Factors affecting the Labour 1979 GE outcome

Question 1

results of the GE

Answer 1

-“Was a decisive rejection of Labour”
-5% swing from labour to conservative
-Tory majority of 43.

Question 2

Economy

Answer 2

-Britain was in economic decline: inflation increase to 24% by 1975, unemployment rate was 1.6m by 1978
-The economy = poor state : inflation became associated with labour –> stagnation.
-UK was the first developed economy to go to IMF for a £2.4b bailout, 1976
-People voted based on what was in their pockets- “it’s the economy stupid”- President Clinton.
-Economy went into recession in 1974/75
-mass striking-2080 strikes in 1979 alone
-The winter of discontent 1978/79
-Britain becoming the ‘sick man of Europe’

Question 3

Mood 4 change

Answer 3

-Following the winter of discontent, many wanted a change.
-“there is a sea change + it is for Mrs Thatcher”
-Thatcher was unpopular in the polls but the British public was hungry for change.
-Winter of discontent- Callaghan was losing favour in the public eye: Labour viewed as a “tatty burnt out govt”
-Thatcher focused on the weaknesses of Callaghan and highlighted them as strengths of her own

Question 4

Trade Union militancy + power

Answer 4

-Govt was being run by trade unions rather than Callaghan
-Jan 1979- national day of striking with 1.9m striking: majority asking for a 20-40% pay rise
-Callaghan unable to control the situation of trade unions + striking properly
-For 10 days grave diggers went on strike, the dead remained unburied: Liverpool council considered taking the dead to the sea and burying them there
-Grave diggers got 9% pay rise.
-“Politics in Britain seemed mortally ill”
-Series of strikes created a sense of national paralysis