4.4.2 - Case Study of 1997 Election

Question 1

How long had the Conservatives been in government prior to the 1997 Election?

Answer 1

18 years.

Question 2

Who was the leader of the Conservative government in the 1997 Election?

Answer 2

John Major.

Question 3

Why were the Conservatives deemed to be incredibly weak in the run up to the 1997 Election?

Answer 3

The party was split over Europe and had become synonymous with sleaze and incompetence.

Question 4

How far ahead were Labour in the 1997 Election polls?

Answer 4

20% ahead.

Question 5

How big of a lead did John Major have at the 1992 Election?

Answer 5

Narrow victory.

Question 6

How did Blair exploit Major as a leader?

Answer 6

Major’s reputation for weak leadership was brilliantly exploited by Blair who proved an exciting contrast to an increasingly unpopular PM.

Question 7

What was the main reason that Major was unable to win?

Answer 7

Similarly to Callaghan in 1979, Major could not convince the electorate that his party was fit to govern.

Question 8

What was a major setback for the Major government in the early stages?

Answer 8

In 1992, the government lost their reputation for economic competence when it abandoned the European Exchange Rate Mechanism on ‘Black Wednesday’.

Question 9

What was the effect of Black Wednesday?

Answer 9

• A dramatic rise in interest rates hitting mortgage owners hardest.
• Even when the economy recovered, the Conservatives never regained the trust of the electorate.

Question 10

What was the main division in the Conservative party?

Answer 10

The European Union.

Question 11

Where was the main division of the Conservative party seen most clearly?

Answer 11

Major only just managed to get the Maastricht Bill through the Commons with fervent opposition from Eurosceptic backbenchers.

Question 12

What was the Maastricht Bill?

Answer 12

A further increase of European unity.

Question 13

Why did a number of ministers resign from the Major government?

Answer 13

Allegations of sleaze.

Question 14

How was the Major government’s credibility further damaged?

Answer 14

• Slow response to ‘mad cow’ disease.
• Claims that ministers had colluded in the illegal sale of arms to Iraq.

Question 15

Where did the attempt to make Labour more attractive to middle-class voters begin?

Answer 15

Neil Kinnock in the 1987 General Election.

Question 16

Why was the appointment of Blair as Labour party leader done under duress?

Answer 16

The sudden death of Kinnock’s successor John Smith meant they had to appoint a new leader.

Question 17

What were the main principles for Blair as Labour leader?

Answer 17

The idea of a ‘stakeholder society’.

Question 18

How did Blair completely revamp the Labour party?

Answer 18

• The amendment to Clause IV was amended so Labour no longer committed themselves to nationalisation.
• Blair moved to the centre by promising not to increase income tax.
• He challenged the traditional Conservative lead on law and order by promising to be ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’.

Question 19

Who aided Blair’s campaign massively?

Answer 19

Alistair Campbell ran a tightly disciplined campaign that showcased Blair as a youthful and energetic leader who’s progressive centrist policies contrasted to Major.

Question 20

What could one compare Blair’s campaign to?

Answer 20

A presidential campaign.

Question 21

What did Labour campaign on in 1997?

Answer 21

A pledge card.

Question 22

What did Labour’s pledge card look like in 1997?

Answer 22

• Cut class sizes to <30 for 5, 6 and 7 year olds.
• Halve the time between arrest and punishment for persistent young offenders.
• Cut NHS waiting lists.
• Take 250,000 young people off benefits and into work.
• No income tax rise.
• VAT on fuel to be cut to 5%.
• Interest and inflation rates to be kept as low as possible.

Question 23

How did Labour’s broadcasts come across in 1997?

Answer 23

Optimistic and inspiring, which reached far beyond their core vote.

Question 24

How did Labour steal some Liberal Democrat seats in 1997?

Answer 24

A commitment to devolution and House of Lords reform.

Question 25

How was Labour affected by the press in 1997?

Answer 25

• The Sun, with their 4 million readers, backed Labour.
• However, the Sun only switched their allegiance when Labour already had a commanding lead in the polls.

Question 26

How was the Conservative campaign hampered?

Answer 26

• The government could not escape their reputation for corruption and disunity.
• Journalist Martin Bell stood as an independent candidate against Neil Hamilton who had resigned from his ministerial role over ‘cash for questions’.

Question 27

What was the Referendum Party?

Answer 27

A party founded by a British French MEP over British membership in the EU.

Question 28

Why did the referendum party cause problems for Major?

Answer 28

The high profile campaigns of the referendum party further divided the Conservative view on EU membership.

Question 29

What was ‘New Labour, New Danger’?

Answer 29

A campaign slogan that was poor and completely misjudged the view of the nation.

Question 30

How bad of a defeat was the Conservative loss in 1997?

Answer 30

The lowest share of the vote since the Duke of Wellington in 1832.

Question 31

How many seats did Labour have in 1997?

Answer 31

418.

Question 32

How many seats did the Conservatives have in 1997?

Answer 32

165.

Question 33

How many seats did the Liberal Democrats have in 1997?

Answer 33

46.

Question 34

What share of the vote did Labour have in 1997?

Answer 34

43.2%

Question 35

What share of the vote did the Conservatives have in 1997?

Answer 35

30.7%

Question 36

What share of the vote did the Liberal Democrats have in 1997?

Answer 36

16.8%

Question 37

What did the AB vote of the major parties look like?

Answer 37

31% - Labour
41% - Conservative

(11% swing to Labour since 1992)

Question 38

What did the C1 vote of the major parties look like?

Answer 38

39% - Labour
37% - Conservative

(14% swing to Labour since 1992)

Question 39

What did the C2 vote of the major parties look like?

Answer 39

50% - Labour
31% - Conservative

(9% swing to Labour since 1992)

Question 40

What did the DE vote of the major parties look like?

Answer 40

59% - Labour
21% - Conservative

(9% swing to Labour since 1992)

Question 41

How did Labour’s vote change across all parts of the UK?

Answer 41

Increased in all locations, including traditional Conservative heartlands.

Question 42

How did Labour’s vote change amongst age groups?

Answer 42

Labour won the most votes in every age group.