the conservative party 1997-2007

Question 1

what divisions had worsened/appeared in the party in the late 1990s/ early 2000s?

Answer 1

-divisions over europe - clear ideological conflict eurosceptics vs europhiles
-modernisers vs traditionalists (mods v rockers) - lack of consensus over whether the party should be rebranded after seeing the success of new labour or whether it should still be rooted in tradition
-legacy of thatcher - thatcherites e.g. portillo vs people who opposed her

Question 2

describe the leadership challenges after major resigned:

Answer 2

-portillo was the obvious successor but he lost his seat in 1997
-hestletine didnt stand due to poor health
-clarke was rejected by the right as he was pro-europe

Question 3

who became leader and what was he like?

Answer 3

-Hague
-won on a negative campaign ‘anyone but clarke’
-percieved to be too young and inexperienced
-tried to make himself seem ordinary but he just seemed awkward
-attempts to reform were unsuccessful e.g. Listening To Britain campaign did nothing to overthrow the party’s negative public image
-2001 opinion poll to describe hague with one word - many said ‘wally’

Question 4

main reasons why the conservatives lost in 2001:

Answer 4

-hague’s leadership
-disunity e.g. over europe
-policy ledges focue on issues that didn’t resonate with the electorate - not salient issues e.g. street crime
-labour’s popularity and successes
-legacy of thatcherism hadn’t been sufficiently distanced - many still saw the tories as the ‘nasty party’
-party hadn’t reformed or modernised

Question 5

results of 2001 election:

Answer 5

-another landslide victory
-labour only had a seat change of 6, but these seats went to the lib dems - didn’t benefit tories
-labour = 40% of pop. vote
-tories = 31% of pop. vote

Question 6

who was the next leader after Hague?

Answer 6

Ian Duncan Smith

Question 7

describe Duncan Smith

Answer 7

-on the right of the party
-won the leadership contest on the grounds of his strong support from the eurosceptic faction
-lack of charisma
-described himself as ‘this quiet man’
-no public profile prior to becoming leader
-appointed barry legg in 2002 as the party chief executive - unpopular with the left wing, which opened up the european wound

Question 8

what two actions prompted a vote of no confidence in Duncan-Smith in 2003 october?

Answer 8

1. supported the iraq war which made it impossible to capitalise on the unpopularity of blair’s decision
2. scandal of appointing his wife in the paid position of his diary manager despite no evidence of her doing any work

Question 9

who was the 2005 conservative leadership election between?

Answer 9

-david davis (centre right) and david cameron (centre left)
-david davis won the first ballot but cameron won the second

Question 10

describe conservative leadership under cameron 2005-2016:

Answer 10

-party modernisation to be more appealing
-targeted minority groups who were previously excluded
-detoxification to compete against new labour
-became a credible and electable alternative
-Compassionate conservatism
-greater concern for minorities and the environment
-george osborne was shadow chancellor and was committed to labour’s idea of public spending on education and healthcare
-europe was still an issue but right-wingers in the party were less influential
-stronger unity under Cameron
-Cameron’s ‘hug a hoodie’ speech 2007 - sympathy for social exclusions and reasons for street crime