1997 general election

Question 1

background

Answer 1

john major’s party divided over EU issue

Question 2

how many members elected

Answer 2

659

Question 3

winning party

Answer 3

labour landslide victory

Question 4

how many years had labour been in opposition

Answer 4

18

Question 5

what was labours parliamentary majority

Answer 5

179

Question 6

how many seats did labour win

Answer 6

418

Question 7

conservative to labour swing

Answer 7

10.2%

Question 8

turnout

Answer 8

71% last national vote turnout to exceed 70%

Question 9

Blair’s leadership

Answer 9

centrist policy ‘New Labour’

Question 10

Labours campaign pledges

Answer 10

creation of national minimum wage, devolution referendums scot+wales, greater economic competence than cons

Question 11

conservative party campaign

Answer 11

emphasised falling employment+economic recovery after after 1990 recession

Question 12

why did the cons lose

Answer 12

disunity over EU, black wednesday, electorate wanting change after 18 years

Question 13

black wednesday

Answer 13

refers to September 16, 1992, when a collapse in the pound sterling forced Britain to withdraw from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM).

Question 14

cons worst defeat since…

Answer 14

1906
165 MPs
lowest % share of the votes 1832
no seats scot and wales

Question 15

Lib Dems

Answer 15

Paddy Ashdown

46 MPs

Question 16

SNP

Answer 16

6 MPs

Question 17

what did Blair abolish

Answer 17

clause IV which committed to mass nationalisation of industry+ reversed policy on unilateral nuclear disarment

Question 18

Labours manifesto

Answer 18

class sizes cut below 30 for 4,5,6 yr
cut NHS waiting lists treating 100,000 patients
250,000 under 25s off benefits
inflation+interest rates low as possible
no income tax rise

Question 19

why did major want a long campaign

Answer 19

‘expose’ labours hollowness +conservative campaign would show stabability

Question 20

conservative campaign problems

Answer 20

James Goldsmiths referendum party advocate EU mbrship

Question 21

cons poster attacking labour

Answer 21

‘new labour, new danger’

Question 22

what were the two approaches taken to attack labour

Answer 22

new labour was facade

copying conservative position

Question 23

liberal democrats promises

Answer 23

increase education funding increase income tax

Question 24

how did lib dems double their number of seats

Answer 24

tactical voting

Question 25

how did labour win

Answer 25

tony blairs charisma, popular in contrast

PR managed by Alastair Campbell+ Peter Mandelson

Question 26

what ruined the conservative rep

Answer 26

bad economy

Question 27

suns newspaper switched to supporting labour with which headline

Answer 27

‘give labour a chance’

they claimed to have won cons 1992 election

Question 28

what did the sun publish which damaged cons rep

Answer 28

Piers Merchant involved in adulterous affairs with 17 year old in night club

Question 29

how did major alienate some con voters

Answer 29

attack labs plans for devolution of scotland and wales cons lost those voters

Question 30

how did blair anger voters in scotland

Answer 30

compared scottish parliament to an English parish council

Question 31

opinion polls

Answer 31

labour (43-53%)

cons (28-33%)

Question 32

media bias

Answer 32

sun back lab
times more positive about lab
sun backed winning party since 1970s (no proof)

Question 33

why were newspapers losing influence

Answer 33

more people getting political tv news

Question 34

spin doctors

Answer 34

politicians employ press adivisors

Question 35

what was this election seen as

Answer 35

‘media election’

economy was stable+no radical policies (still a big swing)