Major As Leader Flashcards
What were two key factors in major’s succession to leadership?
-thatchers choice of successor
-Thatcherites saw him as ‘one of them’
What were majors natural instincts?
-unify the party
-but would be difficult job as ongoing hostility to Heseltine + fierce determination to take revenge against those ‘betrayed maggie’
Where was Major from?
-Brixton -unconventional family background
-lived in council housing as father and entertainer
What is the impact of his education?
-went to state/grammar schools
-received 3 Olevels = GCSE
What was his previous political career like?
-applied be a bus conductor but unqualified
-then became councillor in local politics moving up to become MP 1979 in Huntingdonshire
What were his next political positions like?
-chief sec of the treasury 1987
-foreign sec 1989 but only for 3 months
-then chancellor 1989-90
How did major impact the cons in the opinion polls
-jumped forward in opinion polls
-tone of national press very positive - ‘honeymoon effect’ of new gov
What were his five key aims in 1990?
-est greater party unity to heal divisions
-end poll tax
-conclude gulf war
-develop br role in Europe x
-win next election 1992
Why was there a division within cons?
-disunited following 11 years of Thatcherism
-major sought new policy direction of ‘post-thatcher consensus’ that acknowledge her policies as too extreme, divisive + inflexible
How was Major initially seen?
-the cons party’s ’continuity candidate’ sharing some of thatchers views
-but this perception would change
What did thatcher later proclaim herself to continue being
-continue be a ‘backseat driver’ under majors premiership
-suggesting would retain a degree of control over party + country’s politifal direction
How did major seek to unify the party
-by anointing thatchers challenger Heseltine to prominent cab position as part of a consensual overall approach to gov adopting less dominant leadership style
What issues was Major having to deal with abroad
-foreign affairs + Europe
What foreign affairs provoked an issue?
-br already fighting first gulf war - major thrust into coalition of support for US
-but reached successful conclusion March 1991
What was majors attention then redirected to
-turned his attention to Europe making speeches set out aim see br ‘take place at the very heart of Europe’
-but many European sceptics in cons
What was the controversial action regarding Europe?
-Major having to steer the European treaty at Maastricht through parl 1992 onwards
What were the issues to deal with at home?
-the poll tax
-many wanted him scrap it but risked splitting party - facing ‘baptism of fire’ in first few months as PM
What happened with the poll tax?
-Nov 1991 after lengthy discussions poll tax abandoned in favour new council tax
What was the downside to this abandonment?
-1.5b wasted
-but allowed Major get away from unpopular policy that could be blamed on predecessor
What occurred with the relations with the USA
-special relationship + AA remain priority as Bush + Major excellent relationship
Why would the AA remain a key priority
-US emerged as worlds only super power in a ‘unipolar’ international power structure (one power dominant)
