Harold Wilson's failures and successes between 1964-1970

Failures: 

• Devaluation of the pound - high value of the pound as making exports more expensive but imports cheap. Also could have done it earlier to make it an economic success and save himself from all the drama behind it. 
• Deflationary methods made supporters distrustful towards Labour. 
• Tensions with the Unions. 
• Wilson always believed that people were plotting against him. 
• Department of Economic Affairs - clashed with the Treasury, National Plan was a failure, George Brown was also a drunk. 
• Row over "In Place of Strife" 
• Defence spending was high. 
• Position of economy was much worse than expected so a lot of promises were broken. 
• "No British government has disappointed their supporters so thoroughly". 

Successes: 

• Got a majority vote in the 1966 general election. 
• Economy actually improved through Roy Jenkin's deflationary methods. 
• Establishment of Open University in 1969. 
• The Abortion act was passed. 
• Abolished the death penalty. 
• First Comprehensive school was established. 
• Wilson was a modern man - he captured the mood of the moment by the "white-heat of technology" slogan. 
• Successful companies were starting out at this time e.g International Computers LMT.