Political momentum in 1964

Peter Griffiths’ 1964 success at Smethwick is usually considered in party-political terms. The Conservatives had remained a popular government throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s, despite the Suez Crisis-inspired implosion of Anthony Eden’s career and the party’s longevity in office. Meanwhile, Labour was defeated in three consecutive elections, due to intra-party divisions and perceptions it had not adapted to a changed political environment. 1 However, a series of late-term Conservative scandals allowed Labour to seize the initiative under new leader Harold Wilson. While these issues did not just impact politics at Westminster, it does not help explain the aberrative result at Smethwick, where local concerns must have played a role. This was because the result was so anomalous, compared to the national trend. In October 1964, Labour profited from a national swing of 3.1 per cent, while the Smethwick swing to the Conservatives was 7.2 per cent. Furthermore, the apparent pervasiveness of anti-migrant politics was specific to the town. As with many constituencies across Britain, Smethwick and its result remained idiosyncratic and should be considered as such. Local political actors influenced voter’s perspectives of and interactions with national and global problems, like migration. It is also important to consider the volatility of the local political atmosphere.