisis was sparked when Britain and France, allied with Israel, invaded Egypt over its decision to nationalise the Suez Canal - a vital waterway connecting the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. Under American pressure, the canal was handed back to Egypt and the invasion force was withdrawn. The crisis revealed Britain's declining world status and its subordination to the US. 9 January 1957 Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden resigns and is replaced by Harold Macmillan The Suez Crisis of 1956 ruined Anthony Eden's reputation and fatally compromised his political career. His health seriously diminished as a result. His successor, Harold Macmillan, had been chancellor of the exchequer under Eden. Macmillan was the third Conservative prime minister in as many years.

6 March 1957 Ghana becomes the first British colony in Africa to gain independence The British colony of Gold Coast gained its independence, with Kwame Nkrumah as its first leader, following election victories for Nkrumah's nationalist Convention People's Party (CPP). The country was renamed Ghana in the declaration of independence. This event marked the beginning of rapid decolonisation in Africa. 15 May 1957 Britain tests its first hydrogen bomb Following tests over Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean, the government announced that Britain had joined the Soviet Union and the US as a nuclear power, with its own hydrogen bomb. The tests led to a debate in Britain about the dangers of nuclear weapons, and to the foundation in 1958 of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). 5 December 1958 Motorway system opens with the M6 Preston bypass The opening of the M6 Preston bypass by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was the first stage in the motorway system. The following year, the M1 was punched through the Midlands from Watford to Birmingham. The developing motorway system encouraged a major rise in long-distance private and goods travel by road.

8 October 1959 Conservatives under Harold Macmillan win the general election In a massive personal triumph for Harold Macmillan, the Conservatives won by 365 seats (and 49.3% of the vote) to 258 for Labour. The Conservative campaign slogan 'you've never had it so good' reflected the growing affluence of the electorate. 14 January 1963 France vetoes Britain's entry to the European Common Market President of France Charles de Gaulle announced the French veto on Britain's application to join the European Common Market, the forerunner of the European Union. De Gaulle said the British government lacked 'commitment' to European integration. October 1963 New universities open and students get state support The Robbins Report on Higher Education (1963) was followed by the state-funded growth of universities. Government support was seen as necessary, not least in order to change the social composition of the student body. State-paid fees and maintenance were designed to help increase the percentage of working-class students. New universities were established, including Essex, Lancaster, Kent and Sussex.

19 October 1963 Conservative Sir Alec Douglas-Home becomes prime minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home became Conservative party leader and prime minister following the resignation of Harold Macmillan on health grounds. He became the fourth Conservative prime minister since 1951. The preceeding three - Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden and Macmillan - all resigned for a variety of reasons. 1964 Abolition of Resale Price Maintenance prompts the rise of supermarkets Resale Price Maintenance (RPM) obliged shops to sell goods at standard prices set by suppliers, and thus prevented the search for better business through undercutting. This helped small independent shopkeepers in their resistance to larger traders. Abolition of RPM opened the way to the rise of supermarkets and the transformation of the retail industry. 15 October 1964 Labour wins the general election, with Harold Wilson as prime minister Labour, under Harold Wilson, narrowly won the general election, by 317 seats to 304 for the Conservatives. Considered something of an intellectual, Wilson successfully contrasted his 'meritocratic' beliefs against his 'establishment' opponent, Conservative Alec Douglas-Home.

12 July 1965 Comprehensive education system is initiated Circular 10/65', issued by the Labour government's education secretary, Anthony Crosland, obliged local education authorities to draw up plans for replacing the existing division between 'grammar' and 'secondary modern' schools in order to create all-inclusive 'comprehensive' schools. It represented the first step towards a comprehensive education system that served all pupils on an equal basis. 8 November 1965 Death penalty is abolished The abolition of the death penalty for murder - one of the few remaining crimes for which capital punishment could still be handed down - effectively meant the final abolition of the death penalty. This was a major symbolic act in the reduction of the power of the state. The death sentence for treason and piracy with violence remained on the statue books until 1998 when they were abolished by the Crime and Disorder Act. 31 March 1966 Labour strengthens its parliamentary position in the general election Labour's share of the vote went up from 44.1% in the 1964 general election to 48%, and the Conservatives down from 43.4 to 41.9.

The shift in seats, from 317 to 364, compared with 304 to 253, was more dramatic, leaving Harold Wilson, the Labour prime minister, with a much-improved majority of nearly 100. 30 July 1966 England win the football World Cup England defeated West Germany in the World Cup final, which was held at Wembley and watched by 93,000 people in the stadium and 400 million people around the world on television. Geoff Hurst became the first - and thusfar only - player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final when he powered home his third goal in the final moments of extra time, giving England a decisive 4-2 victory. 1967 Abortion and homosexuality are legalised A number of Acts of Parliament in this period reflected the changing social climate. As well as the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, which legalised homosexuality between men over 21, and the 1967 Abortion Act which legalised abortion under certain conditions, there was also the 1969 Divorce Reform Act and the 1970 Equal Pay Act.

1 June 1967 Beatles release 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' This was the Beatles' eighth album, and is widely recongnised as one of the most influential records ever released. The album was heavily influenced by the group's increasing use of drugs, and enjoyed immediate critical and popular success at the start of the 'psychedelic era'. Peter Blake's collage for the album cover has become iconic. 2 March 1969 Concorde, the world's first supersonic airliner, makes its maiden flight The first supersonic (above the speed of sound) airliner was developed jointly by Britain and France. It did not begin commercial flights until 1976. The fleet was grounded in 2000 after Concorde's first and only major fatal accident in July of that year. Concorde was finally retired in 2003. 18 June 1970 Conservatives win the general election, with Edward Heath as prime minister The Conservatives won the general election by 330 seats to 287 for Labour. This unexpected result appears to have reflected doubts about Labour's economic management, a view focused by a poor set of trade figures.

The failure of Labour to motivate its own supporters was also important. Evidence suggested that voters had turned against Harold Wilson, rather than towards the uncharismatic Edward Heath. 6 February 1971 First British soldier is killed in Northern Ireland's 'Troubles' The first British soldier, Gunner Robert Curtis (aged 20), was killed in Northern Ireland's 'Troubles' by the self-styled 'Irish Republican Army' (IRA). He was shot while on foot patrol in North Belfast. British troops had been sent to Northern Ireland in 1969 in a 'limited operation' to restore law and order. 15 February 1971 Decimalised currency replaces 'pounds, shillings and pence' The old sterling denominations of pounds, shillings and pennies were phased out over a period of 18 months, and replaced with decimal pounds and pennies. The decimalisation of the pound came to be blamed for an increase in inflation. 20 August 1971 North Sea oil concessions are auctioned The discovery of oil under the North Sea was a major boost to British public finances.

Drilling and exploration concessions were auctioned to maximise government income, and the first oil was piped ashore at Teesside in 1975. Full scale exploitation of the fields would not begin until the 1980s, when rising oil prices made it economically viable. 30 January 1972 British army kills 14 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on Bloody Sunday British troops opened fire on a crowd of civil rights protestors in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, killing 13 civilians and injuring a further 17. The crowd of between 7,000 and 10,000 people had been marching in protest at the policy of detention without trial. The sequence of events on 'Bloody Sunday' remains highly controversial, with accusations that senior IRA figures were present on the day and shot at British troops. 4 August 1972 Idi Amin expels Uganda's Asians and many settle in Britain On 4 August, Ugandan President Idi Amin gave his country's Asian population just 90 days to leave, claiming god had told him to do it in a dream.

Over half of the 55,000 Asians expelled from Uganda came to Britain and many settled permanently. Their resettlement came to be viewed as a success story. In 1991, President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni invited them to 'return home' to help the Ugandan economy. 1 January 1973 Britain joins the European Economic Community Britain, Ireland and Denmark joined the European Economic Community (EEC), bringing the total number of member states to nine. The three countries, together with Norway, signed an accession treaty in 1972, but Norwegians rejected the treaty in a referendum. Britain held a referendum on the matter in 1975, after renegotiating its terms of entry, and 67% voted in favour of staying in the EEC. 28 February 1974 Election ends in a 'hung parliament' with Harold Wilson as prime minister The Conservatives won more votes than Labour (37.9% of the popular vote to 37.1%), but Labour won more seats (301 to 297). Neither party had achieved an outright majority, resulting in a 'hung parliament'.

The Liberals, with 19.3% and 14 seats, held the balance of power. Edward Heath initially held on to office in the hope of persuading the Liberals to enter into a coalition, but the Liberals rejected this idea and Harold Wilson returned to head a minority administration. 10 October 1974 Labour wins a tiny majority in the election with Harold Wilson as prime minister In order to tackle his party's minority status following the 'hung parliament' produced by the general election of February 1974, Harold Wilson called a new election, which he won with a small overall majority. Labour's percentage of the vote went up from 37.1 to 39.2, while Conservative percentage fell from 37.9 to 35.8. 16 March 1976 Prime Minister Harold Wilson resigns and is replaced by James Callaghan Harold Wilson's resignation after 13 years as Labour leader and nearly eight as prime minister was completely unexpected, and has never been properly explained. It was probably related to his awareness of the early onset of Alzheimer's disease and a feeling that he was losing control.

On 5 April, James Callaghan was elected Labour Party leader and became the new prime minister. September 1976 Britain is forced to borrow money from the International Monetary Fund A crisis in sterling forced the Labour government to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), making Britain the first major Western state to be forced into this humiliating course of action. In return for the loan, the IMF demanded cuts in government spending. After a political battle within the British government, the IMF terms were accepted and imposed in December. 25 July 1978 World's first test-tube baby is born in Oldham Louise Brown, the first 'test-tube baby', was a success for 'in vitro' fertilisation (IVF), a method by which egg and sperm are mixed in a glass dish, and the embryos inserted into the womb. By the end of the 20th century, about 1,400 IVF babies were being born each year. Winter 1978/79 Strikes paralyse Britain during the so-called 'Winter of Discontent' Industrial action by petrol tanker and lorry drivers was followed by hospital ancillary staff, ambulance men and dustmen going on strike.

Hospitals were picketed, the dead left unburied, and troops called in to control rats swarming around heaps of uncollected rubbish. The large number of simultaneous strikes, the violence and perceived mean-mindedness of the picketing (which included the turning away of ambulances) created a sense of alarm in the electorate about the decline of British society. 1 March 1979 Scotland and Wales reject devolution The referenda required the support of 40% of the electorate, not simply the majority of votes. This was not obtained in Scotland, although the majority of votes were in favour of devolution. Devolution was heavily defeated in Wales. As a result of the referenda, the Scottish Nationalists joined the Conservatives and Liberals in passing a vote of no confidence in the government, and Labour lost control of the House of Commons - a bad prelude to the general election. 3 May 1979 Conservative Margaret Thatcher becomes Britain's first female prime minister Margaret Thatcher, party leader since 1975, became Britain's first female prime minister with a majority of 43 seats.

The Conservatives won 43.9% of the votes and 339 seats, Labour 36.9% and 269 seats, and Liberals 13.8%. She came to power on the promise that the Conservatives would cut income tax, reduce public expenditure, make it easier for people to buy their own homes and curb the power of the unions. 27 August 1979 IRA kill the Queen's cousin Lord Mountbatten Elizabeth II's cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten, one of his teenage grandsons and two others were killed by a bomb on his boat at Mullaghmore in county Sligo, Ireland. On the same day the IRA also killed 18 soldiers at Warrenpoint in County Down. 11 April 1981 Racial tensions spark riots in Brixton and other areas Serious rioting in Brixton following the arrest of a local black man marked the start of violent unrest across England. In London's Southall, Toxteth in Liverpool, Moss Side in Manchester, and to a lesser extent other centres such as Derby, crowds rioted, looted, and fought the police.

Many of the riots reflected specific local problems, especially poor relations between predominantly black communities and the police. 24 June 1981 Humber Bridge opens, the longest single-span bridge in the world The Humber Bridge was built between 1972 and 1980. At the time, it was the longest single-span bridge in the world at nearly 2,200m. 3 October 1981 Hunger strike by Republican prisoners ends after ten deaths Republican prisoners at the Maze prison near Belfast had begun their hunger strike over the right to be treated as political prisoners rather than criminals. A first strike, begun in late 1980, was called off with no deaths. But failure to secure concessions resulted in a second, led by Bobby Sands. It began in March 1981. The British government refused to concede. Ten men, including Sands, starved themselves to death, while 61 people were killed outside the prison in related violence. 26 January 1982 Economic recession leads to high unemployment Unemployment breached the psychologically significant barrier of three million as manufacturing was hard hit by a deep economic recession.

2 April 1982 Argentina invades the British territory of the Falkland Islands Three days after the invasion, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sent a naval task force to liberate the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. The subsequent conflict cost the lives of 655 Argentine and 255 British servicemen, many of them sailors who died during attacks on Royal Navy warships. The conflict ended on 14 June when the commander of the Argentine garrison at Port Stanley surrendered to British troops. 10 June 1983 Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is re-elected by a landslide The Conservatives were re-elected with 379 seats and an enormous majority of 144 seats. Labour's share crashed to 209 seats. The Social Democratic-Liberal 'Alliance' won 23 seats. The Conservatives benefited from division among their opponents and doubts about Labour's competence on the economy and defence. Thatcher's government used its majority to embark on a radical programme of privatisation and deregulation, trade union reform and tax cuts.

12 March 1984 12-month 'Miners' Strike' over pit closures begins A local strike on 5 March over a threatened pit closure in Yorkshire had, within a week, broadened into a national miners' strike. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pitted her personal authority against that of the militant socialist president of the National Union of Mineworkers, Arthur Scargill. There were violent clashes between striking miners and policemen. The strike failed and was called off after a year, allowing the pit closures to go ahead. The strike left a legacy of deep bitterness. 12 October 1984 IRA bombers strike at the Conservative conference in Brighton The bombing by Irish Republican Army terrorists of the Grand Hotel Brighton during the Conservative Party conference killed five and left more than 30 injured. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher narrowly escaped the blast. It was the closest the IRA had come to killing a British prime minister. 8 December 1986 Major national industries are privatised The privatisation of British Gas was a major step in the Conservative government's policy of privatisation.

It paved the way for the privatisation of British Aerospace, Cable and Wireless, Britoil, the National Bus Company, British Airways, Rolls Royce, British Steel, British Telecom, the electricity-generating industry and the water companies. These sales cut government expenditure, by bringing in large sums of money and by reducing the need for state subsidies. 11 June 1987 Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher wins a third term Margaret Thatcher was re-elected for an historic third term, with an overall majority of 101 - less than in 1983, but still significant. The Conservatives had 376 seats (42.3 % of the vote), Labour 229 (30.8%) and Alliance 22 (22.5%). It paved the way for Thatcher to become the longest serving prime minister for more than 150 years. Signs of a Labour recovery appeared in Scotland, where they won 50 of the 72 seats.

1989 Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web In 1989, while working at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory in Switzerland, Tim Berners-Lee came up with the idea of the World Wide Web, a new way of using existing internet technology to share information. He wrote the first web browser the following year, and went on to found the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in 1994. 31 March 1990 Introduction of new local taxes sparks 'poll tax' riots in London The Conservative plans for a 'poll tax', introduced in England and Wales on 1 April 1990, provoked vocal opposition across Britain in the form of anti-poll tax rallies and acts of civil disobedience. A largely peaceful march in London, attended by 70,000 people, degenerated into serious rioting centred on Trafalgar Square. The unpopularity of the tax contributed to the downfall of Margaret Thatcher. Her successor John Major replaced the poll tax with the council tax.

22 November 1990 Margaret Thatcher resigns and John Major becomes prime minister Faced by large-scale opposition within her own parliamentary party, Margaret Thatcher, who was widely seen as remote and autocratic, resigned as prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party. The crisis of confidence in her leadership had been sparked by her attitude to Europe, while her support for the so-called 'poll tax' had undermined her standing with the electorate. Five days later, John Major succeeded her as party leader and prime minister. 17 January 1991 Liberation of Kuwait begins as Allies launch Operation Desert Storm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 and refused to withdraw. Following a massive military build up, US-led forces backed by a United Nations mandate launched 'Operation Desert Storm' to liberate Kuwait. A huge aerial bombardment preceded the ground attack on 24 February. The Iraqi army fell into headlong retreat and on 27 February, US President George Bush declared that Kuwait had been liberated. Saddam Hussein remained in power in Iraq.

9 April 1992 Conservatives win the general election, returning John Major as prime minister A poor Labour campaign by leader Neil Kinnock squandered significant support for the opposition and helped Conservative John Major to a surprise general election victory, with a slim overall majority of 21. The Conservatives won 326 seats, Labour 271. 6 May 1992 Channel Tunnel opens, linking London and Paris by rail The Channel Tunnel provided an unprecedented rail link between London and Paris, something that had been planned for over a century. The tunnel became the longest undersea tunnel in the world, measuring 50km in total, with 39km of it under the sea. Three tunnels - two for trains and one for service - lie an average of 40m below the sea bed. 16 September 1992 'Black Wednesday' forces withdrawal of sterling from the ERM Sterling, under strong financial pressure from speculation on the money markets, was pulled out of the European Union's Exchange Rate Mechanism. This was a major blow to the Conservatives' reputation for economic competence, but it relieved pressure on Britain's economy by ensuring that the currency could float independently.

1994 First women priests are ordained by the Church of England The decision to ordain women to the priesthood in the Church of England was taken in 1992 and implemented in 1994. It was a controversial step, welcomed by most of the church but rejected by traditionalists, some of whom joined the Catholic Church in protest. 1 May 1997 Labour wins the general election, with Tony Blair as prime minister Tony Blair had become leader of the Labour Party in 1994 after the sudden death of John Smith. Blair continued the modernisation of the party begun by Smith. Voters responded to 'New Labour' in the 1997 election, giving the party a huge majority of 179 seats. One of the new Labour government's first acts was to give the Bank of England control of interest rates. It also embarked on a programme of far-reaching constitutional reform. 1 July 1997 Britain hands Hong Kong back to China After more than 150 years of British rule, Hong Kong was returned to Chinese control.

Britain had held the New Territories north of Hong Kong under a 99-year lease that expired in 1997, requiring the 'handing back' of the colony to China. Under the 'One Country, Two Systems' policy, Hong Kong retained its own legal system, currency, customs policy and immigration laws for a minimum 50 years after the handover. 31 August 1997 Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in a car crash in Paris Diana was the ex-wife of the heir to the British throne, Charles, Prince of Wales. A controversial figure in life, Diana's death in a car crash in Paris provoked widespread public mourning. On 6 September, one million people lined the streets of London for her funeral. It was later discovered that the driver of the car in which he, Diana and her friend Dodi Al Fayed were killed had more than the legal limit of alcohol in his blood and was travelling at over 100mph.

September 1997 Scotland and Wales vote in favour of devolution In two referenda, a large majority in Scotland (74.9% of those who voted), and a smaller one in Wales (50.3%), provided the basis for the creation of national assemblies with legislative powers. The assemblies first met in 1999, with the Scottish Parliament, but not the Welsh Assembly, gaining tax-varying powers. 10 April 1998 Good Friday Agreement establishes a devolved Northern Irish assembly An agreement between Northern Ireland's nationalists and unionists was reached after 30 years of conflict, as a result British government negotiations and US pressure on Sinn Féin, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army. It set out plans for devolved government and provided for the early release of terrorist prisoners and the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. Referenda in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland endorsed the agreement on 22 May. The assembly met on 1 July. 1 January 1999 Britain decides not to join the European Single Currency Widespread British unease about the European single currency obliged Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was keen on the project, to stay out.

The 'euro' was launched as an electronic currency used by banks, foreign exchange dealers, big firms and stock markets in 1999. Euro coins first hit the streets of the 12 'eurozone' countries on 1 January 2002. 1 January 2000 Britain celebrates the new millennium There were widespread celebrations of the new millennium and relief that the 'millennium bug', which had been predicted to cause global computer meltdown, failed to materialise. Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair joined a party at the ill-starred Millennium Dome in Greenwich, east London. The controversial dome was considered a massive flop and only stayed open until December 2000. March 2000 Global stock markets tumble as the 'dotcom bubble' bursts The late 1990s saw a profusion of start-up companies selling products or services either using or related to the internet. There was a speculative frenzy of investment in these 'dotcom' companies, much of it by small investors. The bursting of the 'dotcom bubble' saw the collapse of many of these companies and marked the beginning of a mild yet lengthy recession.

2001 Foot-and-mouth disease wreaks havoc on rural Britain The nine-month epidemic of 'foot-and-mouth' disease resulted in the culling of millions of animals and devastated large sections of the rural economy. The crisis brought the countryside to a virtual standstill and the cost to British farming was put between £800 million and £2.4 billion. The Labour government was heavily criticised for its handling of the crisis. 7 June 2001 Labour wins the general election, with Tony Blair returned as prime minister Labour won a commanding majority of 167 seats. Prime Minister Tony Blair's second term came to be dominated by controversial foreign policy issues, mainly the 'war on terror' begun after the terror attacks in the United States on 11 September. The Conservative leader, William Hague, resigned after the party showed little sign of electoral recovery. 11 September 2001 Islamic terrorists crash aircraft on targets in New York and Washington Nineteen mainly Saudi Arabian terrorists used hijacked planes to destroy the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York and part of the Pentagon building in Washington. A fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania, killing all on board.

Among the approximately 3,000 people killed in the attacks were 67 Britons. In response, US President George W Bush declared a worldwide 'war on terror'. 7 October 2001 Britain joins the US in strikes on Taleban-controlled Afghanistan British forces contributed to the initial US military strikes against the Islamic fundamentalist Taleban regime in Afghanistan - the first retaliation to the terrorist attacks of '9/11'. The Taleban, who had allowed the terrorist organisation al-Qaeda to use Afghanistan as a base, was overthrown and replaced with a US-backed administration. Coalition forces, including British troops, remain in Afghanistan. Osama Bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader responsible for the '9/11' attacks, was not found. 20 March 2003 Britain joins the US in an invasion of Iraq Despite significant opposition at home, the British government gave military support to the controversial United States-led invasion of Iraq. Crucially, the action was not backed by a United Nations mandate, sparking debate over the legality of the invasion. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was overthrown and captured.

Iraq now has a democratically elected government, but the country remains deeply unstable as a result of the deliberate stoking of sectarian tensions by terrorist groups. 1 May 2004 Ten new states join the European Union Ten new states from eastern and southern Europe joined the European Union, making it the largest trading bloc in the world by population. Their inclusion sparked fears, stoked by lurid media stories, of a huge influx of 'economic migrants' from the poorer eastern countries to the wealthier western countries such as Britain. 16 February 2005 Kyoto Protocol on measures to control climate change comes into force The agreement required countries to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 5.2% by 2012. The treaty was signed by 141 countries but the world's largest economy - and largest polluter - the United States, did not ratify it. Climate scientists argued that the 5.2% target was far too low, and a 60% cut was needed to make an impact on climate change caused by human activity. 5 May 2005 Labour wins a third consecutive term with Tony Blair as prime minister Labour won, but with a substantially reduced majority.

Tony Blair joined Margaret Thatcher as the only post-war prime ministers to have won three successive general elections. Nonetheless, he quickly announced his intention not to stand for a fourth term, sparking ongoing speculation about when he would hand over to his annointed successor, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. Conservative leader Michael Howard resigned to make way for a younger leader. 7 July 2005 Suicide bombers kill 52 people on London's transport system Three men blew themselves up on London Underground trains, while a fourth exploded his bomb on a double-decker bus. Fifty two people were killed and more than 700 injured. On 21 July there were four more attempted suicide bombings in London, but none of the devices exploded. Islamic terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility, but it is thought that the bombers, all British Muslims, acted alone. December 2005 Civil partnerships give same-sex couples legal rights Civil partnerships between same-sex couples were introduced in the 2004 Civil Partnership Act and came into law in December 2005. Partnered couples gained the same legal rights as married couples and were permitted to hold wedding-style 'civil union' ceremonies.

BBC ON THIS DAY | 1 | 1970: British Prime Minister hit by flying egg About This Site | Text Only 1970: British Prime Minister hit by flying egg The Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, has been hit in the face with an egg thrown by a Young Conservative demonstrator. The raw egg, thrown at close range, hit him on the forehead and bounced onto his jacket where it broke. It was thrown by Tory supporter Richard Ware. He had waited nearly an hour to make his protest, outside the Wealdstone Labour Hall in north-west London, over the cancellation of the South African Springboks cricket tour. The tour was called off on Home Secretary James Callaghan's orders afer he raised fears of mass demonstrations against apartheid. During the 1969 rugby tour, matches were frequently interrupted by protesters. The Labour leader shrugged off the incident as a sign the cost of living could not be as high as the Tories were suggesting if people could afford to throw raw eggs. Eggs must be cheap enough to throw about Prime Minister Harold Wilson The economy has been one of the central issues of this election campaign.

Earlier in the day Mr Wilson had faced heckling from a crowd of around 500 gathered to greet his arrival at the Holborn and St Pancras South constituency in north London. One woman shouted: "He's even put a tax on ant eggs for goldfish." Another man retorted: "Goldfish are a luxury." When Mr Wilson was later hit by the egg, he quipped: "If they are fighting the cost of living in Harrow, obviously eggs must be cheap enough to throw about. "If the Tories get in, in five years no-one will be able to afford to buy an egg." Although his government has been dogged by economic crises, culminating in the devaluation of sterling three years ago, there have been signs of recovery recently. Chancellor Roy Jenkins introduced a series of indirect taxes in 1968 and a pay rise ceiling of 3.5% which have helped improve the economy to the extent Mr Wilson felt it was safe to call an election for 18 June. The polls have all been predicting an easy victory for Labour and Mr Wilson. The campaigning so far has focussed firmly on the two main party leaders, Mr Wilson and Conservative Edward Heath.

Although Mr Wilson has developed a reputation for one-liners at the daily news conferences, it was Mr Heath who got the better of him this time. Asked about the egg incident, Mr Heath replied: "This was a secret meeting on a secret tour which nobody is supposed to know about. It means that men - and perhaps women - are walking the streets with eggs in their pockets, just on the off-chance." History of Harold Wilson - GOV.UK GOV.UK Harold Wilson Labour 1974 to 1976, 1964 to 1970 Born 11 March 1916, Huddersfield, Yorkshire Died 1974 to 1976, 1964 to 1970 Political party Labour Major acts Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965: suspended the death penalty in England, Wales and Scotland. Sexual Offences Act 1967: decriminalisation of certain homosexual offences. Interesting facts In 1969 he was struck in the eye by a stink bomb thrown by a schoolboy.

Wilson’s response was "with an arm like that he ought to be in the English cricket XI″ As Prime Minister Harold Wilson enacted social reforms in education, health, housing, gender equality, price controls, pensions, provisions for disabled people and child poverty. Harold Wilson, the son of a chemist and teacher, was born in Yorkshire during the First World War. In 1924, aged 8, he visited 10 Downing Street, which would eventually become his home. He studied Modern History for a year before transferring to Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, graduating with a first class BA. The Labour politician entered Parliament in 1945 as MP for Ormskirk and later becoming MP for Huyton. In 1947, then Prime Minister Clement Attlee made Wilson President of the Board of Trade. Aged 31, he had become the youngest member of the Cabinet in the 20th century. Under Hugh Gaitskell’s leadership of the Labour party, Wilson served as Shadow Chancellor from 1955 to 1961, then as Shadow Foreign Secretary from 1961 to 1963.

After Gaitskell passed away suddenly, Wilson fought and won a leadership contest against George Brown and James Callaghan. As Labour leader, he won 4 of the 5 General Elections he contested, although this includes a minority government. His first election victory on 15 October 1964 saw him win with a small majority of 4, which increased significantly to 98 after a second General Election on 31 March 1966. As Prime Minister from 1964 to 1970, his main plan was to modernise. He believed that he would be aided by the “white heat of the technological revolution”. His government supported backbench MPs in liberalising laws on censorship, divorce, abortion, and homosexuality, and he abolished capital punishment. Crucial steps were taken towards stopping discrimination against women and ethnic minorities, and Wilson’s government also created the Open University. In comparison, his outlook on foreign affairs was less modernising. He wanted to maintain Britain’s world role by keeping the Commonwealth united and nurturing the Anglo-American alliance.

For example, his approach to the Vietnam War saw him skilfully balance modernist ambitions with Anglo-American interests when, despite repeated American requests, he kept British troops out while still maintaining good relations. Wilson biographer Philip Ziegler characterises his role as “honest broker”. However, he had to fundamentally reshape Britain’s world role after inheriting an overstretched military and a £400 million balance of payments deficit, which caused successive sterling crises. To resolve these 2 interlinked problems, Wilson launched a Defence Review (1964 to 1965) and created the Department for Economic Affairs, which sought to implement an ambitious National Plan. When sterling crises continued, Wilson was forced to devalue the pound in November 1967. Two months later, his government reluctantly announced Britain’s gradual withdrawal from the strategically important East of Suez. Despite his initial hesitation, Wilson recognised the value of membership of the European Economic Community ( EEC ), but his 1967 application was unsuccessful. Believing his popularity had increased, Wilson called a general election on 18 June 1970, but suffered defeat by the Conservative Party under Edward Heath . Wilson held onto the Labour leadership.

The next General Election on 28 February 1974 resulted in a hung parliament, and he formed a minority government. He called another election on 10 October 1974 at which he secured a small majority of 3. His next 2 years as Prime Minister saw him concentrate heavily on domestic policy, achieving social reforms in education, health, housing, gender equality, price controls, pensions, provisions for disabled people and child poverty. As a result, income tax on top earners increased to 83%. Job creation remained an issue – by 1975, unemployment had reached 1 million. He limited the damage caused by differing opinions within his party during renegotiation of the terms of Britain’s EEC membership. He also sought to resolve The Troubles between the nationalists and unionists in Northern Ireland but was ultimately unsuccessful. On 16 March 1976, 5 days after his 60th birthday, he stunned the nation when he announced his intention to resign, a decision that he claimed he had made 2 years previously. James Callaghan , leader of the Labour Party, succeeded him to the role of Prime Minister.

Margaret Thatcher - British History - HISTORY.com Margaret Thatcher A+E Networks Introduction Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013), the United Kingdom’s first and thus far only female prime minister, served from 1979 until 1990. During her time in office, she reduced the influence of trade unions, privatized certain industries, scaled back public benefits and changed the terms of political debate, much like her friend and ideological ally, U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” she opposed Soviet communism and fought a war to maintain control of the Falkland Islands. The longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century, Thatcher was eventually pressured into resigning by members of her own Conservative Party Google Margaret Thatcher: The Early Years Margaret Hilda Roberts, later Margaret Thatcher, was born on October 13, 1925, in Grantham, a small town in Lincolnshire, England. Her parents, Alfred and Beatrice, were middle-class shopkeepers and devout Methodists.

Alfred was also a politician, serving as a town council member for 16 years before becoming an alderman in 1943 and mayor of Grantham from 1945 to 1946. Did You Know? In 2007 Margaret Thatcher became the first living ex-prime minister in British history to be honored with a statue in the Houses of Parliament. It stands opposite a statue of Winston Churchill in the lobby of the House of Commons. Thatcher matriculated at Oxford University in 1943, during the height of World War II . While there she studied chemistry and joined the Oxford Union Conservative Association, becoming president of the organization in 1946. After graduation she worked as a research chemist, but her real interest was politics. In 1950 she ran for parliament in the Labour-dominated constituency of Dartford, using the slogan “Vote Right to Keep What’s Left.” She lost that year and again in 1951, but received more votes than previous Conservative Party candidates. Margaret Thatcher Enters Parliament In December 1951 Margaret married Denis Thatcher, a wealthy businessman.

Less than two years later she gave birth to twins, Carol and Mark. Meanwhile, she was studying for the bar exams, which she passed in early 1954. She then spent the next few years practicing law and looking for a winnable constituency. Thatcher ran for parliament once more in 1959—this time in the Conservative-dominated constituency of Finchley—and easily won the seat. The first bill she introduced affirmed the right of the media to cover local government meetings. Speaking about the bill in her maiden speech, she focused not on freedom of the press but instead on the need to limit wasteful government expenditures—a common theme throughout her political career. By 1961 Thatcher had accepted an invitation to become parliamentary undersecretary in the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance. She then steadily moved up the ministerial ranks, becoming secretary of state for education and science when the Conservatives retook power in 1970. The following year she was demonized by her Labour Party opponents as “Thatcher the milk snatcher” when she eliminated a free milk program for schoolchildren.

Nonetheless, she was able to keep her job, and in 1975, with the Conservatives back in the opposition, she defeated former Prime Minister Edward Heath to take over leadership of the party. Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister Thatcher was now one of the most powerful women in the world. She rejected the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes, who advocated deficit spending during periods of high unemployment, instead preferring the monetarist approach of Chicago economist Milton Friedman. At her first conference speech, she chastised the Labour Party on economic grounds, saying, “A man’s right to work as he will, to spend what he earns, to own property, to have the state as servant and not as master—these are the British inheritance.” Soon after, she attacked the Soviet Union as “bent on world dominance.” A Soviet army newspaper responded by calling her “the Iron Lady,” a nickname she immediately embraced. The Conservatives, helped out by a “winter of discontent” in which numerous unions went on strike, won the 1979 election, and Thatcher became prime minister.

During her first term, the government lowered direct taxes while increasing taxes on spending, sold off public housing, put in austerity measures and made other reforms, even as rising inflation and unemployment caused Thatcher’s popularity to temporarily wane. In April 1982 Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a sparsely populated British colony located 300 miles from Argentina and 8,000 miles from the United Kingdom. Thatcher dispatched troops to the area. On May 2, a British submarine controversially sank an Argentine cruiser that was outside of an official exclusion zone, killing over 300 people on board. Later in the month, British troops landed near San Carlos Bay in East Falkland and, despite persistent air attacks, were able to capture the capital of Port Stanley and end the fighting. The war and an improving economy propelled Thatcher to a second term in 1983. This time around, her government took on the trade unions, requiring them to hold a secret ballot before any work stoppage and refusing to make any concessions during a yearlong miners’ strike.

In what became a key part of her legacy, Thatcher also privatized British Telecom, British Gas, British Airways, Rolls-Royce and a number of other state-owned companies. On the foreign policy front, Thatcher often found herself allied with U.S. President Ronald Reagan , whom she later described as “the supreme architect of the West’s Cold War victory.” Her relationship with her own continent’s leaders was more complicated, particularly since she believed the Europe Union should be a free-trade area rather than a political endeavor. “That such an unnecessary and irrational project as building a European superstate was ever embarked upon will seem in future years to be perhaps the greatest folly of the modern era,” she wrote in her 2002 book “Statecraft.” In Asia, meanwhile, she negotiated the eventual transfer of Hong Kong to the Chinese. In Africa she had a mixed record, facilitating the end of white minority rule in Zimbabwe but opposing sanctions against apartheid South Africa. Margaret Thatcher’s Fall From Power After Thatcher was elected to a third term in 1987, her government lowered income tax rates to a postwar low. It also pushed through an unpopular “community charge” that was met with street protests and high levels of nonpayment.

On November 14, 1990, former Defense Minister Michael Heseltine challenged her for leadership of the party, partly due to differences of opinion on the European Union. Thatcher won the first ballot but by too small of a margin for outright victory. That night, her cabinet members visited her one by one and urged her to resign. She officially stepped down on November 28 after helping to assure that John Major and not Heseltine would replace her. Thatcher remained in parliament until 1992, at which time she entered the largely ceremonial House of Lords and began to write her memoirs. Though she stopped appearing in public after suffering a series of small strokes in the early 2000s, her influence remained strong. In fact, many of her free market policies have since been adopted, not only by Conservatives, but also by Labour Party leaders like Tony Blair. In 2011, the former prime minister was the subject of an award-winning (and controversial) biographical film, “The Iron Lady,” which depicted her political rise and fall. Margaret Thatcher died on April 8, 2013, at the age of 87. Tags

Question: Who became British Prime Minister in June 1970?
Answer: Edward Heath