The Fall Of Thatcher And The Rise Of Major Flashcards
How was economy significant in the fall of thatcher
1987- the stock market crashed following the Big Bang. Lawson 1988 budget led to the rapid expansion of the economy in the Lawson boom this resulted in the balance of payments problem.
How was some of thatchers down fall political
Many conservative MPs feared defeat at the next election, scared from loosing there seat in Eastbourne. Government was popular due to the introduction of poll tax. After the poll tax riot in 1990 the popularity in opinion polls fell sharply.
These problems heightened division within the party.
Division over policies, Europe and over thatchers style.
Labour party’s recovery under Neil kinnock and john smith was evident.
Tensions with the government - Howe reigned an in his resignation speech galvanised hesteltine who has been a long standing critic of thatcher since Westland. He announced a leadership challenge. After failing to win on the first ballot thatcher resigned.
What happened to thatcher when she resigned
She did not leave the political scene. Even when she left office she promised she wouldn’t be a very good back seat driver. She remained an important influence for the next 15 years and her premiership also effected the development of the Labour Party.
How was major as leader
What problems did he face
Thatcher choice of successor so Thatcherite so him as “on of them”
He wanted to unify the party - difficult - fierce determination amounts some to take revenge on those who had betrayed Maggie.
Opinion polls went up for the conservative reflecting thatchers unpopularity.
His first big task was foreign affairs and Europe ( wanted to mask Britain the heart of Europe)
He had to deal with poll tax.
When was poll tax abandoned
1991 after a lengthy discussion.
What were the opinion polls looking like when the conservatives called the 1992 election
Why did labour not win
What was the result of the 1992 election
Cons 29%
Labour 41%
Liberal 15%
However towards the end of the campaign options swung back to conservatives.
- many voters may have felt that labour had not reformed enough
- 51% conservative
41% labour
What economic situation had major inherited
What was the economic situation before the 1992 election ?
The British economy was suffering from a Declining manufacturing output, high interest rates and a steep rise in unemployment and a slump in house prices.
- from 1991-1992 unemployment rose from 1.6 million to 2.6 million.
- many homeowners were trapped in negative equity, many had their homes repossessed affecting traditional Tory voters.
What was black Wednesday
What were the effects ?
Britain was forced to leave the ERM.
Britain had joined the ERM in 1990 when thatcher was persuaded it would help combat inflation. By September 1992 the British currency came under pressure reaching its climax on the 16th September. Major was determined to avoid devolution and remain in the ERM but the pound kept sinking. At 7pm Lamont announced the decision to leave the ERM on tv.
Effects
- less of a catastrophe than was feared. Within a short time the economy stabilised and leaving the ERM had many benefits. But the political effects were the worst, the conservatives could no longer be trusted with the government. Drop in opinion polls. Major was frequently criticised by newspapers that have previously supported him. Major saw it as the beginning of the end.
How was the economy after black Wednesday
Improved immediately
Learning that the ERM stopped Britain from having to keep interest rates to protect the stability of sterling and it allowed exchange rates to float downwards helping British exporters .
Employment rates slowed down and the housing market began to pick up.
America was coming out of recession and world trade was expanding.
In comparison the German economy was struggling with huge costs of unification.
Consumer spending went up
Car ownership increased
Hours prices rose and negative equity was a thing of the past.
How did scandles and sleazes affect major
Tory sleaze - more than a dozen sex scandals including MPs having extramarital affairs with 2 cabinet ministers.
The government allowed the company matrix Churchill to supply arm components to Iraq.
Cash for questions - Hamilton and other MPs were accused of accepting money for asking questions in parliament by owner of harrods, but Hamilton refused to resign. Former mp journalists Martin bell made the sleaze the key note of his campaign.
The puppeteers of spitting image presented major as dull and boring.
What other policies showed that conservatives were prone to crisis
Continuation of privatisation. The cola industry privatised in 1994, the railways in 1996. And government set to privatise the post office but eventually abandoned due to public concern.
Pit closures continued, in 1991 hesteltine announced the closure of 31 pits. Some in Nottinghamshire, this had seemed like a poor reward considering Nottinghamshire minors had stood against scargill.
What was PFI
What were citizen charters
What was the mad cow disease
private finance initiatives
- private companies paid for infrastructure improvements and then the state would pay for public services
- attempt to give public service uses more power over their quality of service by providing info about the service they expect.
- potential threat to human health in 1996. British beef was banned in Europe.
What continued in Northern Ireland
What was the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4
Loyalist and republicans engaged in a tit for tat killings of the IRA and started to target mainland Britain.
Guildford 4 jailed in 1975 for the bombing of two Guildford pubs in which 5 people died.
1993 a film ‘ in the name of the father’ told the story.
The Birmingham 6 were jailed for life in 1975 for the bombing of 2 Birmingham pubs in which 21 people died.
Name 2 trouble in Northern Ireland between 1987 and 1993
July 1989- London stock exchanges bombed by IRA.
MARCH 1993- Warrington bomb- two children killed
How was there a political breakthrough in Northern Ireland under major
Rumours that sin fein were willing to discuss a peace agreement
Unionist feared of being sold out by the british
Major had a good rel with the taoiseach Reynolds. Clinton also made a contribution.
1993 - Reynolds and major went public on their joint Downing Street declaration. In 1994 the IRA announced a ceasefire, there was a strong sense of war weariness on both sides. Looked at Bosnia and didn’t want the same.
Getting a final agreement was difficult. Unionist did not believe the IRAs commitment to peace and the IRA got impatient and went back to violent methods.
