Major as leader and party divisions

Question 1

describe Major’s background:

Answer 1

-not a typical ‘old etonian’ tory - grew up in a brixton council house
-became an MP in 1979
-quickly moved up the career ladder whilst in Thatcher’s cabinet

Question 2

what were his aims in 1990?

Answer 2

-establish greater party unity and heal divisions
-end the poll tax
-conclude fighting in the gulf war
-develop britain’s role in europe (he was a europhile)
-win the next election (so he could be seen as personally elected)

Question 3

describe Major’s values and ideology:

Answer 3

-emphasises democratic values: a country that is ‘willing to build a better quality of life for all its citizens’
-a classless society
-consensus politics

Question 4

describe the 1992 election:

Answer 4

-called at the last point possible
-used soap box politics - traditional campaigning e.g. making speeches in working class areas - which was effective
-result = majority of 10 seats
-very high turnout
-won the popular vote by 2.5 mil ish
-he was seen as an honest politician, and a better alternative to Kinnock

Question 5

what was the Maastricht rebellion?

Answer 5

-there was disagreement within the party over Major negotiating the Maastrict treaty, which established the european union (instead of the EEC)
-10 MPs were expelled from the party, they then became independent MPs which increased the risk of backbench rebellion

Question 6

what was the Maastricht truce?

Answer 6

-the rebels were reinstated in the party
-whole event damaged the credibility and strength of Major’s leadership

Question 7

describe divisions within the party:

Answer 7

-divisions worsened under Major
-right-wingers pushed for more radical social policies
-politicians with leadership ambitions wanted to advance their claims
-Eurosceptics pushed to isolate GB from europe
-press speculated about leadership challenges e.g. from Redwood or Portillo
-right-wing press wanted a strong leader to ‘save the party’

Question 8

describe the leadership election:

Answer 8

-1995
-major called it himself - ‘back me or sack me’
-Redwood was his opponent
-Major won comfortably so there didn’t need to be a second vote, but 89 MPs had voted against him which could become a big problem