Blair - Social Issues

Question 1

What did the TUs expect from Labour when they came into power?

Answer 1

Their long-standing connection with the TUs would make them more sympathetic to TU concerns, but the decline of TUs continued. Membership decline was 3%/year under Blair.

Question 2

What did Labour not do, despite the hopes of the TUs?

Answer 2

Repeal TU legislation passed by Thatcher and Major, instead Blair was openly critical of strike action.

Question 3

Why did Blair take such a hard stance against the TUs?

Answer 3

The Labour Party’s links with the TUs and memories of WoD were one of the reasons they were unelectable under Thatcher and early 90s.

Question 4

What were TUs extremely critical of Labour for?

Answer 4

Outsourcing and PFI, which had been introduced previously by Cons.

Question 5

What did Labour allow to continue?

Answer 5

Contracting out, and protecting the employment rights of workers who moved to the private sector.

Question 6

Which 2 organisations were sold off?

Answer 6

Air Traffic Control organisation and the London Underground.

Question 7

What did Blair opt back into?

Answer 7

The European Social Charter, meaning Britain would follow European policies regarding employment and social rights, such as time off work for childcare.

Question 8

What did Labour welcome as an opportunity for economic growth?

Answer 8

Globalisation, arguing Britain had to develop into a ‘knowledge economy’ that would add value with efficient systems, technology and increased productivity.

Question 9

What was the New Deal programme?

Answer 9

It targeted particular groups of unemployed - young people, disabled, single parents etc and helped them find work.

Question 10

What did critics argue about the New Deal?

Answer 10

Support was limited and the sanctions imposed if people didn’t take the support were unfair and counter-productive.

Question 11

How did Labour try and ‘make work pay’?

Answer 11

1998 National Minimum Wage and a Low Pay Commission to oversee. Brown introduced tax credits, which were means-tested benefits to those with low income.

Question 12

In 1997 how many women were elected as MPs?

Answer 12

120, 101 of which beeng women.

Question 13

Who was the prominent female MP in Blair’s cabinet?

Answer 13

Margaret Beckett as Foreign Secretary.

Question 14

How was childcare provision extended?

Answer 14

All 3 and 4 year olds entitled to 12.5 hours/week of free nursery education.
Women given pension credits when unable to work due to parenting.

Question 15

By 1999 to 2007, what was the difference in % of FTSE 100 companies with no women on the board?

Answer 15

36% - 24%

Question 16

What % of male income did women earn in 2007?

Answer 16

87%

Question 17

What did Critics argue about New Labour’s social policies?

Answer 17

Their emphasis on paid employment undervalued unpaid work in the home and women did 3 times the amount of housework as men.

Question 18

How did Blair try appeal to the youth immediately after getting into office?

Answer 18

He threw a party and invited Noel Gallagher, Vivienne Westwood and Helen Mirren.

Question 19

What was the Social Exclusion Unit?

Answer 19

Set up in 1997 they intended to end social exclusion through the establishment of Sure Start centres, helping families with young children by preparing them for school.

Question 20

What did Blair pledge in 1999?

Answer 20

End child poverty in 20 years.

Question 21

What was the Connexions service?

Answer 21

To advise teenagers about choices once they left school, aiming for 50% of young people to go to university, believing this would produce a highly skilled workforce.

Question 22

How many NEETs were there by 2007?

Answer 22

20% of young people

Question 23

What did an increase in youth crime lead to the establishment of?

Answer 23

ASBO, the Antisocial Behaviour Order. It was a court order which would put limits on defendants actions, such as curfews. Breaching it was a criminal offence and by 2005 46% of ASBOs went to under 17s.

Question 24

Which events opened the way for Britain to become a multicultural society?

Answer 24

Globalisation, the consequences of famines and regional conflicts and the rapid expansion of the EU.

Question 25

How did the nature of immigration change under Blair?

Answer 25

It became skilled workers and professionals, the families of immigrants already in Britain, foreign students, asylum seekers from Afghanistan.

Question 26

Who was Paul Boateng?

Answer 26

The fist black cabinet minister, appointed to Chief Secretary of the Treasury in 2002.

Question 27

What steps were taken towards a multicultural society?

Answer 27

Mosques were built, and schools celebrated different cultural backgrounds. Notting Hill Carnival attracted millions.

Question 28

What is some evidence that Britain had become a multicultural society?

Answer 28

In 2005, London bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games on the key selling point of its multiculturalism.

Question 29

What was the Macpherson report?

Answer 29

Published in 1998 over the murder of Stephen Lawrence, claimed the Metropolitan Police were ‘institutionally racist’.

Question 30

What were the complaints about immigration policies?

Answer 30

Not enough emphasis was being placed on the responsibility of immigrants to properly integrate into Britain and even some British-born were alienated from British society and culture.

Question 31

What happened in 2005 that increased racial tensions?

Answer 31

A terrorist attack in July 2005, 52 killed after attacks on buses and trains. The bombers were well-integrated, British born citizens. The leader was Mohamed Sidique Khan, a well-respected community worker.

Question 32

What event followed the underground attacks that further increased racial tensions?

Answer 32

4 bombers attempted an attack but the bombs failed to explode. Four men convicted, Ethiopians and Somalians living in Britain as full citizens.

Question 33

What was the sympathetic response to the terrorist attacks?

Answer 33

That it was necessary to find out why Muslims felt alienated and ethnic minorities could be closer with Brits. Br’s foreign policy in Iraq had alienated Muslims and encouraged extremism.