"I'm Backing Britain" was a brief patriotic campaign, which flourished in early 1968 and was aimed at boosting the British economy. The campaign started spontaneously when five Surbiton secretaries volunteered to work an extra half-hour each day without pay to boost productivity and urged others to do the same. The invitation received an enormous response and a campaign took off spectacularly; it became a nationwide movement within a week. Trade unions were suspicious of, or even opposed to, the campaign, considering it as an attempt to extend working hours surreptitiously and to hide inefficiency by management.
The campaign received official endorsement by the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, but it found that being perceived as government-endorsed was a mixed blessing. The Union Flag logo encouraged by the campaign became highly visible on the high streets, and attempts were made to take over the campaign by Robert Maxwell, who wanted to change its focus into an appeal to 'Buy British', but the campaign's own T-shirts were made in Portugal. After a few months without any noticeable effect on individual companies or the economy generally, interest flagged amid much embarrassment about some of the ways in which the campaign had been pursued and supported.
It has come to be regarded as an iconic example of a failed attempt to transform British economic prospects.
Economic background In 1967, the British economy suffered from several difficulties. Despite tax increases announced in July 1966, the 1967 budget had set the greatest deficit in post-war history of £1,000,000,000."New Thinking at the Treasury" (leader column), The Times, 13 April 1967, p. 23. Each month, the Board of Trade published figures of the 'balance of trade' between exports and imports which seemed to show an ever-increasing deficit.A monthly average of a £9m deficit in 1966 and in the first quarter of 1967 increased to £40m in the second quarter, £27m in August, and £52m in September. See Peter Jay, "Trade deficit increases to £52m", The Times, 13 October 1967, p. 17. The closure of the Suez Canal after the Six-Day War hit exporters, as did an unofficial dock strike, which broke out at the end of September."Dock strikes stop one third of exports", The Times, 13 October 1967, p. 17. Having put up the bank rate to 6 percent on 19 October,Keith Payne, "6% Bank rate to defend pound", The Times, 20 October 1967, p. 19. on 18 November, the government abandoned three years of attempting to maintain the exchange rate and devalued the pound sterling from $2.80 to $2.40. Although it was an economic defeat, devaluation was perceived as an export opportunity that British industry needed to seize.
Arising out of devaluation, John Boyd-Carpenter (Conservative Member of Parliament for Kingston-upon-Thames) wrote to The Times in a letter published on 13 December 1967 suggesting, "If a number of people, particularly in responsible positions, would set by an example by sacrificing say the first Saturday of every month and working on that morning without extra pay, profits or overtime, it would give an example to others at home, and show the world that we were in earnest". He complained that capital equipment stood idle from Friday afternoon to Monday morning.John Boyd-Carpenter, "Why the pound is weak" (letter), The Times, 13 December 1967, p. 11.
Colt Ventilation and Heating Ltd On 27 December 1967, Fred PriceAndrew Lycett, "The famous five: any make as long as it's British" (Monday Page), The Times, 4 January 1988, p.15. (Marketing Director of Colt Ventilation and Heating Ltd) sent out a memo headed "General progress report", which assessed the company's economic prospects. Inspired by Boyd-Carpenter,The Guardian, 2 January 1968, p. 14. he wrote that the balance of payments deficit would disappear overnight if the working population of the United Kingdom worked a five-and-a-half-day week without demanding higher incomes for the extra half-day. Price said that Britain would become once more the wealthiest country in the world.
The memo was received by five secretaries working in the company's head office in Surbiton, Valerie White, Joan Southwell, Carol Ann Fry, Christine French and Brenda Mumford."Staff vote for unpaid work", The Times, 30 December 1967, p. 3. The next morning, they discussed it and Southwell said that she was willing to work an extra half-day a week. The others agreed, and White took the initiative of writing a reply, which she gave reference VW/OD GEN. The reply said, "What about starting this scheme of a five-and-a-half-day week? Let us be the first company to start the ball rolling". After discussing the suggestion with the other members of staff, on 29 December the 240 employees at the head office voted to report for work at 8.30 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. They also made contact with the workers employed at the company's factory in Havant, Hampshire, to encourage them to do the same.
Campaign snowballs Before the workers had a chance to work their first extra half-hour, their campaign had already begun "snowballing fast". Over the weekend of 30–31 December 1967, five other companies had already decided to follow their example, based in Portsmouth, Southend, Bicester and Manchester; others were telephoning to show their interest. The Duke of Edinburgh sent a telegram describing the campaign as "the most heartening news I heard in 1967" and wishing it success."'Half-hour extra' plan snowballs", The Times, 1 January 1968, p. 1. There was a full turnout at 8:30 a.m. on 1 January at the Surbiton offices, and Havant worked their extra half-hour at the end of the day.Eric Silver, "'Back Britain' drive said to be a gimmick", The Guardian, 2 January 1968, p. 1. Working with the company's managing director, Alan O'Hea, the five secretaries began to think up a slogan. After rejecting "I'm Behind Britain" for having the wrong message, they settled on "I'm Backing Britain". O'Hea then ordered (from Norprint of Boston, who supplied them free) 100,000 badges featuring a Union Flag with their slogan written across the centre and began writing to 30,000 employers to encourage them. The workers contacted leading political and industrial figures to ask for suggestions as to how others could help.
Advertising agency DPBT bought a full-page advert in The Times of 3 January 1968 offering their spare time, free, to make commercials backing the campaign."Valerie, Brenda, Joan, Carol and Christine, we love you." (advertisement), The Times, 3 January 1968, p. 3. All three major political party leaders sent their support, and an all-party press conference promoted the campaign on 5 January."'Back Britain': pace grows", The Times, 6 January 1968, p. 3. Not all companies joining the campaign did so by working extra unpaid hours, as some cancelled projected price increases and waived fees. The campaign extended to Wales, where the Welsh language slogan was not a direct translation but instead "Rwy'n Bacio Cymru" ("I'm Backing Wales")."Car stickers now proclaim 'Backing Wales'", The Guardian, 22 January 1968, p. 4.
Concerns While telegrams of congratulation continued to flood into Colt, the British Productivity Council was sceptical of its effectiveness. The Council pointed to the difference between productivity and output and stated that each individual firm must consider what would be appropriate in its circumstances depending on its "agreements between management and working people".
Trades Union Congress general secretary George Woodcock, while welcoming the "very good spirit" of the campaign, said that the trade unions would not foster it and that some unions would strongly oppose it. The Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) shop stewards at Colt's factory in Havant carefully said that workers could work the extra half-hour without pay but that it would not prejudice any decision taken by the AEU national executive."Support for 'back Britain' move", The Times, 2 January 1968, p. 2. Confederation of British Industry President John Davies thought the campaign could be a kind of window-dressing such as he had recently criticised but thought it should be encouraged because of the effect it might have on people's minds.Eric Silver, "'Back Britain' drive said to be a gimmick", The Guardian, 2 January 1968, p. 14.
Contrasting with the generally positive reaction from politicians, Conservative MP Enoch Powell described the campaign as silly and dangerous. He observed, "I am not accusing the Government of having suborned those Surrey typists, but the Government could not have wished for a better reinforcement for their campaign to instil into the people of Britain the conviction that it is all their own fault".Philip Howard, "Colt workers defy union ruling", The Times, 11 January 1968, p. 1.
Trade union reaction On 3 January, the AEU's Portsmouth branch ordered its members not to participate in the campaign, with its district secretary Rory McCarthy explaining that "there are many reasons why the union is against giving buckshee half hours to employers" and that employers might use it to hide inefficiencies. The workers at the factory immediately rebelled, with works convener Harry Tyler saying "no one likes being told what to do with their free time by the union" and said that some who were opposed had changed their view because of the union's attitude."'Work without pay' men defy union", The Times, 4 January 1968, p. 1. Tyler was removed from his post as union branch chairman by a vote of no confidence on 5 January after members of the branch from companies not taking part in the campaign went to the regular branch meeting."'Back Britain' Man Ousted", The Times, 6 January 1968, p. 1. Some of the secretaries who started the campaign appeared on television discussing the trade union reaction with union leaders; the trade union leaders came across as talking down to the secretaries, an attitude that was felt to have helped the campaign."The Surbiton Revolution", The Economist, 6 January 1968, p. 12.
The AEU national executive instructed its members to have nothing to do with unpaid overtime, setting up a direct confrontation with the factory where more than half of the union members signed a petition backing the campaign and supporting Tyler. The union's Portsmouth district committee then convened a secret court in early February, which convicted four shop stewards at Colt of discrediting the union and imposed punishments suspending the men from holding office in the union for between one and five years."Back Britain men tried in secret", The Times, 7 February 1968, p. 1. On hearing the news, forty Conservative backbench MPs put down a motion in the House of Commons demanding government action to "stop this type of petty trade union tyranny, which is so completely contrary to the best traditions of the freedom-loving British trade union movement"."MPs' call to stop 'union tyranny'", The Times, 8 February 1968, p. 2.
Other trade unionists were generally sceptical. Clive Jenkins, general secretary of the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs, thought it was a "confidence trick" and observed that "when the British ruling class is in trouble it wraps itself in the Union Jack"."Back Britain drive called a trick", The Times, 2 February 1968, p. 4. Twenty years later, the managing director of Colt admitted that he had received hate mail about the campaign and had arranged for the women to be chaperoned.
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