The Election of 1969
Going into the countries’ latest elections Britain was already beginning to shift away from the hope of the 1960s to the hardship of the 1970s as the economy appeared stagnant, Northern Ireland sat on the brink of civil war, the People’s Army threatened the country with domestic terrorism and abroad Britain continued to hold on to its influence over a large part of the seething Arab world.
Conservative Party
Political Position: Centre-Right
Ideology: Conservatism
Description:
After Enoch Powell road into the leadership of the Conservative Party following Macmillan’s health related resignation in early 1964, on the back of the support of a radical Rightist alliance, and promptly led the party into a disastrous election in which the party’s vote fell and number of seats was cut in half despite the absorption of the National Liberals, the party risked collapse. Instead, Powell shifted away from close collaboration with the excessively reactionary Traditionalist elements of the party and turned towards a new coalition with One Nationists and National Liberals that significantly softened party policy.
Party Leader: Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell’s political career followed a turbulent trajectory after he began to openly clash with the leadership of the Conservative Party from the late 1950s. Rapidly rising in influence by bringing together the fructuous right wing opposition of the party he served as Home Secretary from 1963-64 before becoming party leader and bringing his position into doubt following electoral failure. Surviving any challenge to his leadership by reconfiguring his allegiances within the party his star slowly began to rise once more – the Tories again having a degree of influence over government policy as the Liberals relied heavily on cooperation with the Conservatives after entering into a minority government from 1967-69. Now, Powell desperately needs an electoral victory to maintain his leadership, and the unity of his party.
Foreign Policy:
Britain must remain committed, as ever, to the NATO alliance and the defence of the free world against the expansion of totalitarianism. We must make clear our support for our allies, and not undermine the integrity of our alliance, but at the same time retain an independence of action in our foreign policy.
Our nation must show a willingness to intervene in order to protect allied governments, especially those within the Commonwealth, from subversion by armed minorities. This issue is particularly pertinent in Malaysia and Australia where the present levels of military aid are unacceptable and must be seriously increased. However, the Conservative Party opposes involvement in the Indonesian War.
We shall oppose any future efforts to bring the United Kingdom into the EEC. Our economic and political independence cannot be compromised.
The Conservative Party condemns minority rule in Southern Africa and does not recognise the illegal Rhodesian regime, born from a rebellion against Great Britain, as legitimate.
We support close economic and political integration between Britain and the nations of the Commonwealth.
Northern Ireland:
The Conservative Party demands that the rule of law be upheld in Northern Ireland and that the authorities take immediate action to curb the outbreak of violence in the province. All communities must enjoy the equal protection of the state.
Domestic Policy:
A decade of almost continuous Liberal rule has seen Britain enter into a period of decline that must be reversed immediately!
The Conservatives are the party of economic freedom. We support the privatisation of sectors of industry suffering worst under strangling state controls. It is clear that the inflexibility of Keynesian economic dogma has contributed our sluggish economic progress. We support a more flexible monetarist approach that shall ensure greater growth and a more lasting prosperity than the short termist Liberal and Labour administrations ever could.
We support further restrictions on immigration. A steadier stream of immigration will allow our economy and our society to better manage their absorption – preventing needless downward pressure on wages and tensions within our nation’s communities.
The Conservative Party opposes to granting of further powers to the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales, but accepts their continued functioning.
We support greater financial support for our armed forces, in decline over the past decade, with investment needed if our nation is to continue to fulfil its important role in defending both the free world and national interests across the globe.
The Conservative Party shall use all necessary measures to combat and defeat domestic terrorism. British citizens shall not live in fear; neither shall they compromise with armed extremists willing to employ violence and murder against the civilian population.
The Conservative Party calls for a more prosperous, stable and safer future for Britain!
Liberal Party
Political Position: Centre
Ideology: Liberalism, Social Liberalism, (Moderate Social Democracy – Minority viewpoint)
Description:
Since its great electoral triumph of 1958, when it became the first party to win an absolute majority since the War, the Liberal Party’s popular support had started to decline even as it dominated British government during the 1960s. With factional discord threatening to explode from under the party’s skin at any moment, for the first time since the mid-1950s its status as the leading force of the Centre-Left had come into question as a resurgent Labour Party sought to exert its influence once more.
Party Leader: Jo Grimond
Liberal leader since 1955, Prime Minister from 1958-63 and 1964-69, Jo Grimond had served more years at the head of government than any Prime Minister since 1902. His prestige within the Liberal Party was absolute, his leadership almost immovable after delivering a decade of almost continuous Liberal led government. Yet, the Grimond of 1969 was far removed from the optimistic figure that was swept to power at the end of the 1950s. Hardened by years in power he had developed a grey, dictatorial, style of political leadership that ensured that the party’s dominant, centrist, social liberal grouping kept all other factions at bay even as it dirtied his own and the party’s image in the eyes of many.
Foreign Policy:
The Liberal Party supports Britain’s involvement in the NATO alliance, and the defence of the free world against Communist totalitarianism, wholeheartedly.
The Liberal Party supports arbitration, the United Nations and the international law in all international disputes. In the nuclear age it is imperative that nations solve their differences through peace, not military means.
However, where arbitration proves impossible, the Liberal Party is not opposed to the limited use of force in the interests of Great Britain and her citizens.
The Liberal Party supports the strengthening of economic and political ties with the nations of the Commonwealth.
The Liberal Party supports the entrance of Britain into the EEC as soon as the political situation on the continent allows. As the French President who has stood in the way of our nation’s entry into the Common Market for a decade begins to fade from power our opportunity to enter the Economic Community is greater than ever before!
The Liberal Party condemns the Republic of South Africa and the illegal regime in South Rhodesia unreservedly. Britain shall refuse to have any diplomatic relations with the regime in South Rhodesia.
Northern Ireland:
The situation in Northern Ireland is extremely troubling. The Liberal Party supports the efforts of reformers in the Northern Irish Assembly as they attempt to soften the regime and produce an amicable solution that shall grant the Catholic community equal rights without causing discord amongst the Protestant majority. The Liberal Party stands firmly against the use of violence.
Domestic Policy:
The Britain of 1969 is a very different place to the Britain inherited by the Liberal government that came to power in 1958. Today our citizens are wealthier, more comfortable, our young men are no longer drafted to fight in wars in every corner of the globe in order to maintain a crumbling Empire, our nation is fairer with discrimination on racial and gender lines combatted, the people of Wales and Scotland have been granted devolved parliaments and government is closer to the people than it has ever been before. The Liberal Party stands for further progress, more reform and a better future.
We hall defend all existing nationalised industries, even as we refuse to countenance the nationalisation of further firms. Likewise, we shall not falter in our defence of all aspects of the welfare state that provide the population with essential services and a fairer society.
The Liberal Party continues to commit itself to promoting greater autonomy for the localities – calling for regional assemblies across England to complement those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as greater powers for local governments. We promote the devolution of further powers to the Welsh and Scottish Parliaments. Likewise, the Liberal Party continues to support greater levels of investment in rural communities and encourages people to resettle in the countryside from crowded urban sprawls.
The Liberal Party supports a smaller military with the most modern equipment and the best training. We therefore advocate further reductions in the absolute size of our armed forces – yet an increase it their quality.
Political violence has no place in a civilised society – the criminals responsible for the actions of so called ‘People’s Army’ terrorist group must be brought to justice immediately and their reign of terror over British citizens brought to an end.
The Liberal Party is the party of democratic progress and capable government, the only party committed to advancing freedom and prosperity in Britain.
Communist Party of Great Britain
Political Position: Far Left
Ideology: Anti-Revisionist Communism, Maoism, Stalinism
Description:
The Communist Party that emerged from the Left wing rebellion of 1964 was a much more proletarian and trade union focussed organisation with a backward looking mentality that rejected the corruption of the world around it and sought to fight for a pure, revolutionary variant of Communism based upon an idealised conception of the pre-1950s movement. In practise it acted as the political wing of the almighty left wing of the TUC and an uncompromising advocate of class warrior style politics.
Party Leader: Reg Birch
After Reg Birch was installed as leader of CPGB in 1964 he led the party towards its most radical political line since the infamous Comintern Third period of the early 1930s, perhaps since the days of international revolution that followed the First World War whilst at the same time instituting a widespread purge that deliberately isolated the party from all other political currents. The siege mentality fostered by Birch’s radicalism saw British Communism grow more insular than it had ever been before as the Party maintained a reflexive hostility to all outside influence. The party refocused away from parliamentary activity towards industrial, and theoretically revolutionary, struggle election results had become far less important to the CPGB with the party already committed to opposing any and all governments, regardless of their political affiliations.
Foreign Policy:
The Communist Party of Great Britain advocates the immediate withdrawal of Britain from the American controlled NATO alliance – we shall never again be lapdogs of Yankee Imperialism.
We call for the establishment of British neutrality in the conflict between the American Imperialism and Soviet Social-Imperialism. We must instead look to stand alongside all those nations that resist the imperial pretensions of the two superpowers – most notably the People’s Republic of China.
Britain must relinquish all remaining colonial possessions – granting independence the peoples still aching under imperial domination. Likewise we must support the anti-imperialist struggles for independence being waged around the world – in the Portuguese colonial Empire, in South Africa, in Rhodesia, in South-East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and elsewhere.
Under no circumstances should Britain seek entry into the EEC.
Northern Ireland:
The Communist Party of Great Britain maintains solidarity with the struggle of the Irish people and advocates a united Irish Republic – ending the colonial domination of the Northern part of the country by a Protestant settler community.
Domestic Policy:
The Communist Party of Great Britain stands against class collaboration and any alliance with the bourgeois Liberal Party or the corrupted Labour Party. Socialism cannot be won through parliamentary intrigues and alliances; it is won by the struggle of the masses! The ruling class in this country will not be brought down by the ballot box.
We hope to support the nationalisation of all sectors of British industry as we move towards a planned economy. At the same time we promote a greater role for workers in the management of industry. We encourage major investment in the improvement of housing, and economic infrastructure across the country with a focus on the most deprived areas. We also hope to see wages in both the public and private sectors rise and the living conditions of British citizens are improve drastically as the working class assumes its rightful share of the nation’s wealth.
We call for the abolition of the monarchy, the House of Lords and all other bastions of nepotism and privilege that pockmark the constitutional make up of our nation.
We advocate the intensification of the class struggle in this country through the propagation of genuine, revolutionary, Marxism-Leninism and unconditional support for workers in all struggles. As the level of class struggle rises, the true Communists in this country shall always act as leaders – showing the way forward to the next stage of the struggle, and ultimately, towards revolution!
The adventurist immaturity of the likes of the misnamed ‘People’s Army’ is an abomination that damages the working class far more than any number of Grimonds, Powells and Gaitskells ever could. The bourgeois sponsored agents provide justification for the repression of the genuine workers’ movement and alienate sections of the working class that would otherwise be drawn towards Communism through their false association with the party and the cause of Socialism. These Anarchistic elements must be unreservedly denounced and demobilised if the British working class is ever to make progress in the class struggle and move towards the socialist revolution. Against the false-flag bourgeois wreckers! With the workers’ movement! For Socialism and the People! Long Live the Revolution!
Labour Party
Political Position: Centre-Left
Ideology: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism
Description:
In 1958 Labour returned just 17 MPs as its share of the popular vote fell below 10% for the first time since 1910. Taking a more moderate course in the 1960s the party began to recover – seeing its vote increase by almost half in 1963 before an electoral pact with the Liberals allowed the party to score almost 20% of the vote and become the Commons’ second largest party in 1964. With the defections of moderate Communist and Yorkshire Liberal MPs in the latter 1960s allowed Labour to push beyond 200 MPs. Although the break with the Liberal Party meant that the party would be hard pressed to hold on to the majority of its seats, the opportunity to surpass the Liberal vote and re-establish Labour as the leading opposition to the Tories was very real. The fate of the Labour Party, more than any other group in British politics, hinged on success in 1969. A strong result and the party could continue to build on its success – restoring itself to its pre-1950 position of influence. A poor result and the party risked another period of disaster.
Party Leader: Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell had never been an especially popular figure in the Labour Party. However, his success in restoring the party’s fortunes first as co-leader from 1958-63 and then official party leader since 1963 had allowed him to amass an almighty reserve of prestige. From 1964-67 he had led Labour into government for the first time since 1950, then from 1967-69 he became the first Leader of the Opposition supplied by the Labour Party since 1954. His achievements were unquestionable, yet at the age of 62 the 1969 election would likely be his last opportunity to lead Labour into battle at the polls.
Foreign Policy:
Above all else, Britain must be an ally of democracy and freedom around the world. The only way to achieve that goal, to oppose the spread of Soviet Totalitarianism around the world, is for Britain to accept its role as a member of the NATO alliance. Britain stands united with the free world.
We must refuse to allow British servicemen to become involved in wars on foreign shores that are not our own. However we will move to protect the members of the British Commonwealth from subversion. Should any Commonwealth member request aid we shall deploy military advisors as well as provide arms and aid in combatting anti-democratic subversion. The aid sent to Malaysia and Australia during the past parliament must remain in place as Britain shows its willingness to protect our friends in the Commonwealth.
However, Britain must refuse to involve itself in conflicts that are not her own – we will not send forces to Indonesia but will diplomatically support the country’s legal government.
Labour opposes future attempts to propose British entry into the EEC unless the terms of membership are made more favourable. The party would not countenance entry without a referendum on the issue.
Labour supports the right to self-determination of all remaining British colonial possessions. We shall grant independence to any remaining colony in which the population favour it and shall aid the country in its transition towards an independent democracy.
We wish to see the Commonwealth become a body of economic and political cooperation between free peoples around the world. It must be used to encourage democracy and support the economic development of all its members. The party therefore advocates closer ties between the constituent nations of the Commonwealth.
Labour denounces the racialised dictatorships of South Africa and the rebellious Republic of Rhodesia in the strongest terms and calls for Britain to take diplomatic action against these states, potentially cutting off all economic ties in order to apply pressure against them.
Likewise, we believe that Portugal and Spain must offer their colonial possessions self-determination and shall apply diplomatic pressure against the last dictatorships in Western Europe in pursuit of those ends.
Northern Ireland:
The situation in Northern Ireland is deeply troubling. Labour calls for serious political reform in order to ensure that both the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland are treated equally, ending unfair practises directed against the Catholic minority. We oppose political violence and demand that both communities are properly protected and that individuals and organisations engaged in terroristic activity are clamped down upon immediately. Northern Ireland must reform, and it must do so peacefully.
Domestic Policy:
For all that has been achieved by the governments of the past decade, much more still can be done!
We shall not condone the privatisation of publically owned industries nor any attacks upon the welfare state created to serve the poorest in our society and build a more equitable nation. Although the Labour Party supports the public ownership of industry, we shall not pursue further nationalisations except in circumstances in which it is necessary to avoid monopolies, or protect key industries from collapse.
Housing and our economic infrastructure remain neglected and require serious government investment to improve both the living conditions of our population and the vibrancy of our economy. Likewise, the party opposes the suppression of wage rises – especially in the public sector. The Labour Party supports the use of government investment to bring about greater economic growth and social justice.
Labour advocates major cuts to defence spending with outdated equipment phased out entirely. We advocate a smaller, less costly, more modern and professional army that will allow Britain to continue to play her necessary role as a part of the NATO alliance but will not see our nation weighed down by the expenditure. The Labour Party would therefore also bring an end to conscription entirely and move towards a professional army.
Labour stands unshakeably against the ‘People’s Army’ terrorist organisation and shall take strong action to eliminate the threat to British civilians. The entire British people unite in their condemnation of murderous terror tactics, Labour shall not err until the group is defeated and the British people can feel fully safe in their homes once more.
Under Labour Britain can make great strides to a fairer, more prosperous future!
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