The new notion of personal freedom that gripped Britain in the Sixties was translated into a swathe of permissive legislation. One of the most influential figures in this process was Roy Jenkins, Home Secretary, 1965-1967, 1974-1976; Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1967-1970; and President of the European Commission, 1977-1981.While permissiveness was not government policy, Jenkins used his position in government to sponsor initiatives by backbench MPs, giving them a much higher chance of success. He famously remarked that:
The permissive society has been allowed to become a dirty phrase. A better phrase is the civilised society.
Key items of permissive legislation were:
- Obscene Publications Act 1959
- Suicide Act 1961
- Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965
- Abortion Act 1967
- Sexual Offences Act 1967
- Theatres Act 1968
- Divorce Reform Act 1969
All were presented as bringing legislation into line with existing social practices, but all could also be seen as undermining traditional morality by reducing the legal force in its favour.
