13 Wasted Years

The period of the “Thirteen Wasted Years” were seen as a period of affluence and a time of prosperity. Many have referred to the thirteen years of Tory Rule as unbeneficial and unpopular when referring to events such as the EEC rejection in 1963 and the Suez Crisis in 1957. Despite this, it is important to assess whether this a completely reliable term because why would people vote for a Government to remain three times. But to assess the reasons why the Conservatives remained in power for thirteen years, you need to look at foreign affairs and social and economic factors to determine this.
With an increased Tory Majority, Eden took office in 1955 with a fresh, new and slightly younger image. In 1956, the Suez Crisis gained national attention when Britain demonstrated that she was not a world power anymore. The failure to get international backing and the retreat done in response highlighted the reliance Britain had on the USA. The events in Suez had also highlighted how the British Electorate did not care about foreign policy because, despite their public riots and mass opposition, the Conservatives were still re-elected. Widely opposed, the Tories did demonstrate their effectiveness by replacing Eden straight away. Coupled with the idea that Britain was no longer a world power, decolonisation further fuelled this interpretation and led to a further sense of British decline. Despite the fact it proceeded without violence, there was huge distaste to the deterioration of the commonwealth. The EEC application in 1961 might have been the result from the demonstration of Britain’s decline and was supported because the EEC had a greater economic performance. However, Macmillan’s plans were halted in 1963 when De Gaulle vetoed Britain’s application on the basis of the “special relationship” between Britain and America, once again embarrassing Britain on the world stage. However, in 1952, the first atomic bomb was tested and did continue Britain’s relevance as a world...