The Era Of New Labour 1997-2007 Flashcards
How far did Tony Blair’s background, leadership and ideology bring Labour success?
Background:
-middle class
-father was conservative
-educated at Scottish private school (fetters college)
-graduated from Oxford university
-joined the Labour Party after uni graduation
-part of a rock band at university
-supported football team (Newcastle)
Leadership:
-charismatic
-good with handling the media
-felt more in touch with relevant/ ideas and culture :[ appeared on non political TV programmes, (1997) paid tribute to Diana’s death (‘the people’s princess’ speech ) after he was elected =blair 93% approval ratings according to Labour
[increasingly disliked for their “control freakery” of the media message and keeping party divisions (between brown and Blair ) hidden] =lost electorate trust by 2007
Ideology:
-accepted conservative trade union reforms
-no re nationalisation of privatised industries
-Third way: ensure quality of the service prevails regardless of it was private/ public/ charity owned (similar to bill Clinton’s ‘new democrats’?)
(Criticized for jettisoning traditional labour policies and accepting thatcher polices to get power)
How far did New Labours devolution policies provide constitutional change?
-House of Lord reforms: hereditary peers reduced to 92 as a first stage reform. [consequence: compromised solution and the next stage never took place = outcome unsatisfactory]
-Scotland and wales devolution:
• approved by both in (1997) referendums promised by labour
• (1998) Scottish parliament , proportional representation used to elect devolved institutions, that had tax raising powers, education health abs agriculture policies. Welsh assembly also established but powers were limited and not extended until (2006)
• Northern Ireland devolved in Good Friday after Good Friday agreement
[change?: support for Plaid Cymru and Scottish nationalist party grew, so Labour failed to stop support]
-devolution of regional governments:
Mayor of London introduced (2000). (2004) referendum results rejected introduction of regional governments into north-east
[change:? Blair blocked livingstone from standing as Labour candidate in 2000 London mayor election, as he represented the ‘loony left’ of labour mocked in the 1980s. Potentially able to damage their image. Living stone stood as an indep, won with Labour candidate finishing 3rd= accepted back into party.
How far did New Labour’s parliamentary reforms provide constitutional change?
Electoral reforms: established Jenkins commission. (1998) commission recommended first-past-the-post system to be replaced by proportional representation (change?s none)
How far did New Labours citizens rights policies provide constitutional change?
(2000) freedom of rights act gave public right to request information from public bodies
[Change?: by (2006), 100,000 requests were made each year, Blair later described this as a mistake (called himself a ‘nincompoop’ for passing), as it stopped politicans making hard decisions
Human rights:
-(1998) human rights act had, European convention on human rights incorporated into British law
(Change:? Meant citizens not have to take cases to European courts. As the British courts would consider the convention in making their judgment. But sometime create difficulties like anti-terrorist legislations [(2004) amend indefinite detainment of suspected uk non-nationals]
How much did new Labour enjoy domestic bliss?
Education:
-kept league tables and inspections introduced by major. Targets extended and more specialist schools introduced. Increased funding by 50%, more teachers, improve exam results & more accountability. Reduced class size to 30 for under 5, 6 & 7 year olds. some not change from major policies, Blair disappointed from lack of progress
Law and order:
- ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’. Longer sentences introduced & attempts to reduce social exclusion. Young offenders sentenced more quickly . Sure starts
Health care: (2001) election, promised more investment and reform to increase doctors and nurses. Reduced waiting times. Tripled funding to NHS. Waiting list reduced, but Blair disappointed they did not go far enough
Problems:
-(2000) raising food and fuel prices: annoyed farmers, lorry drivers, commuters (lots)= increased prices that could create inflation. Farmer and lorry drivers blocked fuel refineries = labour freezing taxes on fuel in next budget = damage opinion polls
-(2001) foot and moth disease: annoyed farmer of cattle and sheep= cull of 10 million animals. Damage agriculture and tourism industry. Closed rights of way into countryside. Cost Britain £8bn
-(2004) hunting ban with dogs. Annoyed rural people, accused Labour of being too focused on towns and not countryside (2002 countryside alliance March of 0.5 mill poeple)
How did new labour policies create a period of ‘economic Eden’?
-bank of England: made indep from gov so they can set targets for inflation whilst Bank of England set interest rates to meet targets
-treasury rules established on how much money could be borrowed by government . ‘golden rule’ states government only borrow to invest and not fund current spending (borrow to pay for investment for future generation )
-public services: after (2001) increase money into public services . New hospitals/ schools. Doctors, nurses & teachers got pay rise= exam results increasing and waiting lists decreasing
-used private sources of funding for public services improvements. (PFI) used to fund new projects, that were completed more quickly and prevent large scale borrowing.
= inflation controlled (average in brown period was about 1.5%) & growth was 2%
What were the limitations towards new labours economic policy’s?
-inflation: rise in browns last 3 years for increasing gov spending. As rise in public expenditure
-taxed pension savings: created less Poeple to save money for pensions. (Savings ratio declined to 37% by 2007) reduced UK share value £120 billion lower that they would’ve been without gov interference , as share prices are dependant on dividends values.
Tax rises: rose national insurance contributions, remove tax relief on mortgage payments. Reduce levels of tax freee savings each year, by 2007 amount indiv could save untaxed was reduced to £7000.
-borrowing: public service expenditure , has less revenue and growth to meet debts. Ina recession cause them to struggle as less growth and revenues means debts are harder to manage.
PFI: create gov debt, unregulated/ managed gov spending. Rely on private companies to fulfil contract
Gold reserves: lost potential profit in 2005 of £3 billion if they had kept there reserves. Meant Britain could less criticize China for unfair practices , who benefited from increasing gold reserves, and better trade management. Caused competitors to improve trade relation with China (£31 billion Germany exports to China was worth (2005))
-consumer boom reliant on rising house prices, high levels of credit-card spending and personal debt, than increased productivity = risked crash occurring (2008)
How important was Gordon brown ideology, economic aims and background to creating Labour Party succes?
-Chancellor of exchequer (1997-2007)
-Economic aims: initially aimed to lower inflation , keep gov spending low, prove middle England labour was pro business and trusted with running economy so they were not seen as a ‘tax and spend’ party . (Similar to thatchers beliefs)
-wanted to become prime minister, agreed with Blair to take over at some point, and the more he delayed the worse there relations became
-protégé of John smith
How important was the Labour Party towards creating peace in Northern ireland?
Labour:
-Blair decided that an Irish peace settlement would be one of his top priorities whilst in opposition
-Blair visited Northern Ireland two weeks after becoming prime minister
-Blair appointed Mo-Mowlan as securely of state for Northern Ireland (had NI experience and bravely faced extreme parties to pursue a deal- visit paramilitary I. Maze prison)
-Blair had family unionist routes (used chief aides to work on unionist to get a deal)
-Blair majorly helped prevent negotiations for borders and constitutional NI position breaking down
-Blair early on invited Gerry Adam’s and Martin McGuiness to Downing Street (but did make some unionist think he was to Republican friendly towards terrorist prisoners)
-Blair’s personal commitment: proved capable of reassuring David Trimble , UUP, that sinn Fein could be trusted
-Blair had close working relationship with Irish Taoiseach, Bertie ahern, which helped keep support Of Republicans
-(1998) Blair anounced public enquiry into Bloody Sunday, that pleased republicans
How important were other faction’s (not lab) towards creating peace in Northern Ireland
Irish:
-David Trimble of Ulster unionist and John Hume of SDLP won noble prize for peace
-IRA had indicated it might be ready to stop its campaign of violence
-John Hume persuaded Gerry Adam’s & Martin McGuinnes of Sinn Fein that a negotiated settlement was possible
(Jeffery Donaldson (UUP negotiator) walked out , 9 April (1998) in protest of lack of progress toward disarming IRA)
Conservatives:
-John major had been tenacious in trying to bring Republicans and unionist to the table
-Downing street declaration had started peace process already (ceasefires did collapse) but talks still continue since 1996 with people like John Hume
-lack of progress major made after (1993) was due to stubbornness of IRA and parliamentary weakness
-(1993) major relinquish Britains claim of Northern Ireland (“no selfish strategic or economic interest” in NI)
-Anglo Irish agreement (1984)
US:
-US senator George Mitchell chaired negotiations between northern Irish political party’s and aimed to produce agreement power sharing executive
-Clinton pressured Tony Blair to prioritise NI peace procces
-republicans and unionist trusted George Mitchell (Clinton’s special envoy for NI)
-Mitchell set a deadline for negotiations to be complete by April (1998)
What was included within the Good Friday agreement?
-UK and Irish republic gave up claim on NI, gave choice for NI to decide if they remained with the UK or with the Irish Republic (self determination)
-parties combine to form power sharing executive, based on new elected assembly
-links between NI and I & Brit and I strengthend
-paramilitary organisation would surrender/ destroy their weapons, ministers by independent body
-policing of NI made fairer
-prisoners released if paramilitary’s were committed to peace
How effective was the Good Friday agreement towards creating peace in Northern Ireland?
Limits:
-(1998) Omaha bombing killed 30 people carried out by renegade splinter IRA group
-decomissioning of arms was long, as both sides made bluffs on who decommissioned first
-moderate parties lost next election (DUP and Sinn Fein voted for)= harder to create power sharing executive
-traditional orange order marches=suspension of devolved institutions (2002) until (2006) Spain Andrew’s agreement reiterate key elements of Good Friday
Succes
-Adam’s and paisley do eventually sit down and discuss together
-Referendum for agreement had 71% vote yes in NI and 94% vote yes Irish republic
-investment return to NI. Belfast become cleaner, busier more confident city
-peace achieved
-business work on all Ireland basis, despite 2 currencies and border
