Political Policies, including NI and conservative divisions

Question 1

How did Major continue Thatcher’s policies?

Answer 1

-Continued Thatcher’s privatisation policies:Coal industry in ‘94 and railways in ‘96

–> Heseltine plan to close 31 pits

Question 2

Why did the Nottinghamshire miners feel particularly hard done by?

Answer 2

They were the ones that stood up to scargill

Question 3

What was the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and what did it do?

Answer 3

-Public private partnerships: Private companies fund infrastructure improvements and deliver public services that the state pay for

Question 4

What was the Citizen’s Charter of 1991?

Answer 4

-attempt give public service users more power over the quality of services- through info

Question 5

What affect did the ‘Mad Cow disease’ have?

Answer 5

Led to British beef being banned in Europe

Question 6

What instances of IRA terrorism are there?

Answer 6

-LSE bombing (1990)

Question 7

What was Thatcher’s approach to dealing with Northern Ireland?

Answer 7

• Banned organisations believed to support terrorist activity from Broadcasting
• ‘Shoot to Kill’ Policy: 3 IRA members killed by the SAS
• Strong Unionists Sympathies -Strengthened by personal tragedy (Car Bomb)

Question 8

What ‘Miscarriages of Justice’ were there in the troubles?

Answer 8

-The Birmingham six (1991)
 Guilford 4 (1989)

-Wrongfully imprisoned -Both verdicts later overturned

Question 9

How did Major differ with his aims according to Northern Ireland?

Answer 9

Thatcher: Wanted to squash republican terrorism

Major: Wanted peace

Question 10

What did Secret messages from Sinn Fein received by the British government contain?

Answer 10

Suggestion of a peace agreement

Question 11

How did Unions and Republicans react to this?

Answer 11

Unionists;: feared being sold out by the British

Republicans: Hostile to the British

Question 12

Who did Major have good working relationships with?

Answer 12

• Irish Taoiseach (PM)

- President Bill Clinton

Question 13

What did The downing street (1993) declaration do?

Answer 13

• Right of Self determination

- Unification of Ireland (if voted for)

Question 14

What was significant about the Troubles in 1994?

Answer 14

-IRA and Loyalists both declared a ceasefire

• Did no last long as IRA sceptical of Loyalists commitment to peace
• > IRA went back to violence

Question 15

What was the effect of Hunger striking and the death of Bobby Sands?

Answer 15

• Turned into a media Frenzy.

- Now seen as Martyrs by the IRA

Question 16

What was the Anglo Irish Agreement of 1985?

Answer 16

• set up permanent intergovernmental cooperation between the UK and ROI
• Also gave the Irish gov and advisory role in NI

Question 17

What effect did the Anglo Irish agreement have?

Answer 17

-Caused huge Unionist Backlash

Question 18

What was inn Fein?

Answer 18

-The political wing of the IRA

Question 19

What Divisions were there in the conservative Party towards the end of Thatcher’s premiership?

Answer 19

• Alan Walter economic adviser frustrated chancellor Nigel Lawson
• Splits over the EU- Howe resigned over this

Question 20

Why were Major’s attempts to unify the party Unsucesful?

Answer 20

1. Right wing pushed for more radical social policies
2. politicians saw this as a chance to succeed
3. Eurosceptics saw an opportunity to leave the ERM

Question 21

How was the con’s leadership on the strings?

Answer 21

• Major leadership election in 95’ ‘Back me or sack me’

- Leadership challenge from Redwood (Supported by Thatcherites and Eurosceptics).