27 - John Major's Government, 1990-97

Question 1

What currency did the ERM tie European currencies to? What was the value of Sterling when tied to this currency?

Answer 1

Deutschmark

DM 2.95

Question 2

What did many people feel about the value of the Deutschmark?

Answer 2

It was overpriced

Question 3

What currency did many international bankers sell in September 1992? What happened to its value?

Answer 3

Sterling

It fell

Question 4

What did Chancellor Norman Lamont raise in order to keep the Sterling’s exchange rate with DM at 2.95? What were they raised to?

Answer 4

Interest rates

15%

Question 5

How much, in value, did Chancellor Lamont sell British foreign reserves for? Why was this insufficient on “Black Wednesday”?

Answer 5

£30 billion

Britain withdrew from the ERM

Question 6

How did Black Wednesday seem in the short-term for Britain? What was undermined?

Answer 6

Disastrous

International credibility

Question 7

Who in Major’s government became even more disillusioned with EU membership? What did many people lose faith in the government’s handling of?

Answer 7

Eurosceptics

Economy

Question 8

How did Black Wednesday play out in the long-term? What began to recover?

Answer 8

It was an advantage

Sterling

Question 9

What was Sterling valued at in DM by 1996? What was this higher than?

Answer 9

DM 3

ERM days

Question 10

Whose was Britain’s economic growth higher than?

Answer 10

EU growth

Question 11

What 2 crises did Major’s government face issues over?

Answer 11

EU membership

Sleaze

Question 12

Whose legacy did Major develop as his main task? Who did he want to unite?

Answer 12

Thatcher’s legacy

Tories

Question 13

What 2 Thatcherite policies was a consensus created under in the Tory Party?

Answer 13

Free-market

Individualism

Question 14

Who did Major continue to provide support for in society?

Answer 14

The vulnerable

Question 15

What 2 areas did spending increase in the budget?

Answer 15

Healthcare

Education

Question 16

What Treaty was signed that developed closer EEC relations? When was it signed?

Answer 16

Maastricht Treaty

1992

Question 17

What tax was withdrawn in 1991? What tax replaced it according to 8 bands of property value?

Answer 17

Poll tax

Council tax

Question 18

What Charter was introduced in 1991? What 2 guarantees were offered?

Answer 18

Citizen’s Charter
Public service
Citizens’ responsibilities and rights

Question 19

How big was Major’s majority in the 1992 election? What did the government face after this?

Answer 19

22 seats

Continuous problems

Question 20

What was Major’s administration rocked by? What are 2 examples of this?

Answer 20

Scandals
Illicit sex
Corruption

Question 21

What did sleaze diminish in the government? What did Major campaign on in 1992?

Answer 21

Credibility

“Return to basics”

Question 22

What 2 ideals were emphasised in “Return to basics”? How did this campaign seem following sleaze?

Answer 22

Self-responsibility
Moral values
Hollow

Question 23

Who often attacked Major’s government? What is an example of a satirical programme that ridiculed the government?

Answer 23

The media

Spitting Image

Question 24

What event fallout dominated the early years of Major’s ministry?

Answer 24

“Black Wednesday”

Question 25

What conflict did Major seek an end to? What still continued?

Answer 25

The Troubles

Violence

Question 26

Where did the IRA mortar-bomb in 1991? What was fortunate about the attack?

Answer 26

10 Downing Street

No-one was hurt

Question 27

What Cheshire town did the IRA bomb in 1993? How many children unfortunately died?

Answer 27

Warrington

2

Question 28

What did the 1993 Downing Street Declaration assert? What else was affirmed in the Declaration?

Answer 28

Britain had no selfish interest in Northern Ireland

NI citizens should vote on their future

Question 29

When did the IRA declare a ceasefire? What US negotiator tried to broker a lasting peace?

Answer 29

August 1994

George Mitchell

Question 30

Whose efforts failed to make a lasting peace? What was made behind-the-scenes despite this?

Answer 30

Mitchell’s efforts

Progress

Question 31

What did journalist Kevin Tooley describe Irish Republicanism as?

Answer 31

“Irish Republicanism is the unqualified belief that a United Ireland is an intrinsic good”

Question 32

What did former Protestant gunman Gusty Spence announce after the Protestant paramilitary ceasefire in 1995?

Answer 32

“We offer to the loved ones of all innocent victims abject and true remorse”