Elections And Referendums: 1997 Election

Question 1

In the 1997 election, what were the problems facing the Conservatives in the run up to the election?

Answer 1

The were dived over Europe, a government full of scandals and the major economic crisis in 1992 when the UK crashed out the ERM, deflation of the pound, a recession and a rise in unemployment and interest rates had ruined the Conservative reputation of financial competence

Question 2

In the 1997 election, what was the amount of votes and seats for each party?

Answer 2

Labour: 13,518,167 and 418 seats
Conservatives: 9,600,943 and 165 seats
Liberal Democrats: 5,242,947 and 46 seats
Others: 1,420,938 and 30 seats

Question 3

In the 1997 election, what was seen as the most dramatic defeat of the election?

Answer 3

The defence minister, and tipped to be the next Tory leader, Michael Portillo, lost his seat in Enfield Southgate on a massive 17.4% swing to Labour, with this becoming known as the ‘Portillo moment’

Question 4

In the 1997 election, what was some notable aspects of the election result?

Answer 4

A record number of 120 women were elected as MPs, 101 representing Labour, with a much smaller increase of just 3 in the number of minority ethics MPs
For the first time Labour won the same percentage of votes as the Conservatives among the C1 class (lower-middle classes)
Labour defeated the Conservatives in every age group
There was evidence in several seats of tactical voting by anti-conservative voters

Question 5

In the 1997 election, who did the Sun back?

Answer 5

Tony Blair’s labour after butchering Kinnock in 1992

Question 6

In the 1997 election, which newspapers supported the Conservatives though more muted then in past elections?

Answer 6

The Daily Mail, Express and Telegraph

Question 7

In the 1997 election, who much of the overall readership of newspapers were pro-Labour?

Answer 7

62%

Question 8

In the 1997 election, what was Labour’s manifesto helped by?

Answer 8

Their recent progress of policy modernisation and change

Question 9

In the 1997 election, what did the Labour manifesto say about welfare?

Answer 9

It emphasised personal reasonability over a centralised state, though remained committed to a welfare state

Question 10

In the 1997 election, what did the Labour manifesto say about law and order?

Answer 10

Labour promised to be ‘tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime’ alongside [;eying zero tolerance towards anti-social behaviour and petty crime

Question 11

In the 1997 election, what did the Labour manifesto say about reforms and rights?

Answer 11

It was committed to constitutional reform and human rights, like reforming Lords and incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law

Question 12

In the 1997 election, what did the Labour manifesto say about education?

Answer 12

They took a distinct ‘middle way approach’, and took the side of both comprehensive and state schools

Question 13

In the 1997 election, what did the Labour manifesto say about healthcare?

Answer 13

The party pledged to cut waiting lists and NHS bureaucracy

Question 14

In the 1997 election, what did the Labour manifesto say about the economy?

Answer 14

Committed to balancing the books with government spending, while not raising income tax and introducing a national minimum wage, this all was a plan to ditch its image as a ‘tax and spend party’

Question 15

In the 1997 election, what did the Conservative manifesto say about education?

Answer 15

Pledged to publish school exam results and encourage more academic selection at secondary level

Question 16

In the 1997 election, what did the Conservative manifesto say about privatisation?

Answer 16

This would continue and extend to the Royal Mail

Question 17

In the 1997 election, what did the Conservative manifesto say about law and order?

Answer 17

A ‘get tough’ policy on law and order would include greater use of CCTV cameras

Question 18

In the 1997 election, what did the Conservative manifesto say about the economy?

Answer 18

The Conservatives pledged to rescue income tax to 20% and lower business taxes, highlighting its economic track record, such as rising levels of home and share ownership

Question 19

In the 1997 election, what did the Conservative manifesto say about welfare?

Answer 19

Pledged a crackdown on benefit fraud

Question 20

In the 1997 election, who was Blair’s trusted aides?

Answer 20

Alistair Campbell and Peter Mandelson

Question 21

In the 1997 election, which voters did Blair appeal to?

Answer 21

Younger and more middle-class voters

Question 22

In the 1997 election, what did Major suffer from?

Answer 22

An image problem, being regularly mocked in cartoons and on TV satirical shows as being uncharismatic

Question 23

In the 1997 election, what backfired as the Adverting Standards Authority instructed them to withdraw it after receiving over 150 complaints?

Answer 23

A poster with Tony Blair having ‘demon eyes’a and with the slogan ‘New Labour New Danger’ with one poll finding 64% of the public disliking this poster campaign

Question 24

In the 1997 election, what policies did Labour implement with this majority government?

Answer 24

Constitutional changes, the minimum wage and increased spending on public services without major tax rises

Question 25

In the 1997 election, what did it show about the electoral system?

Answer 25

That FPTP has a massive winner bonus with Labour having 63.4% of MPs while having a vote share of 43.2%