Blair 1997-2007

Question 1

Labour majority in 1997

Answer 1

179

Question 2

Why Brown handed control of interest rates to Bank of England

Answer 2

Sending a message that the economy would be managed effectively and for the long term. there is no risk that the economy would be mismanaged for political reasons.

Question 3

Strengths and weaknesses of Blair

Answer 3

Strengths:
- Young, used TV well, sympathised well with Princess Diana’s death, the ‘people’s prime minister’.
- Blair-brown partnership was very successful
Weaknesses:
- Lying about the Ecclestone affair
gossip over Blair-Brown relationship
critics argued that he didn’t stand for anything.
- Internal corruption and debate with Brown.

Question 4

Why was Labour in favour of devolution?

Answer 4

Unpopularity of the conservatives in Scotland. Northern Ireland was devolved. SNP gained momentum

Question 5

Labour’s reforms to parliament

Answer 5

House of lord act reduced hereditary peers to 92 (was unsatisfactory to many)

Question 6

Jenkins commission

Answer 6

Recommendation on electoral reform. to replace first past the post with proportional representation.

Question 7

Reform to citizens right

Answer 7

• Freedom of Information Act 2000. gave people the right to request information from public bodies. by 2006, over 100,000 requests were made every year.
• European Convention on Human Rights incorporated into British Law in the Human Rights Act. the act often created difficulties, however, if the House of Lords ruled things e.g. the detainment of non-nationals for terrorism to be incompatible with the act.

Question 8

Labour’s change to education

Answer 8

• New deal programme to provide jobs/ training for 250,000 unemployed.
• Development of academy program and big investment in infrastructure.
• Funding per pupil increased from 48% to 55%
• 18% rise in teachers pay
• More investment in education.
• More accountability to parents

Question 9

Labour’s change to health

Answer 9

• Sure start centres to improve health, education and welfare of children from low-income families
• Free part-time nursery places for three and four year olds
• Achieved the 1997 pledge to reduce waiting lists by 100,000
• By 2007, no now was waiting longer than 6 months for non-emergency treatment.
• Ban on tobacco advertising

Question 10

Labour’s change to crime

Answer 10

• New deal programme to provide jobs/training for 250,000 youth were unemployed
• Antisocial behaviour order put lists on what the defendant could do/go
  crime survey records a 41% reduction in crime between 1997-2010

Question 11

Labour’s change to inequality and poverty

Answer 11

• Between 1997-2005, all benefits to children had risen by 72%
• 1998 national minimum wage introduced
• By 2004, the poorest pensioners were 1750 a year better off
• 3.7% overall growth in benefits from 2002-2005.
• Poorest 20% experienced a 12% rise in incomes.
• Brown introduced tax credits in 1999 provided benefits to those on low incomes (esp to parents and the disabled)
• Child poverty reduced by a quarter by 2005.

Question 12

Appeal of section 28

Answer 12

2003, equal age of consent for homosexuals, civil partnerships in 2005. equality regulations in 2003 banned discrimination in the workplace.

Question 13

Countryside alliance

Answer 13

In 2002, 500,000 attended a march to keep hunting with dogs.

Question 14

Economic policy aims

Answer 14

Prevent the UK from joining the Euro, Keep public borrowing under control, use benefits of a growing economy to improve public services, show that labour was pro-business, keep inflation low.

Question 15

Brown’s economic policies

Answer 15

• Make Britain’s membership of the Eurozone dependent on 5 economic tests.
• No increase in income tax for first 2 years
• Stick to Major’s spending limits during the first 2 years
  Bank of England would settle interest rates
• Bank of England would surrender regulatory powers over the City to a newly created financial services authority.
• 1998 announced £40 billion extra spending over the next 3 years.

Question 16

Tax credits good

Answer 16

Tax breaks for people on low-incomes. however, gave employers the opportunity to keep people on minimum incomes because the government would fill this gap.

Question 17

Negatives of economy

Answer 17

• Continued to use private financing to invest in public sectors. these debts would be carried into the future.
• Some have said that the consumer boom was based on rising house prices and credit-card spending, rather than increasing productivity
• There was the fear that this ‘bubble’ woudln’t last
• Financial tests on jointing the Euro were elastic and would rest on Blair’s own wish.
• Annual deficit accumulated
• Left vulnerable to crisis e.g. 2008.
• Deregulation of the City of London was thought to attract people to bring foreign capital for tax purposes.

Question 18

What did Labour announce in 1998?

Answer 18

An extra £40 billion of extra spending over the next three years, especially on health and education.

Question 19

How much did the pound strengthen by?

Answer 19

14%

Question 20

Foreign policy successes and failures under Blair (Europe)

Answer 20

Successes:
- Active in seeking to develop an EU response to global issues e.g. terrorism and climate change. the G8 summit in 2005 was a personal triumph
- Instructed officials to withdraw their objections to various areas of EU policy
- When Blair left power in 2007, his reputation in Europe was still high.
- Took a leading role in negotiations for the enlargement of the EU and the Treaty of Nice.
- Spoke of a ‘third-way’ between federalism and independent nation-states, calling for an EU of friendly states who retained their sovereignty
- Spoke of a new relationship and a new Europe
Weaknesses:
- Few solid achievement, proposed new constitution didn’t come into fruition.
- Progress on climate change and world poverty was minimal
- After the 2004 enlargement of the EU, anti-immigration sentiment grew because immigration rose
- Didn’t join the Euro in 2002- lack of commitment
- Increased British contributions after EU enlargement- had to give up £7bn rebate
- Lisbon Treaty was adopted in 2007 but was considered a copy of the new EU constitution that had been unpopular. a rise in cynicism about the EU
- Iraq war damaged relationships with France and Germany.

Question 21

Foreign policy successes and failures under Blair? (World)

Answer 21

Strengths:
- Both Clinton’s and Blair’s governments were influenced by the ‘third way’
- Close links to the US democrats.
- Bush and Blair developed a close working relationship
- Blair was convinced that NATO and the USA must be involved in European affairs.
- Blair devoted diplomatic efforts to persuade Clinton to back military action against Serbia
- 1999 prolonged NATO bombing campaign against Serbia was successful
- In 2000, British forces supported the UN forces in Sierra Leone to end the civil war
- Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone were short, sharp victories
- In 2001, Britain joined the USA to overthrow the Taliban and expel Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan
overthrow of Saddam Hussien in 2003
Weaknesses:
- Accusations that British foreign policy became too dominated by US priorities
- Military interventions in Yugoslavia were unsuccessful
- From 2002 attention draws to Iraq which allows the Taliban to regroup in Afghanistan
- Bogged down in Iraq
- Four minsters resigned over the invasion of Iraq
- ‘Stop the war’ march attended by over 1 million
- By 2007, Britain has achieved only very limited and partial success in Iraq.

Question 22

Britain’s world position by 2007

Answer 22

Iraq war gravely weakened position in the world. seem to have failed in goal of liberal interventionism and ethical foreign policy.

Special relationship was very strong but some thought the UK was America’s ‘poodle’ yet again. success in Kosovo and Sierra Leone was successful.

Question 23

Progress for women

Answer 23

• In 1997, there were 101 female labour MPs
• Labour had introduced all-women shortlists to half of its most winnable seats to increase number of women in parliament
• Prominent women promoted e.g. Margaret Beckett as foreign secretary 2006-2007.
• Often the main beneficiaries of New Labour policies.
• Childcare provision was expanded to 12.5 hours of free nurses education for 3-4 year olds.
• Women given pension credits if unable to work due to caring responsibilities.
• Between 1997-2007, the percentage of FTSE 100 companies that had no women on the board fell by 12%.
• Minimum wage helped mothers balance paid work and home life.

Question 24

Strengths and weaknesses for the youth in Britain

Answer 24

Strengths:
- Government and Blair considered youthful and new
- Main objective of New Labour was to end social exclusion.
- 1997 Social Exclusion Unit coordinated objective.
- Sure Start centres provided information and guidance about looking after chidlren
- By 2005, child poverty reduced by 1/4
‘Connexions’ service advised teenagers about post-school choices.
- New Labour aimed for 50% of young people to go to university to compete better in a globalised world economy.
Weaknesses:
- Number of NEETs had increased to almost 20% by 2007.
- Fears over youth crime called for Anti social behaviour orders
- Increase in graffiti, vandalism and intimidation reports.
- By 2005, 46% of ASBOs went to under 17 year olds.
- Affordable housing became very hard to find. between 1997-2007, the average house price increased by almost 200%. this excluded the young from getting on the housing ladder.

Question 25

Successes and failures of multiculturalism

Answer 25

Successes:
- Rapid expansion of the EU opened immigration from Eastern Europe.
- First black cabinet minister in 2002.
- Mosques became commonplace.
- Local government launched initiatives to celebrate cultural heritage
- Notting hill carnival attracted millions
- Creation of the post of Secretary of State for local government and communities created in 2006 to prevent extremism
- Economists argued that the nation benefitted from migrant workers.
- Reduction in the occurrence of visible discrimination
- 2002 history curriculum introduced the need to teach diversity.
Failures:
- Macpherson report 1998 identified ‘institutionalised racism’ in the Met police.
- BBC Chairman acknowledged that the workforce was ‘hideously white’.
- Complaints that immigrants were not integrated into society
- Terrorist attack in 2005- killed 52 people. alienation of bombers was considered a motive.
- Between 2001-2007, there was a tenfold increase in voters who considered that immigration was a problem.
- Daily Express focussed on scaremongering and xenophobia.
- MigrationWatch pressure group set up to focus on dangers posed to public services.
- 2006 National Identity Card Act to ‘fight terrorism’.
- Increasing segregation in communities (gangs etc). this led to disadvantaged groups being made invisible to decision-makers and services.

Question 26

What changes for gay equality?

Answer 26

• Ban lifted on serving in the arms forces
• Equal age of consent
• Same sex couples could adopt
• Section 28 repealed
• Civil partnerships act
• Equality act

Question 27

What continued for gay equality?

Answer 27

• Discrimination exists in society at large.
• Deep rooted prejudice doesn’t go away with passing laws
• No high-profile campaigns to kick out homophobia in football.

Question 28

1997-2007 Conservatives who’s who?
William Hague

Answer 28

1997-2001. The leadership campaign was ‘anyone but Clark’. The new leader was Hague. 36 years old. Won because he had fewer enemies than his rivals. Thatcher supported him. The Conservatives remained still unpopular. Felt obligated to appoint portfolio as chancellor. After the 2001 election, he resigned

Question 29

1997-2007 Conservatives who’s who?
Iain Duncan Smith

Answer 29

2001-2003. Party members chose Smith over Clark in the final round. ‘Rockers defeated the Mods’. Smith had little charisma but this did not compare to Blair. MPs plotted to get rid of him. Conservatives began doing more to tackle poverty He supported British entry to Iraq. He faced a vote of no confidence. He was outed from power and replaced with Howard, unopposed.

Question 30

1997-2007 Conservatives who’s who?
Theresa May

Answer 30

2001-2003. Became MP for Maidenhead in 1997. She held post in the shadows of Howard, Smith and Hague. Home Secretary from 2010

Question 31

1997-2007 Conservatives who’s who?
Michael Howard

Answer 31

2003-2005. Had support from both the Mods and Rockers, brought unity and stability to the party. Promoted Modernisation in his cabinet. Struggled to compete with opinion polls similar to Smith and Duncan. He was on the right of they party as well as being socially Conservative.

Question 32

1997-2007 Conservatives who’s who?
David Cameron

Answer 32

2005-2016. Defeated Davis for party leader. Set on modernising the party. He reached out to core support from the Conservatives. He was more inclusive to minorities. Promised the party would take climate change more seriously. He was an advocate for praising the NHS. His chancellor was Osbourne. Promised to maintain public spending levels. Conservatives started to look electable again. Tebbit was critical of Thatcherism rejection