#6. Thatcher And The End Of Consensus 1979-97

Question 1

Why did thatcher win the 1979 election

Answer 1

Conviction politician
British electoral system
Appealed to marginal voters in midlands and London
Liberals were damaged after supporting labour

Question 2

Why did the conservatives win the 1983 election

Answer 2

Polled fewer votes than 1979 
Labour fell from 11.5 million to 8.5 million 
Inflation reduced 
Falklands war 
Split of labour vote 
“Longest suicide note in history”

Question 3

Why did thatcher win the 1987 election

Answer 3

Lost 21 seats but still pulled through 
Increase in middle class 
Inflation lowest in a decade 
Privatisation working 
Burden of taxes to indirect tax
Deregulation of financial sector 
Good relations with USA and ussr 
Dealing with TUs

Question 4

What were thatchers views on the main issues of the economy

Answer 4

Inflation.
No investment
Costly and unprofitable publicly owned industries
A lack of incentive to modernise and increase productivity

Question 5

When did privatisation begin

Answer 5

1979 October

Sale of BP

Question 6

What did the budget of 1980-81 aim to do

Answer 6

Aimed to reduce the money of circulation

Question 7

What act deregulated dealing stocks and shares

Answer 7

Financial services act 1986

Question 8

What were the impacts of thatchers economic policy

Answer 8

Price rise fell from 18% to 4.5% in 1983
Stronger pound
Unemployment rose sharply in 1980s, goes from 1.5 million to 3 million by 1983
Foreign investment increased- for example Japanese firm Nissan in Sunderland
movements to different jobs increased

Question 9

what were the issues with thatchers economic policies

Answer 9

get rich quick culture
less concern for workers rights
decline in manufacturing industry
loss of 15% of manufacturing base

Question 10

what was thatchers social policy on the NHS

Answer 10

hospitals become governing trusts and had to look after their own budget
GPs given competitive choice on which service to use
GPs responsible for managing own budgets

Question 11

what reforms were made to education

Answer 11

state schools could move out of local authority and manage own budgets
O levels changed to GCSE in 1986
research by universities more controlled

Question 12

what scheme did thatcher introduce on housing

Answer 12

right to buy (council houses)

Question 13

what was the term for homelessness under thatcher

Answer 13

cardboard cities

Question 14

what are the examples of social unrest under thatcher

Answer 14

rioting in Brixton and liverpool in 1981
miners strike of 1984-85
1989- poll tax unrest

Question 15

what distracted people from thatchers domestic policies

Answer 15

the falklands war 1982

Question 16

who were the wets and dries

Answer 16

wets- those who were more cautious micheal heseltine

dries- supporters of thatchers

Question 17

what was thatchers leadership style

Answer 17

energy and hard work- knew details of policies
intolerant of views and opinions which didnt match her rigid logic
she could be abrasive and capable of great charm

Question 18

who resigned which caused her to become isolated

Answer 18

Geoffrey howe and nigel lawson

Question 19

what were the main reasons thatcher disagreed with her party

Answer 19

economic issues such as growning inflation
ERM
change in public mood

Question 20

why was the ERM an issue

Answer 20

thatcher didn’t want to join but most of the cabinet did, but she ended up joining anyways

Question 21

when was the poll tax

Answer 21

1988- taxing those with property

Question 22

when were the violent protests in london due to poll tax

Answer 22

march 1990

Question 23

what caused micheal heseltine to raise a leadership contest

Answer 23

senior cabinet minister made a speech against her in november 1990

Question 24

when did thatcher resign

Answer 24

22 november 1990

Question 25

when did john major become primeminister

Answer 25

27th of november 1990

Question 26

what were the issues major faced

Answer 26

rose quickly so did not have a large record os success
conservatives divided over europe- maastricht treaty 1991
labour used thatchers fall to discuss divisons

Question 27

why did major win the 1992 election

Answer 27

major campaigned effectively
major less abrasive of a figure then thatcher
neil kinnock was flamboyant and overconfident assuming his win

Question 28

what was labours win in 1997

Answer 28

labour 418

tories 165

Question 29

why did major lose the 1997 election

Answer 29

1992 Britain forced to leave the ERM
divisions over Europe
tony blairs strengths as leader when leader in 1994

Question 30

what were the elements of new labour

Answer 30

young and dynamic leader
party accepted some elements of thatchers leadership like council house ownership and financial sector
blair ended clause IV- commitment to nationalisation
gained support of Ruport Murdoch and the sun
labour less divided then the tories
policies “education, education, education”
“tough on crime”