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Year 9 - History

The aims of the post-war Labour government

Post-war Britain: for whom did the United Kingdom become a 'New Jerusalem'?

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn about the significant changes that took place in post-war Britain: the establishment of the NHS and the welfare state, the growth of social democracy, the changing role of women and the experience of racism in Britain.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to recall that the Labour Party came into government in 1945 with a plan to implement the results of the Beveridge Report.

Key Notes

  • At the end of WW2, Britain was in a desperate state, an election was called, leading to a landslide Labour victory.
  • The Labour leader, Clement Attlee, signalled the government's desire to make post-war Britain a 'New Jerusalem'.
  • After WW2, many British people wanted aspects of state control to remain.
  • The Labour government aimed to implement recommendations from the Beveridge Report.
  • Beveridge argued that the state had a duty to provide protection to people from "cradle to grave".

Vocabulary To Learn

  • consensus: a general agreement among opposition parties
  • manifesto: a written declaration of a party's policies, produced before an election
  • nationalisation: taking privately controlled companies and industries and putting them under government control
  • landslide: in politics, the overwhelming majority of votes for one party in an election

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Students may aassume William Beveridge was a member of the Labour Party.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

At the end of WW2, Britain was in a desperate state, an election was called, leading to a landslide Labour victory. The Labour leader, Clement Attlee, signalled the government's desire to make post-war Britain a 'New Jerusalem'.

2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'consensus'

a general agreement among opposition parties.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: Students may aassume William Beveridge was a member of the Labour Party. Correction: William Beveridge was actually a member of the Liberal Party.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 9 History guide library.