realignment of the labour party

Question 1

kinnock’s aims

Answer 1

furhter reorganise the party and move its policies towards the centre ground

Question 2

peter mandelson

Answer 2

mastermind of Kinnock

director of communication in 1985

Question 3

john smith in kinnock’s labour

Answer 3

shadlow chancellor

gave labour a more reasurring image of moderation and competence

Question 4

policy review

Answer 4

launched after the 1987 defeat

much of the 1983 manidesto had been ditched
- including withdrawl from the EEC, unilateral nuclear disarmament and rises in income tax

Question 5

kinnock and trade unions

Answer 5

signalled a split with TUs by ending the labour support for closed shop union agreements in 1989

Question 6

public view of kinnock

Answer 6

when conservative became unpopuar, kinnock looked like a suitable alternative

ahead in the polls, favoured to win 1992

accused of over confidence

Question 7

the sun 1992 election

Answer 7

‘if Kinnock wins tiday will the last person to leave Britian please turn the lights out

Question 8

view of john smith

Answer 8

serious and trusted on the economy

Question 9

smith’s shift in labour

Answer 9

moved to avolish the trade union block vote

‘one member, one vote’ for parliamentary candidates

Question 10

blair and brown deal

Answer 10

granita pact

agreed to let blair be leader of labour party if brown could have economic control (chancellor)

Question 11

blair history with labour

Answer 11

did not join the party until after university

had fewer ties to its history

allowed him to enter on a reform agenda

Question 12

blair background

Answer 12

scottish private school

‘middle england’

Question 13

blair aims

Answer 13

drop socialist ideas

embrace modern capitalist economy

Question 14

new labour economic aims

Answer 14

worked hard to ensure it was no longer the party of ‘tax-and-spend’ economic policies

convince people it was the party of prudence and economic competence

Question 15

attraction of blair

Answer 15

skillfull communicator

young

attractive to women and young voters

Question 16

attracttion of brown

Answer 16

convinvced people labour was the party of prudenece and economic competence

promised labour would follow the conservatives spending plans

therefore hard for conservatives to attack labour’s economic policy

Question 17

women and new labour

Answer 17

labour party had an all-women shortlist leading to a record number of female candidates

attracted female voters

Question 18

alastair campbell

Answer 18

blair’s press secretary

used his experience as a former journalist to change labour’s relationship with the press and media

Question 19

conservatives and media

Answer 19

usually enjoyed greater support from the national press

many journalists were unenthusastic about major

one of the conservatives most powerful weapons had been neutralised

Question 20

spin machine

Answer 20

labour campaign run by experts who were effective in dealing with media and the press

labour spokespeople were always ‘on message’ with access to up-to-date info

led by peter mandelson

Question 21

labour 5 pledges

Answer 21

cut class sizes to 30 for 5,6 and 7 year olds

fast track punishment for persistent young offenders

cut NHS waiting lists

get 25,000 under25-year olds off benefits and into work

no rise in income tax, cut VAT on heating by 5%

Question 22

why couldn’t labour be attacked anymore

Answer 22

not a ‘socialism extreme’

new leader

Question 23

conservative message 1997

Answer 23

confused

veered between complaining that new labour had ‘stolen conservative policies’ and that new labour was just old labour in disguise

Question 24

view of conservatives in 1997

Answer 24

sleaze scandals still haunted them

battles over maastricht and europe still dominated

seen as divided

Question 25

conservative results 1997

Answer 25

half of all conservative MPs lost their seats

many high profile loses - Norman Lamont

31% of the vote, 165 seats

not a single seat in scotland

indicated widespread tactical voting

Question 26

sociological motivation for new labour

Answer 26

demise of working class

working class became consumerist

shift to service economy from industrial

Question 27

international motivation for new labour

Answer 27

recognised capitalism had won

financial markets constrained high government spending