Opposition Flashcards
Divisions in Labour 1955?
(1951)Bevanite Quarrel
(1957) Unilateral Nuclear disarmament
(1959) Claue IV
Outcome Bevanite Quarrel?
Bevan –> architect of NHS
Gaitskell –> prescription charges and defeated Bevan in election
Issues over nuclear disaramament?
Bevan opposed unilateral nuclear disarmament
Many Labout left-wingers joined CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) –> might have turned voters away
Frank Cosuins opposed Gaitskells nuclear weapons
(1960) Gaitskell emotional speech at Lab. conference trying to convince ro reject unilateral nuclear disarmament
Why was 1959 defeat a surprise?
Gaitskell was confident and effective campaigner
Promoted moderate polcies that LAb. thought would be pop. with voters
Issues with Clause IV?
Gaitskell put forward idea of abolishing Clause IV in Lab. conference
–> committed party to nationalisation
Gaitskell backed down without vote after backalsh
Lab between 1979-83?
Facing political oblivion
Internal division boiled over
2 catastrophic defeats
When was SDP founded?
1981 –> snapping point was party conference whihc were lots of hard-left hecklers
How did SDP crisis begin?
Michael Foot elected as leader instead of obvious candidate Denis Healey
(1981) Healey narrowly defeated TOny Benn in bitter contest from deputy leadership
Who were SDP?
started with 4 Labout politicians and 28 Labout politicans followed
–> driven out by extremists
–> quickly made impact on national politics
What did SDP do in the 1983 and 1987 elections?
forged a formal agreement know as SDP-Liberal Alliance
–> however was oftern tense and differences between the leaders
Who did Labour voters change to - demographic change?
-some became ‘Thatcher Cons.’
-some voted Liberal or SDP
-some supported far left
- some didnt vote at all
-Could no longer working class and press was hostile
What were Labour divisions between 1983-87?
Militant Tednancy - seeking to infiltrate Lab from within
–> (1986) Neil Kinnock expelled from Lab party but perceived as dominate by left and TU
Why did Labour lose the 1983 election?
Labour leadership lacked credibility
–> Micahel foot struggled with divisions within Labour
–> was bad in media
–> Labour manifesto dominated by left-wing promises e.g. unilateral nuclear disarmament , withdrawal from EEC, abolish foxhunting
–>’longest suicide note in history’
Why did SDP-Liberal and Labour lose 1987 election?
LAb. = Kinnock had restored party discipline and made party organisation more efficient but still lost
SDP = hard to keep levels of support, ideological diff., personal diff between leaders
What happened to SDP after 1987 election?
Begna to shrink
Lab. rebuilt so moderate socialism was back
SDP in 1988?
Lib and SDP merged to form Liberal Democrats
–> David disagreed and resigned
–> many switched back to Lab.
Why did Labour lose 1992 election?
not reformed enough
memories of 1980’s too strong
How did Kinnock further reorganise party after 1987 election defeat?
moved policies towards centre ground
Peter Mandleson mastermind of party reorganisation
(1987) John Smith Shadow chancellor gave Lab. more reassuring image of moderation and competence
What did Kinnock do about manifesto?
Most of manifesto ditched:
withdrawl of EEC
unilateral nuclear disarmament
rises on tax on hgih incomes
What happened to Labour party after 1992 election?
Many balmed Kinnock and resigned 4 days later
Who was Neil Kinnocks successor?
John smith
Why did it seem Smith could lead LAb to victroy?
Cons. problems with Balck Wednesday
someone trusted with eco.
(1993) Intro. ‘One Member One Vote’ for Parliamentary Candidates –> lessen influence of TU
What happened to SMith?
(1994) unexpected heart attack and died
Who were SMiths potential successors?
Tony Blair and Gordon Brown
How did Brown andBalir negotiate their parlaiment postiions?
Blair = PM
Brown = Chancellor, strategist and policy expert
How did Balir further remodel Labour ‘brand’?
promotion of ‘New Labour’
dramatic shift in policy
(1995) rewrite Clause IV
drop socialist ideas and embrace modern capitalist eco.
Blair as leader?
skillful communicator
Lab. = fresh and vibrant
effective in presenting air of moderation
Blair relation with media?
Alastair Campbell used experience as former journalist to chagne Lab.s relationship with media
COns. most powerful weapon neutralised
How did Madndleson help Lab. image?
ran the efficient machinery coordinating public statemetns and keeping all elements of the party ‘on message’
What did Balir do in the 1992 election?
possibility of coalition with Liberal Democrats
created pledge card with 5 promises
What were 5 promises on pledge card?
1)class sizes cut to 30
2)fast track punishment for persistent young offenders from arrest to sentencing
3)cut NHS waiting lists
4)250000 under 25yrs off benefit and into wokr
5)interest rate and inflation low as posb.
Cons. party after Major resigned?
half size than 1990
More Eurosceptic (145/165) and Thatcherite than previously
Candidated options after MAjor?
Michael Heseltine= ill health and didnt stand
Ken Clarke = well regarded, sucess as chancellor, down to earth but pro-europe and advised Tatcher to leave
Micahel Portillo = obvious candidate from right but lost seat
Other candidates = Michael Howard, John Redowod, Peter Lilley and William Hague
William Hague as Cons. leader?
(1997-2001) limited political experince
won due to limited enemies and Thatchers preffered choice
Why were Cons. still unpopular in opinion polls?
Hague had unified party over Europe, however, they needed to change its policies and image
They were: uncarinf, intolerant,old-fashioned and obsesssed with Europe
Significance of anti-Thatcherie speech by Peter Lilley?
(1999) critcised elemts of Thatcherism
–> questioned whether to contiue same eco. policies
–> cautius abour further privitisations
–> electorate resistant to private influence in public servies e.g. eduaction and health
–> Lab voted better to protect publci services
Led to divisions between those who thought Cons who needed to change and who didnt
What led to decline of Hague?
No progress in polls
(1999) threatened by Portillo who was elected to parliament in by-election
Hague felt obligated to appoint him Shadow Chancellor
(2001) defeat led to Hague resigning
Why did COns. lose 2001 and 2005 election?
faliures of leadership, divisions over Thatcher, Europe, social liberalism, learn from previous electroal defeats and resistance to reform
first past the post distorting affect
Why did Cons. lose 2001 election?
Hague not taken seriously
Thatcher appeared at election rally and undermined Hague’s leadership
–> reminded voters of why they rejected Cons.
2001 election stats?
Cons=165 31.7%
Lab=412 40.7%
Lib=46 18.3%
Other=29 9.4%
worse than 1997 defeat
Candidates after William Hague?
Kenneth Clarke = pop. but had European views
Michael Portillo = strong Eurosceptic, social liberal, modern but unpop. with traditional conservatives
Iain Duncan SMith as leader?
(2001-3) won beacuse of negative voting against Clarke and Portillo
little Charisma and no match for Blair
within few month others planning to get rid of him
aggressivley Euroscpetic
What was Smiths choice of compassionate conservatism?
–> social implications of eco policy
–> visited deprived Easterhouse estate in attmept to do more for poverty
Smiths position socially?
Socially conservative
–>voted against repeal fo Section 28 and against allowing unmarried couples to adopt
Smiths opinion over Iraq war?
supported British entry
criticised by Kenneth Clarke and Lib-Dem became anti-war party
How did Smith’s power end?
Vote of no confidence after press speculation of salary paid to his wife as his secretary
–> Smith ousted from power
–> Michael Howards installed as leader, unopposed
Michael Howard as Cons. leader?
unifying figure –> mainly because they realised what state the cons. party was in
struggled with Blair in opinion polls
SMiths work on social justice abandoned
Cons. still distrusted on health and education
promoted modernisers in party
2005 election results?
Cons=198 32.4%
Lab=355 35.2%
Lib=62 13.5%
Other=31 10.3%
Reasons for 2005 election defeat?
despite unpopulairty over Iraq, deep divisionsbetween Brownites and Blairites
Assocaited Howard with Major and Thathcer; didnt look like Cons. had changed
–> reinforced with manifesto policies
Key figures in cabinet?
After 2005 election defeat:
David Cameron –> shadow education secretary
George Osborne –> shadow chancellor
Wanted sucessor to be a moderniser
How did David Cameron become leader of COns.?
(2005) leadership contest defeated DAvid Davis
–> partly due to impressive note-free speech at Cons. party conference
Cameron as leader?
modernising party
inclusive to all social groups and ethnic minorities
Take issue of climate change seriously
In favour of gay rights and increase overseas aid
praised and protected NHS
Eurosceptic but talked less about Europe
Ruled out tax cuts (OSborne)
Cons. position to electorate by 2007
credible alternative
some sceptical as it was rejection of Thatcherism (Norman Tedbit)
more united
failing amongst women, youth and in the north
UKIP formation and aims?
(1993) formed
Aim: ensuring UK withdrawl from EU
How did Cons. ensure UKIP didnt incr. votes?
shift to rigth prevented rise in support
