The era of New Labour, 1997-2007 Flashcards
The Labour governments, the Conservative Party 1997-2007, social issues and foreign affairs
Why was Blair able to modernise the Labour party?
Dad was Conservative, had not joined Labour until after graduated from Oxford. This meant he found it easier to move away from traditional beliefs and policies.
What did the party modernisers argue?
Examples of Labour party modernisers?
That changes in British society and economics meant that Labour could not rely on working class vote.
Brown, Mandelson
How did Blair appeal to the electorate?
He was charismatic, comfortable with the media and spoke on non-political programmes. Portrayed himself as an ordinary person, wore casual clothes, had been in a rock band in uni, watched football and supported Newcastle.
‘The people’s princess’ as tribute to Princess of Wales in 1997, popularity up to 93%
What was the Third Way?
Keep Thatcher and Major policies, including most trade union reform and keeping privatised industries. But also introduce social equality (eg. education and health reform)
By 1997, the Conservatives had …. MPs in Scotland.
What did the Labour party manifesto promise in 1997 and what was the result?
No
Promised devolution, and the Scottish people voted in favour of devolving power to Scottish parliament (with tax raising powers)
Where were there successful devolution referendums?
What was failure?
Scotland (Scottish Assembly in Edinburgh)
Wales (Welsh Assembly in Cardiff)
Government in NI devolved after Good Friday
Assemblies in England failure, 2004 referendum in Northeast overwhelmingly rejected.
SNPs and Plaid Cymru gained support.
What constitutional change was successful?
Failure for Labour Party?
Elected Mayor of London in 1999
In first election, Blair blocked Ken Livingstone (thought he would harm Labour’s image as associated with ‘loony left’). He ended up winning as an independent.
What attempted reform ended with a messy compromise?
Tried to reform House of Lords in 1999. Messy compromise where hereditary peers not abolished, but cut to 92.
What was discussed with the Lib Dems prior to the 1997 election?
Result?
Discussions pre-election with Lib Dems about electoral reforms.
Roy Jenkins led commission into alternative voting systems.
Report in 1998 recommended that first past the post be replaced with more proportional system but nothing happened.
What new citizens’ rights act was passed in Blair’s first term?
By 2006, how many requests a year?
How did Blair later describe it and why?
Freedom of Information Act 2000, right to request info from public bodies.
100,000 requests a year by 2006
Blair said was mistake and himself as ‘naïve, foolish, irresponsible nincompoop’ for passing it. Prevented politicians from making difficult decisions because feared actions would become public knowledge.
What act incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into British Law?
What difficulties did it cause?
The Human Rights Act 1998
Judges interpreting it caused difficulties for gov. 2004 gov forced to amend anti-terrorist legislation which allowed indefinite detainment of UK non-nationals suspected of terrorist activities.
By 2001, what had Labour achieved?
What had they achieved first term with regards to education?
What about crime?
All 5 pledges on pledge card had been met.
‘Education, education, education’; kept league tables and inspections under Major, extended targets and specialist schools.
‘Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’ countered belief that only Conservative Party strong on law and order, reducing social exclusion and longer sentences.
What was promised in 2001?
What did Blair later argue?
2001 election, more health and education investment. More teachers, doctors and nurses and more accountability with to parents and patients. Special delivery unit set up in July 2001 to ensure reforms implemented, targets used to enforce change.
Blair later argued should have been more radical earlier.
What crises happened under the Labour governments?
Rising fuel prices led to blockade in 2000 by farmers and lorry drivers.
Foot and mouth disease meant cull of 10m animals.
Labour tried banning hunting with dogs, long battle with House of lords and Countryside Alliance. Passed in 2004.
How many marched with Countryside Alliance when Labour tried banning hunting with dogs?
When was this?
When was the bill passed?
Half a million in 2002.
Passed in 2004.
What were Brown’s three main aims with respect to economic policies?
Keep inflation low.
Keep government spending under control.
Prove Labour pro-business to Middle England, moving away from ‘tax and spend’ image.
What did Brown change?
Bank of England independent of governments. Gov set inflation targets, BoE set interest rates.
New rules on how much could be borrowed by the gov.
What did Brown call his strategy?
What did this allow them to do?
How did they avoid raising taxes?
‘Prudence with a purpose’.
Improved public services from 2001. New schools, hospitals, pay rises for doctors, nurses and teachers.
Exam results went up and waiting lists went down.
Used PFI to avoid raising taxes, debts stored for future.
By 2007, how did the economy look?
Inflation under control, record numbers of people in work, living standards high and a consumer economy.
BUT rising house prices, high levels of credit card spending and personal debt.
Who persuaded Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness to negotiate settlement in NI?
John Hume, leader of the Social Democratic Labour Party (SDLP).
Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were Sinn Feinn.
Who was trusted by both sides in the NI peace process?
What role did he have?
George Mitchell (former US senator who was Clinton’s special envoy for NI).
He was the chairman of talks
Who did Blair work with closely with regards to NI?
What did this help with?
What else did Blair do to contribute?
The Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ashern.
Kept support of the Republicans.
Blair committed a lot of time and ensured David Trimble and UUPs that Sinn Fein could be trusted.
Who was the Secretary of State for NI?
How did they help the process?
Mo Mowlam, kept paramilitaries on board by visiting them in the Maze Prison.
When was the Good Friday Agreement reached?
How long did final negotiations last?
Agreed 10th April 1998. Final negotiations lasted 17 hours.
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-UK and ROI would give up claim on NI. Up to people who they would join.
-Devolved assembly with power sharing Executive
-UK and ROI links strengthened
-Parties influence to decommission
-Independent commission to reform policing
-Early release of prisoners where paramilitary organisations committed to peace
When was the Good Friday Agreement referendum?
What percentage voted ‘yes’ in NI?
What about ROI?
22nd May 1998
71% voted yes in NI
94% voted yes in ROI
What happened after the Good Friday Agreement?
Problems with the agreement later?
1998 Omagh Bombing by dissident Republicans in ‘continuity IRA’. Killed 30.
Devolved constitutions had to be suspended in 2002 until St Andrews Agreement in 2006.
Why was the Conservative party more right-wing and Eurosceptic after 1997?
It was around half the size of the party under Major in 1990, the people left were more inclined to be right-wing.
Who were the main candidates after Major’s resignation?
Who was the obvious choice and why was he not chosen?
Main candidates were Ken Clarke (pro-Europe popular with the electorate, had been Chancellor between 1992-7). On the right: Michael Howard, John Redwood, Peter Lilley and William Hague.
Portillo was the obvious choice but he had lost his seat.
When was William Hague leader of the Conservative Party?
Why did he become Conservative leader?
1997-2001
The leadership campaign was ‘anyone but Clarke’. Hague was the winner because he had fewer enemies than his rivals and he was Thatcher’s preferred choice; ‘vote for William Hague to follow the same kind of government I did’
