Case study on the 1997 election (VB&M 4.1c) Flashcards
What did Blair do to Labour?
Blair modernised Labour, moving it towards the centre ground
What did ‘New Labour’ mean for Labour’s manifesto and policies?
‘New Labour’ meant abandoning the Labour Party’s long-standing commitment to nationalisation, the use of high taxes to boost government spending, and having strong trade unions.
> These policies had previously put off middle-class voters, who Balir was now trying to win.
How did Blair try to appeal to former Tory voters, in terms of crime and business?
- Blair also tried to appeal to former Tory voters by saying that he would be ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’ (as crime rates rose in the early 1990s under Major)
- Blair also said he was pro-business, winning voters who traditionally believed their interests would be best served by the Conservatives.
What media did Labour win the support of?
Labour won the support of newspapers like The Times and The Sun, previously expected to support the Conservatives.
What were Blair’s main election promises?
Education (“education, education, education”)
Tax, economic growth, unemployment
NHS,
Crime,
Constitutional reform and the EU.
Many of these policies catered to those in the centre and on the right.
What specific policies did Labour emphasise would make a difference?
Reducing the size of primary school classes and cutting hospital waiting lists.
What were Blair’s proposals on constitutional reform and how did this expand his vote?
Blair also emphasised constitutional changes, such as devolution and Lords reforms, making it easier for LibDem voters to tactically vote for Labour.
What were the Conservatives heavily divided on?
The topic of the EU; the whole of Parliament was dominated by open Conservative feuding on Europe (i.e. the Maastricht Bill in 1993)
+ sleaze (twelve resignations would occur)
What did the media focus on sleaze do?
The media focus on sleaze contributed to a rise in apathy.
What did the perception of little difference between the parties, and opinion polls, do?
People seeing little difference between the main parties and policies led to an increase in disillusion.
> Opinion polls relentlessly pointing towards a substantial Labour win also contributed to this.
How did New Labour modernise the way it tried to win votes in its election campaign?
PR experts were employed to handle the media, and Labour used focus groups to find out about public opinion
What did Labour target during the election, and what was the effect of this?
Labour also targeted marginal seats, yet this campaign strategy was not necessarily effective, as Labour’s vote share increased 12.5% in these targeted seats, while increasing around 13.5% in Tory safe seats.
> Labour’s lead in opinion polls also declined through the campaign.
What were Labour’s official and unofficial slogans?
Labour’s official campaign slogan was ‘Because Britain deserves better’
+
the unofficial campaign slogan was ‘things can only get better’
What could be argued about the Conservative loss of the election?
It could be argued that the Conservatives lost the election through their own failures, despite the new and energetic nature of New Labour.
Why could the Conservatives not win back voters?
Conservatives, normally seen as solid managers of the economy, had lost this reputation for competence.
Despite the fact that the economy was growing, this did not win Conservatives votes as voters remembered ‘Black Wednesday’ in September 1992, when the pound’s value collapsed out of the ERM (low governing competency based on valence (economic) issues)
> Economic recovery had not been felt by most people as there had not been tax cuts and no increased investment into public services.
What else, other than the economy, diminished voter faith in the Conservatives?
A series of financial and sexual scandals (Back to Basics) which diminished voter faith, and the party remained divided on the EU, giving the impression of weak leadership.
How did Blair win back middle-class votes, and how does this link to party leadership?
Blair widened the traditional appeal of Labour, winning middle-class votes.
- Thatcher had won 1979 by persuading skilled workers to leave Labour, yet these voters returned to Labour in 1997.
> Blair emulated Thatcher’s strong leadership qualities, furthering the presidentialisation of UK politics (which is where campaigns and outcomes are shaped by how voters see party leaders)
What is the importance of party leadership?
- A leader must be trustworthy, have a likeable personality, a relatable and wanted message (through their manifesto) and governing competency.
How was Blair and Major presented during the 1997 election?
- Blair’s image in 1997 was one of young and media savvy - a ‘fresh face’
> Important to have a positive and likeable image (i.e. Major punished for this)
> Major was seen as a ‘gray man’ and old; campaign broadcast reflects this.
In terms of class (C2), what was the turnout like for 1997?
C2 = 27% for both Conservatives and 50% for Labour
In terms of age, what was the turnout like for 1997?
18-24 = 27% Conservatives, 49% Labour
55-64 = 36% Conservatives, 39% Labour
In terms of gender, what was the turnout like for 1997?
Men = 31% for Conservatives, 45% for Labour
Women = 32% for Conservatives, 44% for Labour
In terms of BAME, what was the turnout like for 1997?
BAME = 18% for Conservatives, 70% for Labour
What was the result of the 1997 general election?
A ‘landslide’ - the most seats Labour has ever held.
Blair won a 179-seat majority on a 71% turnout,
with 43.2% of the popular vote.
