United Kingdom

Index

United Kingdom Main Page
The Magna Carta Is Signed and a House of Commons Is Born
The Church of England Is Established and Parliament Reigns Supreme
England's Empire Grows While the American Colonies Revolt
Democratic Government Emerges
Britain Enters WWII
Britain Enters European Community and Margaret Thatcher Becomes First Female Prime Minister
Tony Blair and the Labor Party End Conservative Rule
Britain Supports Post-Sept. 11 America, Enters the Iraq War
Terror Strikes at Home
Gordon Brown Succeeds Blair
A Historic Changing of the Guard
Royal Wedding Precedes Media Scandal
London Sets New Olympic Record

Britain Enters European Community and Margaret Thatcher Becomes First Female Prime Minister

In 1951, Churchill again became prime minister at the head of a Conservative government. George VI died on Feb. 6, 1952, and was succeeded by his daughter, Elizabeth II. Churchill stepped down in 1955 in favor of Sir Anthony Eden, who resigned on grounds of ill health in 1957 and was succeeded by Harold Macmillan and Sir Alec Douglas-Home. In 1964, Harold Wilson led the Labour Party to victory. A lagging economy brought the Conservatives back to power in 1970. Prime Minister Edward Heath won Britain's admission to the European Community. Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first woman prime minister as the Conservatives won 339 seats on May 3, 1979.

An Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982, involved Britain in a war 8,000 mi from the home islands. Argentina had long claimed the Falklands, known as the Malvinas in Spanish, which had been occupied by the British since 1832. Britain won a decisive victory within six weeks when more than 11,000 Argentine troops on the Falklands surrendered on June 14, 1982.

Although there were continuing economic problems and foreign policy disputes, an upswing in the economy in 1986–1987 led Thatcher to call elections in June, and she won a near-unprecedented third consecutive term. The unpopularity of Thatcher's poll tax together with an uncompromising position toward further European integration eroded support within her own party. When John Major won the Conservative Party leadership in November, Thatcher resigned, paving the way for Major to form a government.