Political Developments: The Conservative Party under William Hague Flashcards
When was William Hague the leader of the Conservative Party from?
1997-2001
Out of 165 Conservative MPs, how many were Eurosceptic?
145
Why would someone like Michael Heseltine not have won the leadership election?
He was a Europhile
What fraction of Conservative MP’s supported Hague?
1/3
If Hague had so little support, why did he win the 1997 leadership election?
It was a case of who had the least enemies
Why did Hague have few enemies in relation to his age?
He was only 36 years old
What did Hague use as his main campaigning point in the 2001 election?
To not accept the Euro
Was Peter Lilley a Thatcherite?
Yes
Was Hague a Thatcherite?
Yes
What did Peter Lilley do in 1999?
He criticised Thatcher for her economic reforms in the 1980s
Why were Peter Lilley’s comments in 1999 an issue for Hague?
He would need to reinstate his leadership over the Conservative party
Which classification of divisions in the Conservative Party emerged at this time?
Mods and Rockers
Who were the Mods?
The people who wanted change in the Conservative Party
Who were the Rockers?
The people who did not want change in the Conservative Party
Which reforms did Hague introduce?
Fresh Future Reforms
What did the Fresh Future reforms allow?
Allowed paying Conservative members to vote in Leadership elections
What was the average age of a paying Conservative member?
64 years old
What was an issue with paying Conservative members with leadership elections in relation to their age?
They would be more likely to vote for Rockers
Where did Hague show he was unable to make good relations with the public and when?
2001 Notting Hill Carnival
What did Hague talk about while he was at the Notting Hill Carnival?
How he used to drink 14 beers a day
What did Hague want to do in terms of economic policies if he became Prime Minister?
He wanted to continue Thatcher’s economic policies
What did Hague do after the 2001 election failure?
He resigned
