Major's social/domestic policy Flashcards
what and when was the citizens’ charter?
-1991
-scheme to improve public services
-designed to hold public services to account and encourage higher standards
-published league tables to give consumers choice
-‘charter marks’ for highest performing services
how was the citizens’ charter received by the press?
-dea of a phone line to find out where there were roadworks etc was ridiculed by the press and nicknamed the ‘cone hotline’
when and what was the council tax reform?
-1991
-initiative led by Heseltine (minister for the environment)
-properties were to be assessed on value and grouped into bands
-seemed a reasonable solution and was much more popular than the poll tax or rates had been
describe pit closures:
-continued under Major’s gov.
-31 closures in Nottinghamshire - this caused uproar as the Nottingham miners had opposed the national miners’ strikes in 1983/4
describe privatisation under Major:
-1992 = private finance initiative - this was where private enterprises funded a project (e.g. a new hospital) and then the government payed them back
-coal industry privatised 1994
-railways privatised 1996
-education and healthcare weren’t privatised but there were elements of a free internal market introduced e.g. grant maintained schools
when and what was the national lottery?
-1993
-not a government initiative but it was promoted by gov.
-large sums were donated to arts, heritage, sports and other good causes
-youth clubs etc could apply for national lottery grants
describe Major’s ‘back to basics’ policy:
-1993
-very well known for this policy
-advocated for a return to ‘old values’ e.g. tradition, respect for the law, family values, ‘not shuffling off on other people and the state’ etc - SOCIAL CONSERVATISM
-basically a softer version of Thatcherism
what was the response to the ‘back to basics’ policy?
-ridiculed by the press
-labelled by left wing press e.g. the guardian as an attack on single mothers
-accused Conservatives of causing moral panic
-labelled as hypocritical by people e.g. Piers Morgan said ‘it strikes me that evert Tory MP is up to some sexual shenanigans’
what did Michael Howard say about prisons?
-he was the home secretary
-he said ‘prison works’
-therefore a tougher stance on crime was brought in by him
-number of custodial sentences increased
-prison population grew
what and when was the BSE crisis?
-1996
-known as ‘mad cow disease’
-british beef was banned in europe
-thousands of livestock had to be killed
describe education policy under Major:
-teacher training agency 1994 - teachers now had to do a degree then a PGCE which was designed to elevate the teaching profession
-1997 national curriculum introduced
-1990s introduction of OFSTED and OFQUAL
-league tables now published by exam results
-policies were well received by the public
