Divided Oppositon: 1979-87- Lab + Formation Of SDP Flashcards
Why did Labour come close to ‘political oblivion’ 1979-83?
-internal divisions led to lab descending into worst crisis of PWC period
-key personalities broke away + formed new SDP 1981
What was the impact of the formation of the SDP?
-lab catastrophic defeats 1983 + 1987
-many commentators believed Lab would never win office again
When did the crisis begin?
-when left wing candidate + bevanite Foot elected leader over ‘obvious’ candidate Healey
-Foot also supporter of unilateral nuclear disarmament
What happened before the 80s that brought Labour closer to ‘political oblivion’?
-‘79 final year of Callaghan saw ‘winter of discontent’
-links with unions seen as factor in strike action of 1970s by voters
-labour lost credibility as no longer seen as party of gov
How was Labour its own worst enemy in this?
-divided rather than focussed on presenting strong opposition to Thatcher
-split left + right — moderate Callaghan replaced by radical left winger Foot
When was the SDP formed + by who?
-formed end January 1981
-by the ‘gang of four’ — group of lab leading politicians
Who was the Gang of Four?
-David Owen
-Roy Jenkins
-Shirley Williams
-Bill Rodger’s
What did the ‘gang of four’ issue?
-their ‘Limehouse declaration’
-this announced formation of Council for Social Democracy
What did this party believe was the driving force behind its formation?
-believed were driven out of lab party by extremists who were taking over
What did the ‘gang of four’ believe was the best way to save Labour?
-to not fight losing battle against ‘Bennite’ left supporters (Tony Benn supporters)
-but build new centrist alternative capable of appealing to the middle ground
How did the SDP make an impact of national politics?
-did this soon with Shirley Williams winning sensational by-election in cons seat of Crosby Nov 1981
-in March Jenkins won Glasgow Hillhead
What was the alliance + how did it come to be?
-when former ‘safe’ seat of Bermondsey lost to liberals from lab
-two centre parties formed agreement known as SDP-Liberal Alliance
What was the relationship like between the two parties?
-often tense
-difference between leaders - the ‘two Davids’, Steel + Owen
What did the Alliance achieve?
-overtook lab as credible opposition to Thatcher until 1987
-lab widely regarded as unelectable
What happened to lab party’s traditional support?
-could no longer rely on traditional working class support
-press coverage of lab universally hostile + sections of lab political support leaked away
Who did lab voters begin to vote for?
-some became ‘thatcher conservatives’
-some voted liberal or SDP
-some supported far left in attacking lab leadership from within
-but some became apathetic + didn’t vote at all
What happened to Labour demographic?
-unions no longer a source of strength
-traditional lab strongholds in local gov lost thought with people they were supposed to serve
How did the lab party pass the point of no return?
-seemed it would cease to be potential party of gov
-pundits speculated about ‘fundamental realignment of Br politics’
What was Foot like as lab leader?
-a marxist who wanted unilateral nuclear disarmament
-also pro-unionist + far left
-tied to radical TUs + strong in local councils
What was the threat to lab 1983?
-Neil Kinnock replaced Foot Lab in danger being marginalised by Thatcherism + rise of SDP
-but Kinnock played big part dragging Lab back to political mainstream
How did Kinnock save lab?
-was from left to lab
-but took on the extremists Militant Tendency + the ‘Bennites’ + union leaders
-criticised Scargill for failing hold strike during miners strike 1984
What was militant tendency?
-came from militant paper that promoted Trotskyite rev socialism
-organisation who wanted infiltrate lab party from within
