The Labour Party under Neil Kinnock Flashcards
after Labour’s defeat in 1987 election
Kinnock further reorganised the party and moved its policies towards the central ground
the party image?
became much more professional in its presentation and organisation was overhauled
who became Kinnock’s director of communications in 1985?
Peter Mandelson
who became the shadow chancellor?
giving the party of a more reassuring image of moderation and competence
John Smith became shadow chancellor, what did this do to party image?
gave it a more reassuring image of moderation and competence
the policy review after 1987 defeat meant
much of the 1983 manifesto had been dropped by 1988
Labour ended its support for closed shop union agreements in 1989, what did this signal?
a split from trade unions
labour failed to establish themselves as?
a party of competence and efficiency
John Smith when did he become labour leader?
following Labour’s defeat in 1992 election and Neil Kinnock’s resignation, John Smith became party leader
what did Blair do effectively
quickly stabilised himself as a credible alternative to John Major and continued to move Labour to the centre of British political ground
Blair carried out modernising achievements what did this do?
made the party more democratic and hence electable , replaced the trade union block vote at Labour Party conference
what did John Smith pledge to create in Scotland?
A Scottish parliament
by the time of Smith’s death what had labour’s lead in the opinion polls risen to?
23%
12 may 1994 smith had a heart attack, replaced by Blair who won how much of the vote in the leadership election?
57%
what did Kinnock do to party organisations?
they were overhauled , much more professional in presentation , mastermind by Peter Mandelson - Kinnock’s director of communication 1985
John smith signalled a shift in?
Labour Party by moving to abolish the trade union block vote
what was OMOV ?
one member one vote for parliamentary candidates in 1993
- individual members of the Labour Party would vote on the selection of parliamentary candidates, lessen the influence of trade unions
