CABINET PAPERS

Complete classes from the CAB & PREM series in the Public Record Office
Series Three: CAB 128 & CAB 129 - Cabinet Conclusions & Cabinet Memoranda, 1945 and following

Part 5: The Wilson Government, October 1964 - December 1968
(CAB 128/39-43, 46 & CAB 129/119-139)

Brief Chronology, 1964-1968

1964

October - The Labour Party wins the general election with majority of only 4 seats

Khrushchev removed from power in the Soviet Union

China explodes its first nuclear device

1965

January - Rhodesian President Ian Smith travels to London for talks with Harold Wilson

Foreign Secretary, Patrick Gordon Walker, is unexpectedly defeated in a by-election at Leyton

February - Gambia granted independence

Race Relations Act passed

March - Rent Bill passed

American combat troops land at Danang, Vietnam

April - The National Board for Prices and Incomes is set up

Wilson cancels the British TSR 2 strike-reconnaissance aircraft in favour of the American F 111

Britain imposes direct rule on Aden

June - Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference

August - Singapore leaves the Malaysian Federation

September-Conflict breaks out between India and Pakistan over Kashmir

November-Southern Rhodesia declares unilateral independence, Britain responds with economic sanctions

December-Lord Privy Seal, the Earl of Longford, resigns from the government

UK and Republic of Ireland sign Free Trade Agreement

1966

March-The Labour Party wins the general election with increased majority of 97 seats

July-Sterling crisis results in spending cuts and wage freeze

England’s football team wins the World Cup

August-The National Assistance Board is merged with the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance to create the Ministry of Social Security

1967

May - Cabinet decides to apply for membership of the Common Market

June-Six Day War; Nasser closes the Suez Canal

President Johnson meets with Soviet Premier Andrei Kosygin at the Glassboro’ mini-summit

Nationalisation of the steel industry

July-Sexual Offences Act legalises homosexuality

Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act legalises abortion

November-Wilson forced to devalue of the pound against the dollar

De Gaulle vetoes Britain’s application to join the Common Market

James Callaghan resigns as Chancellor of the Exchequer over devaluation and is replaced by Roy Jenkins

December-Cabinet split over arms sales to South Africa

1968

January-Cabinet decides to cancel order for American F 111 aircraft

February-Commonwealth Immigrants Act passed

March-French government devalues the franc

April-New Race Relations Act extends powers of the 1965 Act

June-Ray Gunter, former Minister of Labour, resigns from the government

July-The EEC removes internal customs duties and fixes common external tariffs

British announce decision to withdraw troops East of Suez

August-Warsaw Pact forces invade Czechoslovakia

November-Richard M Nixon is elected President of the USA

1969

January-Barbara Castle publishes the White Paper In Place of Strife suggesting trade union reforms

April-De Gaulle resigns as French president

June-Conference of Commonwealth governments Ministers in Canberra

December-Death Penalty abolished

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