Topic 4: Labour (1979-87) Flashcards
1
Q
4
Describe short-term weaknesses for Labour 1979-87
A
- Leadership issues
- Adoption of new constitutional procedures in 1981
- SDP split
- Leftist policy platform
2
Q
4
Describe long-term weaknesses for Labour 1979-87
A
- Party structure
- Party machinery
- Rise of left-wing
- Ideological decline of the hard left
3
Q
6
Describe the leadership of Michael Foot 1980-83
A
- Callaghan resigned in 1980
- Foot narrowly defeated Healey (right of party) by 1.8% margin
- Unilateralist and former Bevanite - admired for left wing credentials
- Pillaged by right wing press
- Oversaw growing divisions within party
- Resigned following 1983 defeat
4
Q
3
Describe the Labour deputy leadership contest 1981
A
- Saw ideological battle between Benn (hard left figurehead) and Healey (moderate faction leader)
- Healey won by narrow 0.8% majority
- limited defections to SDP, though fractures remained
5
Q
5
Describe the adoption of new constitutional procedures by Labour
A
- Jan 1981, Special conference at Wembley
- Based on recommendations of left-dominated ‘committee of inquiry’
- ‘electoral college’ for leadership/deputy elections (40% trade unions, 30% members, 30% MPs)
- Such elections had been left to whims of PLP previously
- compulsory re-selection of all parliamentary candidates (including sitting MPs), allowing leftist activists to eject moderate legislators
6
Q
4
Describe the St Ermin’s group
A
- Group of senior trade union leaders
- Created 1981 in response to constitutional procedure changes
- Wished to prevent Bennite takeover
- Used union block voting to overturn leftist majority on NEC and TUC General Council
7
Q
3
Describe the reasons for the SDP split
A
- Alienated by anti-Europe and leftist direction of Labour party
- Militant entryism
- re-selection procedures and electoral college confirmed fears that left wing power over policy would only increase
8
Q
3
Describe the SDP formation
A
- Jan 1981, ‘Gang of Four’ issued Limehouse Decaration to leave party
- March 1981, SDP formed
- Attemted to mould its policy platform on social democrat philosphies of mainland Western Europe
9
Q
4
List the members of the ‘Gang of Four’
A
- Roy Jenkins (former HS, CX)
- David Owens (former FS)
- Shirley Williams (former Edu Sec)
- William Rodgers (former Transport Sec)
10
Q
4
Describe the growth of membership of the SDP
A
- Within weeks had 50k members
- By 1983, 28 Labour MPs had joined the party
- 1981, Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler (Conservative MP) defected to the SDP
- Many Labour councillors joined party
11
Q
3
Describe Labour party structure (1979-87)
A
- Outdated reliance on trade union support became critical issue
- Trade Unions increasingly estranged by price and incomes policy of Wilson/Calllaghan governments
- New generation of left-wing union leaders (Jack Jones, Hugh Scanlon) more willing to defy Labour party leaders unlike predecessors
12
Q
3
Describe Labour party-machinery (1979-87)
A
- Membership declined from 1m in early 1950s to 250k by early 1980s
- ‘penny-farthing machine in the jet age’ (Harold Wilson)
- Focus on local campaigning a weak strategy in the TV age
13
Q
4
Describe the rise of the left-wing in Labour (1979-87)
A
- Changing membership patterns brought in left-wing, young grassroots members
- Benn aided this shift in his role as Party Chairman
- Left held majority on NEC
- Entryism into local parties/councils
14
Q
2
Describe the ideas of left-wing grassroots members in Labour (1979-87)
A
- Dissatisfaction with Wilson/Callaghan governments which did little to reduce inequality
- Committed to CND, environmentalism, feminism, etc
15
Q
4
Describe entryism
A
- Entry of Trotskyite groups into local constituency organisations and metropolitan councils
- Enabled by shift to a ideologically radical grassroots movemnet
- e.g. Derek Hatton in Liverpool City Council
- most prominent group was ‘Militant Tendency’ (The Revolutionary Socialist League)
