7 The Extent of Political and Social Division within Britain

Question 1

Why could there be said to be a class war?

Answer 1

• Dedicated to restoring the power of the gov and ending socialism
• Believed that TUs were putting the interests of the WC above the nation - battle with NUM
• Class conflict evident in the sale of council houses

Question 2

How did Thatcher try to create national unity?

Answer 2

Encouraged national unity in her speeches of Russian Communism and of the Falklands war of 1982 - did create some national unity

Question 3

How was class conflict evident in the sale of council houses?

Answer 3

Between the WC that could afford to buy theirs and those that couldn’t, gave the poorest people limited choice on where to live, no affordable housing

Question 4

Why did Thatcher confront the miners?

Answer 4

Not until second term that MT felt able to confront miners. Wanted to succeed where Heath had failed, to show them that she ran GB. Felt she had public backing after the Winter of Discontent (1978-1979).

Question 5

What was Thatcher’s strategy for dealing with the miner’s strike?

Answer 5

• A law against secondary action
• The development of alternative sources of power - gas/nuclear energy
• Reserve of coal stocks so country couldn’t be held to ransom

Question 6

How did Thatcher provoke the miner’s strike in the short term?

Answer 6

Determination to reform GB mining and TU rights. Wanted to reduce state subsidies to the industry = 20 pit closures (actually intended 70) = devastation to towns in South Wales, Scotland and the North of England. Wanted to win against Scargill.

Question 7

What didn’t strikers do that they were supposed to do?

Answer 7

Chose not to hold a ballot as thought those in pits that weren’t closing wouldn’t want to strike. Illegitimate strike.

Question 8

What happened in the miner’s strike of 1984?

Answer 8

Organised pickets from pits on strike to protest at open pits. NACODs chose not to strike. Tens of thousands of police officers sent to Yorkshire and other areas but this tended to provoke conflict, several clashes between miners and police.

Question 9

How did the public feel about the 1984 miner’s strike?

Answer 9

• RCT organised support for miners.
• Women Against Pit Closure (WAPC) supported, led by Anne Scargill. Organised soup kitchens for miners.
• Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners organised marches an fundraising.
• Labour split - left of Labour sympathised but knew the methods were wrong.
• Tabloid press and public opposed it.

Question 10

How did the miner’s strike end?

Answer 10

Economy kept running relying more on gas and nuclear power. No power cuts. NUM low on funds and miners couldn’t provide for their families. Union of Democratic Workers (UDMW) founded in Dec 1985 to oppose NUM. NUM voted an end to the strike in 1985.

Question 11

What consequences did the miner’s strike have?

Answer 11

• Showed commitment to new TU laws.
• 1985-1990 NUM lost 84% of its members.
• Union power reduced in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1993.
• Labour leaders took steps to distance themselves from TUs.
• 1985-1990 94/170 pits closed

Question 12

How was the Thatcher gov colonial?

Answer 12

• Radical rights groups argued that GB police behaved like a colonial army in Brixton, Notting Hill and Southall.
• Republicans in Northern Ireland also felt GB forces operating a colonial policy.
• Used nationalist language ‘anglo saxon heritage’ and ‘the remarkable qualities of British people’

Question 13

Why was there a rise in black and asian protest?

Answer 13

Due to continued racial discrimination in housing, employment, education and the police, stress on cultural uniformity, impact of economic policies and sus

Question 14

What was the New Cross Fire in 1981?

Answer 14

Fire at a house party of black teenagers, 13 partygoers killed, local black community believed it was an attack by the National Front

Question 15

Why was the 1981 New Cross Fire controversial?

Answer 15

New Cross Massacre Action Committee established, MT didn’t issue a statement in response, contrast to deaths of white teenagers in Dublin that had official letters from the Queen, parliament and gov.

Question 16

What was the Black People’s Day of Action 1981?

Answer 16

20,000 people marched through London to demand justice for the dead at NCF. Largest held black protest. Described as a symbolic defeat for the police.

Question 17

When did Stop and Search take place (Operation Swamp ‘81) and what impact did this have?

Answer 17

Following the Day of Action, Operation Swamp ‘81 took place = mass riots in Brixton in which police lost control.

Question 18

What impact did the Brixton riots have in 1981?

Answer 18

• Michael Bailey died in police custody after Brixton riots broke out
• 300 black and white youths clashed with over 1000 police officers.
• 299 officers injured, 70 members of the public hurt, 100 cars destroyed
• 28 shops and homes burnt to the ground and 100 more looted
• More riots broke out 3 months later in Manchester, London and Birmingham and Liverpool

Question 19

What did the Scarman Report find, the report that forced the government to examine the role of police in the black community?

Answer 19

• Disproportionate and unnecessary use of stop and search against black and ethnic minority men
• Poverty, unemployment, poor housing and discrimination were key factors causing the riots

Question 20

How was there ongoing social division?

Answer 20

Rioting broke out again in 1985 against two deaths on an estate in London - Cynthia Jarrett (died of heart attack during police raid) and Cherry Groce (shot by armed police)

Question 21

How did Thatcher respond to the Scarman report?

Answer 21

• Rejected the idea that poverty and discrimination were causing riots
• Scarman’s proposals not implemented and little improvement made for black community

Question 22

How were there changing attitudes towards race in politics?

Answer 22

1980s increase in the number of black and Asian MPs e.g Diane Abbott and Bernie Grant

Question 23

How did TV channels like Channel 4 (1982) begin to cater for a more diverse Britain?

Answer 23

It had the responsibility of providing TV programmes for minority groups e.g The Bandung File (Asian currant affairs) and Desmonds (Black comedy)

Question 24

How did the murder of black Stephan Lawrence from South East London in 1983 demonstrate changing attitudes?

Answer 24

Gov and media immediately condemned Lawrence’s murder. When police mishandled investigation it led to Macpherson Report which states that the met were racist.

Question 25

How did Thatcher try to defeat the IRA?

Answer 25

• Believed in no negotiations with IRA or their supporters

- Wanted to deal with them by force

Question 26

What did Bobby Sands want?

Answer 26

He had protested against prison and went on hunger strike in return for the right not to wear uniform, not to do prison work, free association with other prisoner and the right to a visit, letter and parcel per week.

Question 27

What issues were raised after Bobby Sands, high profile IRA prisoner, died in 1981?

Answer 27

Negative publicity for the gov. Labour leader Michael Foot urged MT to compromise. Stood as a member of parliament in by election - gained one seat then died. 9 IRA prisoners died due to hunger.

Question 28

What happened in 1984 in Brigton?

Answer 28

Bombing to target MT for revenge of BS, several MPs and their wives died but not MT or her cabinet. Tory Party Conference took place the next day as a symbol of her refusal to surrender.

Question 29

What happened in the IRA bombings?

Answer 29

Bombing campaign in pubs in Guildford and Birmingham in 1975, Home Office arrested the wrong people e.g Guildford Four, Birmingham Six and Maguire Seven - 14 and 16 years in prison

Question 30

How did people react to the wrongful arrests after the IRA bombings?

Answer 30

Campaigns against miscarriages of justice - TV programme World in Action 1985, 1991 it was overturned

Question 31

How did Thatcher approach sexuality?

Answer 31

• Wanted to promote family values - hetrosexual and monogamous marriage
• Worked closely with gay colleagues and didn’t want to recriminalise homosexuality

Question 32

What outbreak occurred in 1981 and what impact did it have on attitudes towards homosexuality?

Answer 32

First diagnosed the case of HIV in GB - associated with gay men, 1990s more hetrosexual people diagnosed. Resulted in homophobic attitudes - 1987 ¾ of people surveyed viewed homosecuality as always or mostly wrong

Question 33

How did Thatcher deal with the AIDS crisis?

Answer 33

Safe sex campaign as a result of AIDS - promoted use of condoms

Question 34

How did Thatcher express her views on sexuality through legislation?

Answer 34

• Section 46 of 1986 Education Act specified promotion of family life
• Section 28 of 1988 Local Government Act outlawed promotion of homosexuality

Question 35

How did people react to section 28 of the LGA?

Answer 35

Protests by gay and lesbian groups - Stonewall founded in 1989 by famous actors like Ian McKellen and Peter Tatchell, campaigned for repeal of section 28

Question 36

What social changes were present in the media in the 1980s?

Answer 36

• 1985 My Beautiful Laundrette film starring Daniel Day Lewis, showed a love affair between two gay men, nominated for Oscars and BAFTAs
• 1989 Eastenders screened first ever gay kiss
• 1989 Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit - BBC lesbian coming of age story that presented homosexuality in a positive light

Question 37

What social changes were present in music?

Answer 37

Boy George and Marilyn - famous gay singers, Pet Shop Boys - Its a Sin challenged perceptions about the wrongness of gay desire

Question 38

What socia changes were present in the media in the 1990s?

Answer 38

• 1992 Peter’s Friends - comedy which centred on gay men telling their friends they have HIV
• Madonna identified as the world’s favourite bisexual in 1992

Question 39

How did John Major deal with homosexuality?

Answer 39

Lowered age of consent for gay men to 18
1994 invited Ian McKellen to Downing Street, publicly acknowledged that his Back to Basics campaign was not an attack on homosexuality

Question 40

How did Thatcher feel about feminism?

Answer 40

Little interest in the discussion of women’s roles

Assumed the nuclear family was no obstacle to ambitious women

Question 41

How contrasting opinions existed about feminsim compared to MT?

Answer 41

Selma James - spokesperson of English Collective of Prostitutes representing sex workers in GB: wanted decriminalisation of prostitution, financial alternatives to prostitution, recognition of the profession and safety of sex workers

Question 42

How did feminism exist in film?

Answer 42

Feminist filmmaker Sally Potter made Thriller in 1979 and argued that Thatcherism undermined role of women, praised male dominated professions and stigmatised caring professions

Question 43

What was the Common Woman’s Peace Camp?

Answer 43

Major protest in 1980s, designed to stop US missles being stationed at RAF Greenham Common Air Base, peaceful protest but press hostile

Question 44

How did Major and Thatcher differ on feminism?

Answer 44

Thatcher declared that GCWPC should be eradicated

Major criminalised rape in marriage