Political Developments: The Emergence of the SDP Flashcards
What year was the SDP formed? (To the month)
January 1981
Why was the SDP formed?
Because it was the result of a split from the Labour Party
Name 2 of the people who created the SDP
Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams
What time in 1981 was it shown that the SDP was already a strong party?
November 1981
What did Shirley Williams do in November 1981?
She won a by-election in Crosby with a majority of 18,000 votes
How many Labour Ministers joined the SDP when it was first formed?
28
Why did so many Labour MP’s join the SDP?
They feared the Labour Party was becoming too extreme
Who did the SDP form an alliance with in 1981? Why was this significant in terms of strength?
They allied with the Liberals, which would make the SDP stronger
What was a limitation of the SDP allying with the Liberals?
The two parties often had vast differences between each other?
How was Labour still regarded by 1987?
They were still regarded as unelectable
