19 - The Reasons For Labour's Defeat In 1979

Question 1

What did many commentators believe Callaghan would do in 1978? What did Callaghan enjoy as PM?

Answer 1

Call an election

Popularity

Question 2

What appeared to be recovering? What 2 factors still remained high?

Answer 2

Economy

Inflation/Unemployment

Question 3

Why did Callaghan wait until 1979 to call an election? Why was this a fateful decision?

Answer 3

He hoped the economy would recover further

Tories won in 1979

Question 4

What event did culminated problems in 1978 lead to? What contract did Callaghan want to extend?

Answer 4

“Winter of Discontent”

Social Contract

Question 5

How many people were unemployed in 1978? What was inflation at?

Answer 5

1.4 million

Over 10%

Question 6

What amount were pay increases limited to? What couldn’t Callaghan renew as a result?

Answer 6

5%

Social Contract

Question 7

What 2 groups dismissed the Social Contract at the 1978 Labour Conference?

Answer 7

TUC

Labour Party

Question 8

What took place as a result of the Social Contract failing? Whose pay had been squeezed because of the Contract?

Answer 8

Strikes

Low-paid public sector workers

Question 9

What was manufacturing like in Britain in the 1970s? Whose biggest support base was this?

Answer 9

In decline

Labour

Question 10

How much did manual output fall from 1970-77? How many jobs were lost as a result?

Answer 10

34% to 30%

2 million

Question 11

Who had Labour been dependent on political support from? What 1977 Pact wasn’t renewed?

Answer 11

Liberals

Lib-Lab Pact

Question 12

Who did Labour rely on after the collapse of the Lib-Lab Pact? What cost did this support come from?

Answer 12

SNP MPs

Some measure of devolution

Question 13

What happened when the SNP lost their devolution referendum? What was the Labour Government now like?

Answer 13

Withdrew support from Labour

Minority government

Question 14

What date did the Tories call a “vote of no confidence” on the Government? How much did the Government lose this vote by?

Answer 14

28th March 1979

One vote

Question 15

What did the successful “vote of no confidence” force Callaghan to do?

Answer 15

Call an election

Question 16

How did Labour appear in 1979? How did the Conservatives appear?

Answer 16

Tired

Buoyant

Question 17

Who proved to be an effective leader since ousting Heath in 1975?

Answer 17

Thatcher

Question 18

What firm did the Tories contact for their 1979 campaign? What is an example of an effective campaign poster?

Answer 18

Saatchi and Saatchi

“LABOUR ISN’T WORKING”

Question 19

Who did the Tories target in their 1979 manifesto? What did they promise to increase spending on?

Answer 19

Middle-class voters
Police and defence

Question 20

What reforms did the Conservatives promise would take place? What was this meant to prevent?

Answer 20

Union reform

A repeat of striking

Question 21

What other class did the Tories speak to? What did they want to do?

Answer 21

Working-class
Better themselves

Question 22

What particular idea was popular under the working-class?

Answer 22

Selling council houses to tenants

Question 23

What two economic policies were more controversial in the Tory manifesto? How could the manifesto be described?

Answer 23

New Right
Monetarism
Vague

Question 24

What was the majority the Tories gained in 1979? What did this set up for Britain?

Answer 24

43 seats

Significant political change

Question 25

What did the Tory manifesto declare the election was about? How is this described?

Answer 25

“The future of Britain”

“A great country which seems to have lost its way”