I'm Backing Britain facts for kids
The I'm Backing Britain campaign was a short but famous effort in 1968. It aimed to make people feel more patriotic and help the British economy. The idea started with five secretaries in Surbiton who decided to work an extra half-hour each day for free. They wanted to boost how much their company produced. This simple idea quickly grew into a huge national movement within just one week!
However, not everyone was happy. Trade unions, which are groups that protect workers' rights, were suspicious. They thought the campaign was a sneaky way to make people work longer hours without pay. They also felt it might hide problems with how companies were managed. Even though the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, supported the campaign, this official backing had its ups and downs. The campaign's logo, which was the British flag, became very common. One person, Robert Maxwell, tried to change the campaign's focus to "Buy British" products. But ironically, the campaign's own T-shirts were made in Portugal! After a few months, the campaign didn't really help companies or the economy much. People lost interest, and there was some embarrassment about how it had been run. Today, it's often seen as an example of a good idea that didn't quite work out to fix Britain's economic problems.
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Why Britain Needed Help
In 1967, Britain's economy was facing some tough times. The country was spending much more on imports than it earned from exports. This was called a 'balance of trade' deficit. It meant Britain was losing money. A big problem was the closure of the Suez Canal after a war, which made shipping goods harder. Also, a dock strike stopped goods from moving.
To try and fix things, the government decided to change the value of the British pound. This is called devaluation. The pound became worth less compared to the US dollar. This was a difficult decision, but it was hoped that British goods would become cheaper for other countries to buy. This would help Britain sell more exports and earn more money.
Around this time, a Member of Parliament named John Boyd-Carpenter had an idea. He suggested that people in important jobs should work an extra half-day each month for free. He believed this would set a good example and show the world that Britain was serious about improving its economy.
How the Campaign Started
The "I'm Backing Britain" campaign really began at a company called Colt Ventilation and Heating Ltd. Fred Price, a director there, sent a memo to his staff. He suggested that if everyone in Britain worked an extra half-day a week without more pay, the country would become wealthy again.
Five secretaries at the company's office in Surbiton read this memo. Their names were Valerie White, Joan Southwell, Carol Ann Fry, Christine French, and Brenda Mumford. They talked about it and decided to take action. Joan Southwell said she would work an extra half-day, and the others agreed. Valerie White then wrote a reply, suggesting they be the first company to start this plan.
After discussing it with other staff, 240 employees at the Surbiton office voted to start work 30 minutes earlier each day. They also contacted workers at their factory in Havant to encourage them to do the same.
The Campaign Grows Fast
Even before the Colt workers could work their first extra half-hour, the campaign exploded! Over a single weekend, five other companies decided to join in. More companies called to show their interest. Even Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, sent a telegram saying it was "the most heartening news" he had heard that year.
On January 1st, everyone turned up early at the Surbiton offices. The Havant factory workers also worked their extra time. The five secretaries, with their managing director, came up with the slogan "I'm Backing Britain." They ordered 100,000 badges with the British flag and their slogan. They also wrote to 30,000 employers to encourage them to join.
An advertising company offered to create free commercials for the campaign. Leaders from all major political parties showed their support. The campaign even spread to Wales, where the slogan became "Rwy'n Bacio Cymru" ("I'm Backing Wales").
Concerns About the Campaign
While many people praised the campaign, some groups had doubts. The British Productivity Council, which helps companies work better, questioned if working extra hours for free was truly effective. They said that each company needed to decide what was best for its own situation and its agreements with workers.
Trades Union Congress leader George Woodcock said that while the campaign had a "very good spirit," trade unions would not promote it. Some unions even strongly opposed it. For example, the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) told its members not to work unpaid overtime. They believed employers might use it to hide their own problems.
However, workers at the Colt factory didn't always agree with their union. Many signed a petition supporting the campaign. This led to some arguments between the union leaders and the workers. Some of the secretaries who started the campaign even appeared on TV to discuss this. Many people felt the union leaders seemed to talk down to the secretaries, which actually helped the campaign gain more support.
A politician named Enoch Powell called the campaign "silly and dangerous." He felt it made people believe that all of Britain's economic problems were their own fault, rather than the government's.
The Campaign in Pop Culture
A Song for Britain
On January 8th, 1968, a song called "I'm Backing Britain" was released. It was written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent and sung by the famous entertainer Bruce Forsyth. The song's chorus encouraged everyone to keep the good feeling going. Everyone involved in making the song took less money so it could be sold cheaply. Bruce Forsyth fully supported the idea, saying Britain always did its best when facing challenges. However, the song didn't become a hit and sold very few copies.
Flags Everywhere
One of the most noticeable things about the campaign was the British flags. They started appearing on shopping bags and everywhere else. Even the Prime Minister noticed how many people were carrying them. The Royal Mail also used an "I'm Backing Britain" stamp on millions of letters. While many liked seeing the flag, some people found it a bit too much.
Donations and T-Shirts
People also showed their support by donating money to the government. The Treasury, which manages government money, received many letters with gifts. Even famous people like Jimmy Savile volunteered their time. He worked as a hospital porter for free for several days.
However, the campaign faced a small scandal. A company ordered thousands of "I'm Backing Britain" T-shirts. But it turned out the shirts were made in Portugal! The company explained that they couldn't find British T-shirts of the same quality for a similar price. This caused some embarrassment, as the campaign was supposed to be about supporting British industry.
Poetry and Comedy
The new official poet for Britain, Cecil Day-Lewis, wrote a poem supporting the campaign. But his poem was criticized by many.
The campaign also appeared in popular culture. The very first episode of the famous TV comedy show Dad's Army, which was about World War II, started with a scene showing the characters at an "I'm Backing Britain" event. Another comic strip collection was titled The Perishers: Back Again to Pester Britain, making fun of the campaign. Even Paul McCartney of the Beatles wrote a parody song, which later became "Back in the U.S.S.R."
The Campaign Slows Down
The "I'm Backing Britain" campaign became so big that the company where it started, Colt, couldn't handle it anymore. They asked the Industrial Society, a group that helps businesses, to take over. The Industrial Society hired more staff and tried to keep the campaign going. They tried to focus on other ways to help, like improving how companies worked, not just unpaid overtime.
However, it was hard to get more workplaces to join because some people were suspicious of the campaign's motives. Many thought it was linked to the Labour political party.
Around February, a newspaper called The Times asked supermarkets if the campaign was helping them. The answer was usually "very little" or "none at all." By March, the Industrial Society hinted that it needed government money to keep the campaign going.
By May 1968, the Industrial Society had only a few staff working on the campaign. Robert Maxwell, who had tried to start his own "Buy British" campaign, officially ended his efforts in August. The Industrial Society's campaign office closed at the end of September.
Looking back, people realized that the excitement for the campaign had faded after only a couple of months. The badges and slogans were no longer seen. Many felt that the campaign, while well-intentioned, was a bit silly.
