Thatcher 1979-90 Flashcards
Why did voters prefer to vote for the conservatives in the 1979 election?
- Punish labour for its failure to deal with inflation, unemployment and Trade Unions. (winter of discontent.)
- Middle class were resentful about strikes and trade union power.
What happened to the liberal democrats in the 1979 election?
Held most of their seats but lost over a million votes due to people associating them with keeping Callaghan’s gov in office.
- This gave more votes to the conservatives.
What happened to Labour in the 1979 election?
- They maintained their votes from the industrial north, wales and Scotland
How popular were the conservatives by 1981? What happened despite this?
Not as popular due to the rise in unemployment and economic problems such as the recession.
Conservatives won the 1983 election despite a reduced popular vote.
What did the Falklands war show?
British victory showed confidence and unity
Why did the labour party to split in 1981?
The SDP formed an alliance with the Liberals.
- this split the anti-thatcher votes and allowed the conservatives to gain some labour seats.
What is significant about the 1987 election?
The conservatives won more seats than in 1979 or 1983, but lost 21 seats.
Why did the conservatives lose 21 seats in 1987?
The weaknesses of the labour party and their split wasn’t important anymore, the same with the Falklands victory and the winter of discontent.
Why were the conservatives leading in the opinion polls?
- Government policy of selling off council houses was popular to middle class voters.
- This caused the belief that the government supported their desire to gain wealth and status.
- Decrease in unemployment and strong pound.
Who was Neil Kinnock and what did he do?
The new labour party leader, gained Labour 1.5 mil more votes than in 1983 and won 20 more seats.
What were Thatcher’s economic policies?
- Privatisation of industries.
- Government no longer supported failing industries and they were to close despite causing unemployment.
- Less gov spending and raised taxes to reduce money circulation.
- Value of £ rose (more valuable for investors abroad.)
- Taxes on businesses reduced to increase investment.
- High interest rates.
What was the impact of Thatcher’s economic policies?
- Prices fell by 13.5% in 3 years.
- Unemployment rose to 3 million by 1983.
- Increased foreign investment (Nissan established a plant in the north east)
- New businesses didn’t reduce unemployment.
Was there an economic revolution?
- Shift from public sector to private sector.
- Encouragement of enterprise, small business and stock market investment.
- More homeowning
- Businesses were more competitive.
- More consumer choice.
- Employment moved away from traditional industries.
BUT: - Encourages a ‘get rich quick’ culture which meant less concern for the rights of workers.
- Lost 15% of its manufacturing base.
What legislation did Thatcher put in place to tackle TU’s?
- 1980 employment act: outlawed secondary picketing, gave more rights to workers not in unions and encouraged secret ballots in unions.
- 1982 employment act: restricted sympathy strikes, compensation to anyone fired for not wanting to be in a union.
- 1984 Trade union act: required unions to hold secret ballots on industrial action.
Why did the miners strike of 1984-85 happen?
- National Coal Board was making a £250 million loss between 1983-84 alone.
- Government were serious about shutting down loss-making industries.
- Coal strike began in March 1984 after announcement that there would be 20,000 job losses.
Who was Arthur Scargill?
- Leader of National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
- He wnated a national strike but some miners in different area voted against strike action.
- He sent flying pickets to stop people from working and prevent coal movement.
- Caused violence between workers and the police.
How did the government prepare for the strikes?
- A secret gov committee was set up in 1981 to stockpile coal.
- Home secretary, Leon Brittan, set up the National Reporting centre to ensure the control of policing and to move police to troubled areas.
Why was the miners strike defeated?
- Miners weren’t united, the Union of Democratic Mineworkers was created in Dec 1984.
- Strike in Spring and Summer when there was less demand for coal.
- Violence undermined publics support for the strike.
What was the impact of the Miners strike?
- NUM membership dropped by 150,000 in 8 years.
- Bankrupt.
- Divided opinion on Thatcher.
What was Thatcher’s social policy involving council houses?
- She believed if people owned something then they were less likely to be socilalist
- 1980 housing act allowed long term council tenants the right to buy their homes.
- Tax relief on mortgages for people who own their house.
- Government subsidies for mortgages doubled.
- Property ownership grew by 12%.
What was Thatcher’s social policy involving the NHS?
- Hospitals were allowed become self governing NHS trusts and control their own budget.
- GP’s controlled their own budgets.
What was Thatcher’s social policy involving schools?
- 1986: O levels and CSE’s were replaced with GCSE’s.
- 1988: national curriculum established.
- State schools given option to be self controlled and have their own budgets.
What was Thatcher’s social policies involving Universities?
- 1981: cut in University budgets, forced to seek more revenue and accept more students.
- University Funding Committee created in 1988 to ensure education focused on benefiting the economy and not research.
- Removal of polytechnics.
- Grants for young people to attend uni.
Was Thatcher popular within the party?
- Didn’t have backings of senior members.
- Many were loyal to Heath and disliked Thatcher.
- Established a small band of loyalists.
