Secrecy, public relations and the British nuclear debate : how the UK government learned to talk about the bomb, 1970-83 / Daniel Salisbury.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Salisbury, Daniel, 1988- author.

Series:

Cold War history series (London, England)

Cold War history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Nuclear weapons--Great Britain.

Nuclear weapons.

Great Britain--Military policy.

Great Britain.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xi, 221 pages).

Place of Publication:

London ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2020.

Summary:

"This book constitutes an original archival history of government secrecy, public relations and the debate surrounding nuclear weapons in Britain from 1970 to 1983. The book contrasts the secrecy and near-silence of the Heath, Wilson and Callaghan governments on nuclear issues in the 1970s with the increasingly vocal case made for the possession of nuclear weapons by the first Thatcher government following a shift in approach in 1980. This shift occurred against a background of rising cold war tensions, and a growing public nuclear debate in the UK. The book seeks to contextualise and explain this transformation, considering the role of party politics, structures and personalities inside the government, and external influences: notably the role of investigative journalists and think tanks in cracking open official secrecy and demanding justification for Britain's possession of nuclear weapons, and the peace movement in driving increasingly assertive public relations from 1980. The book draws on material from archives, and interviews with key figures involved to provide an original and engaging account. It argues that this process of opening up saw significant disclosure of nuclear policy for the first time, and the most extensive public justification of the British nuclear capability to date, which has shaped public understanding of British nuclear weapons into the twenty-first century. This book will be of much interest to students of British politics, Cold War Studies, nuclear politics and security studies."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Britain and Nuclear Weapons: Secrecy, Publicity and Public Debates, 1945-1970

The Heath Government: Secrecy and Polaris Improvement, 1970-1974

Wilson's Defensive Approach: Secrecy and Ambiguity, 1974-1976

Callaghan and Emerging Nuclear Issues: Building Pressure on an Untenable Position, 1976-1979

Thatcher Enters Office: From Secrecy to "Submissive" Persuasion, 1979-1980

Nott and "Aggressive" Persuasion: Confronting the Peace Movement, 1981-1982

Heseltine and "Showmanship": Facing Down the Peace Movement, 1983.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-000-03329-5

0-429-33191-6

9780429331916 (electronic book)

9780429331916

OCLC:

1135917021