Kenneth O Morgan
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198227649
- eISBN:
- 9780191678769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198227649.003.0009
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
This chapter chronicles the Heath administration from its surprise victory in the 1970 elections to its ignominious exit a few years later. However, the new regime was met by worsening industrial ...
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This chapter chronicles the Heath administration from its surprise victory in the 1970 elections to its ignominious exit a few years later. However, the new regime was met by worsening industrial relations, the ongoing turmoil in Northern Ireland, and continuing economic issues of stagnation and inflation. These were compounded with the outbreak of the Arab-Israeli war in October 1973 and the subsequent oil blockade. This in turn led to a direct confrontation with the National Union of Mineworkers and ended in a protracted national coal strike. Heath's regime was also criticized for its covert diplomacy tactics and its undignified attempts to keep a minority government in place after the Labour Party failed to secure an absolute majority. The Heath term had one notable achievement in the form of Britain's entry into the European Economic Community in 1973, which was greeted with mixed reactions by the general populace.Less
This chapter chronicles the Heath administration from its surprise victory in the 1970 elections to its ignominious exit a few years later. However, the new regime was met by worsening industrial relations, the ongoing turmoil in Northern Ireland, and continuing economic issues of stagnation and inflation. These were compounded with the outbreak of the Arab-Israeli war in October 1973 and the subsequent oil blockade. This in turn led to a direct confrontation with the National Union of Mineworkers and ended in a protracted national coal strike. Heath's regime was also criticized for its covert diplomacy tactics and its undignified attempts to keep a minority government in place after the Labour Party failed to secure an absolute majority. The Heath term had one notable achievement in the form of Britain's entry into the European Economic Community in 1973, which was greeted with mixed reactions by the general populace.
Hallie Rebecca Marshall
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199678921
- eISBN:
- 9780191760259
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199678921.003.0011
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Literary Studies: Classical, Early, and Medieval, Plays and Playwrights: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This chapter discusses the depiction and narrative function of female characters in Tony Harrison's film/poem Prometheus, which uses the Aeschylean Prometheus Bound as its primary literary model. The ...
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This chapter discusses the depiction and narrative function of female characters in Tony Harrison's film/poem Prometheus, which uses the Aeschylean Prometheus Bound as its primary literary model. The socio-historical framework of the 1984 strike by the National Union of Mineworkers is outlined, alongside the pervasive issues of social decay experienced within mining communities impacted by industrial contraction. The chapter places the female characters within this context, exploring the ways in which their depiction is representative of the traditional role of women in working class communities, and how Harrison uses them, even as largely silent characters, to depict the destruction of community and familial structures. It is argued that while the miners' strike has been an almost exclusively discussed in the public realm in terms of its male participants, Harrison insists on also depicting the private female suffering caused by the mine closures.Less
This chapter discusses the depiction and narrative function of female characters in Tony Harrison's film/poem Prometheus, which uses the Aeschylean Prometheus Bound as its primary literary model. The socio-historical framework of the 1984 strike by the National Union of Mineworkers is outlined, alongside the pervasive issues of social decay experienced within mining communities impacted by industrial contraction. The chapter places the female characters within this context, exploring the ways in which their depiction is representative of the traditional role of women in working class communities, and how Harrison uses them, even as largely silent characters, to depict the destruction of community and familial structures. It is argued that while the miners' strike has been an almost exclusively discussed in the public realm in terms of its male participants, Harrison insists on also depicting the private female suffering caused by the mine closures.
W.W.J. Knox and A. McKinlay
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781789620832
- eISBN:
- 9781789629774
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3828/liverpool/9781789620832.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
Chapter seven commences with Reid’s post-1979 defeat and his new career in journalism against the backdrop of a decade of Thatcherism, apartheid in South Africa, the troubles in Northern Ireland and ...
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Chapter seven commences with Reid’s post-1979 defeat and his new career in journalism against the backdrop of a decade of Thatcherism, apartheid in South Africa, the troubles in Northern Ireland and the Falklands war. This is the political preface to the miners’ strike which undoubtedly dominated mid-1980s British politics and so naturally it dominated this chapter of Reid’s public life. During his time as a columnist for the Glasgow Herald, Reid became at odds with the Labour party over his criticism of Arthur Scargill’s leadership of the miners’ strike and of how the strike might impact Labour’s potential for victory in future elections. Objectively looking back at this pivotal time in British history, we analyse Reid’s interpretations of the strike, Scargill and Labour’s losses as well as evaluating how far Reid’s political background, experience and principles influenced his attitudes towards them.Less
Chapter seven commences with Reid’s post-1979 defeat and his new career in journalism against the backdrop of a decade of Thatcherism, apartheid in South Africa, the troubles in Northern Ireland and the Falklands war. This is the political preface to the miners’ strike which undoubtedly dominated mid-1980s British politics and so naturally it dominated this chapter of Reid’s public life. During his time as a columnist for the Glasgow Herald, Reid became at odds with the Labour party over his criticism of Arthur Scargill’s leadership of the miners’ strike and of how the strike might impact Labour’s potential for victory in future elections. Objectively looking back at this pivotal time in British history, we analyse Reid’s interpretations of the strike, Scargill and Labour’s losses as well as evaluating how far Reid’s political background, experience and principles influenced his attitudes towards them.