There was an election in May 1979, following a loss of confidence vote in Parliament in March, lost by the govt. The AFPRB had already advised an average pay rise of about 30% (inflation had been running at or above 10-15% for some years). The ruling Labour Govt said it would (as usual) implement it over two years. The Tory party, led by Mrs Thatcher, said we'd get it in one hit. The Tories won, and the pay rise went through as promised.
Thus it was that my pay went from £2,600 (Midshipman on entry) to £4,500 (2nd yr Mid plus flying trg pay) in six weeks.
