Thatcherism On Politics And Party Development Flashcards
What sorts of political divisions were created in the Thatcher years?
Political divisions such as the north-south divide and widening economic inequality.
In what ways did the gap between rich and poor widen during the Thatcher years?
By implementing free-market policies that favored wealth accumulation among the rich.
Why do political commentators talk about the creation of a north-south divide when discussing the Thatcher years?
Due to the economic policies that disproportionately affected the north of England compared to the south.
Who was the leader of the Conservative Party before Thatcher?
Edward Heath.
What was Edward Heath’s approach to the Conservative Party?
He attempted to modernize the Party and steer it rightwards but returned to the post-war consensus.
What economic policy did Edward Heath initially promise?
Free-market policies with no government interference in prices and wages.
What caused Edward Heath to retreat to the ‘prices and incomes’ policy?
Inflation hitting 15 percent in 1971.
Which industries did Edward Heath bail out despite his original policy?
Rolls Royce and the Upper Clyde shipbuilders.
What did Thatcher think about Heath’s U-turn on economic policy?
She and other right-wing Conservatives hated it.
What was Thatcher’s initial position within the Conservative Party in 1975?
Her neo-liberal views were a minority taste.
How did Thatcher manage to keep the traditional ‘one nation’ Conservatives on her side?
By enlisting William Whitelaw, a respected ‘wet’.
What was Thatcher’s ultimate goal for the Conservative Party?
To save Britain from ‘creeping socialism’.
What did Thatcher claim by 1976 regarding the Conservative Party?
That she had ‘changed everything’ about the Party.
What metaphor did Thatcher use to describe her leadership style?
She referred to herself as a ‘cort one naran’.
What did Thatcher say about consensus in politics?
Old Testament Prophets did not say ‘Brothers, I want a consensus.’
What was one of the accusations against male MPs during Thatcher’s leadership?
That they were doing nothing for female MPs.
What was Thatcher’s downfall linked to?
Her decisions that led to dissatisfaction among party members.
What term did Thatcher use to describe her approach to dissenting cabinet members?
She ‘handbagged’ them.
What was a key legacy of John Major after Thatcher?
The privatization of public enterprises.
What sorts of political divisions were created in the Thatcher years?
Political divisions such as the north-south divide and widening economic inequality.
In what ways did the gap between rich and poor widen during the Thatcher years?
By implementing free-market policies that favored wealth accumulation among the rich.
Why do political commentators talk about the creation of a north-south divide when discussing the Thatcher years?
Due to the economic policies that disproportionately affected the north of England compared to the south.
Who was the leader of the Conservative Party before Thatcher?
Edward Heath.
What was Edward Heath’s approach to the Conservative Party?
He attempted to modernize the Party and steer it rightwards but returned to the post-war consensus.
What economic policy did Edward Heath initially promise?
Free-market policies with no government interference in prices and wages.
What caused Edward Heath to retreat to the ‘prices and incomes’ policy?
Inflation hitting 15 percent in 1971.
Which industries did Edward Heath bail out despite his original policy?
Rolls Royce and the Upper Clyde shipbuilders.
What did Thatcher think about Heath’s U-turn on economic policy?
She and other right-wing Conservatives hated it.
What was Thatcher’s initial position within the Conservative Party in 1975?
Her neo-liberal views were a minority taste.
How did Thatcher manage to keep the traditional ‘one nation’ Conservatives on her side?
By enlisting William Whitelaw, a respected ‘wet’.
What was Thatcher’s ultimate goal for the Conservative Party?
To save Britain from ‘creeping socialism’.
What did Thatcher claim by 1976 regarding the Conservative Party?
That she had ‘changed everything’ about the Party.
What metaphor did Thatcher use to describe her leadership style?
She referred to herself as a ‘cort one naran’.
What did Thatcher say about consensus in politics?
Old Testament Prophets did not say ‘Brothers, I want a consensus.’
What was one of the accusations against male MPs during Thatcher’s leadership?
That they were doing nothing for female MPs.
What was Thatcher’s downfall linked to?
Her decisions that led to dissatisfaction among party members.
What term did Thatcher use to describe her approach to dissenting cabinet members?
She ‘handbagged’ them.
What was a key legacy of John Major after Thatcher?
The privatization of public enterprises.
What impact did Thatcher’s governments (1979-90) have on Britain?
Thatcher’s governments were marked by significant changes in the Conservative Party’s social make-up and policies, leading to a shift in political dynamics in Britain.
What was the social make-up of the Conservative Party under Thatcher?
The Conservative Party became less ‘posh’, with a decrease in the proportion of MPs educated at public schools from 75% to 66% between 1974 and 1987.
How did Thatcher’s policies affect women’s representation in politics?
The number of female MPs increased from 19 to 41 during her time as prime minister, but she was criticized for doing little to advance women in politics.
What led to Thatcher’s downfall in November 1990?
Thatcher alienated many senior Conservatives, leading to resignations from key figures like Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe.
What is a ‘Big Beast’ in the context of Thatcher’s government?
A ‘Big Beast’ refers to a senior and influential MP who is difficult to exclude from the cabinet. Notable Big Beasts under Thatcher included Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe.
What does the term ‘handbag’ refer in relation to Thatcher?
The term ‘handbag’ describes Thatcher’s ministerial style, characterized by forceful verbal attacks during cabinet meetings.
What was the significance of the direct mail campaign organized by Cecil Parkinson?
The campaign reached 500,000 voters before the 1983 general election and was an early use of computers to target potential voters.
What was Geoffrey Howe’s criticism in his resignation speech?
Howe criticized Thatcher’s dismissal of the idea of a common currency and the implications for the Chancellor and the Governor of the Bank of England.
What legacy did John Major continue from Thatcher’s government?
John Major continued many of Thatcher’s policies, including the privatisation of British Rail from 1994 to 1997.
What significant legislation was passed in 1992 regarding trade unions?
The Trade Union and Labour Relation (Consolidation) Act was passed in 1992.
What was the basic income tax rate reduced to in 1997?
The basic income tax was reduced from 25 percent to 23 percent in 1997.
What change did Norman Lamont make to VAT in 1991?
Norman Lamont increased VAT from 15 percent to 17.5 percent in 1991.
What was George Osborne’s action regarding VAT in 2010?
George Osborne raised VAT to 20 percent in 2010.
What was the outcome of the 1997 general election for the Conservative Party?
The Conservative Party gained only 165 seats compared to Labour’s 419.
What ideology did William Hague support as leader of the Conservative Party in 1997?
William Hague idolised Thatcher and supported her ideology.
What prompted the Labour Party to change in the 1980s?
Thatcher’s aggressive challenge to ‘creeping socialism’ forced Labour to make painful readjustments.
What was Labour’s vote percentage in the 1983 general election?
Labour gained just 28 percent of the vote in the 1983 general election.
What led to the decline of Labour’s traditional support base?
Thatcher’s attack on manufacturing and closure of coal mines accelerated the erosion of ‘natural’ Labour supporters.
What was the Militant Tendency?
A group of extreme left-wingers who gained control of the Liverpool branch of the Labour Party.
What party was launched in 1981 as a centrist alternative to Labour?
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was launched in 1981.
What reforms did Neil Kinnock implement between 1983 and 1992?
Kinnock rejected unilateral nuclear disarmament, moved Labour to a pro-Europe stance, and limited trade union power.
What significant change occurred in 1988 regarding trade unions and parliamentary candidates?
Trade unions lost the casting vote on the selection of parliamentary candidates in 1988.
Who succeeded Neil Kinnock as Labour Party leader?
John Smith succeeded Neil Kinnock as Labour Party leader.
What was Tony Blair’s role in the Labour Party’s policy turnaround?
Tony Blair completed the turnaround in Labour policy started by Kinnock.
Who became the leader of the Labour Party in the 1990s?
Tony Blair became the leader of the Labour Party in the 1990s.
What was the original commitment of the Labour Party regarding ownership?
The Labour Party originally called for the common ownership of the means of production and exchange.
What significant change did Blair announce in 1994?
In 1994, Blair announced that Clause IV of the party constitution would be replaced with a less committal statement.
What was the rebranding of the Labour Party under Blair?
The Party was rebranded as ‘New Labour’ to signify its new direction.
What economic policies did New Labour embrace?
New Labour embraced free-market policies.
What was the debate among political commentators regarding New Labour?
There was a dispute over whether New Labour were the real inheritors of Thatcherism.
What was one key commitment of New Labour regarding nationalisation?
New Labour completely rejected any commitment to nationalisation.
What taxation policy did New Labour aim to continue?
New Labour aimed to continue Thatcher’s policy of low direct taxation.
How did New Labour view big business?
New Labour embraced big business and allowed free markets to flourish.
What was a significant financial focus of New Labour?
New Labour spent billions of pounds trying to help the poorest in society.
What was the stance of New Labour regarding anti-trade union laws?
There would be no reversal of the anti-trade union laws passed under Thatcher and Major.
What was the focus of the Labour Party under New Labour?
Issues of class politics would no longer be the focus of the Party.
What commitment did New Labour emphasize in contrast to Old Labour?
New Labour emphasized a commitment to social justice and equal distribution of opportunities.
What minimum wage policy did New Labour introduce?
The Party was committed to a minimum wage, which it introduced in 1998.
What significant investment did New Labour make?
There was massive investment in education in order to create equal opportunities.
What was the purpose of forming the Social Democratic Party (SDP)?
The SDP was formed to create a centre-left party in a polarized political climate.
Who were the leading figures of the SDP?
The leading figures were Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Shirley Williams, and William Rodgers.
What was the outcome of the SDP and Liberal Party alliance in the 1983 election?
The alliance gained a quarter of the popular votes but only 23 seats due to the first past the post system.
What happened to the SDP in 1988?
The SDP formally merged with the Liberal Party to form the Liberal Democrats.
What was the impact of Thatcher’s policies on Wales and Scotland?
The realignment of the economy hit Wales and Scotland particularly hard, affecting coal mining and heavy industries.
What was the Scottish Nationalist Party’s (SNP) goal?
The SNP called for greater powers and later full independence for Scotland.
How did the Poll Tax trial affect anti-Thatcher sentiment in Scotland?
The trial of the Poll Tax in Scotland heightened anti-Thatcher feeling and was seen as anti-Scottish.
What was the role of Plaid Cymru in Welsh politics?
Plaid Cymru, formed in 1925, is generally seen as left-leaning and secured a referendum for a Welsh Assembly under New Labour.
What was Margaret Thatcher’s political legacy?
Thatcher’s legacy included significant continuity in liberalization, promoting free-market principles and reducing the residual state sector.
What did David Rubinstein suggest about Labour’s similarities to Thatcherism?
Rubinstein noted that Labour has similarities to Thatcherism, even if only partially.
What was the impact of media influence on politics during this period?
The influence of the media and other factors changed the political landscape more than in any other period of significance.
