Topic 5: Major's 1st Government (1990-92) Flashcards
3
Describe the ideology of Major
- Proclaimed aim of classless society upon entry to Downing Street
- Not even Labour went this far
- Symbolic depature from Thatcherism
5 - don’t need all
Describe the first cabinet of Major
- CX - Norman Lamont (leadership campaign manager)
- HS - Kenneth Baker
- FS - Douglas Hurd (retained)
- Env - Heseltine (back in cabinet for first time since Westland affair)
- Edu - Ken Clarke (retained)
4
Describe the early problems facing Major
- Heseltine appointment a sign Major couldn’t afford loyalist Thatcher-esque cabinet
- Campaigned vigorously against poll tax
- Labour soon regained poll lead as recession continued
- 1991 local elections - Con lost 900 council seats
4
Describe Major as Chancellor
- Had persuaded Thatcher to abandon long-standing opposition to EMS
- Oversaw ERM entry in Oct 1990
- Took strength out of central plank of Labour’s economic policy
- TESSA (new tax-savings scheme) proved popular
3
Describe economic positives 1990-92
- Interest rates cut
- Balance of trade deficit fell due to reduced demand for foreign goods
- Inflation fell (9.5% 1990, 5.9% 1991) due to pegging against German mark
6
Describe economic negatives 1990-92
- Unemployment grew from 1.9m to 2.6m across 1991
- Housing market remained at most depressed rate post-war
- Business and consumer confidence remained poor
- Record numbers of business failures and repossessions
- Constant attempts to reduce stocks failed to relieve retail trade
- Inflation remained higher than other nationalised industries
4
Describe the Citizens Charter
- Introduced 1991
- Public sector users provided with information about standards they should expect
- Aimed to give users more power over the quality of services they received
- e.g. schools would have to publish results
3
Describe the problems with the Citizens Charter
- not completely effective
- ‘Cones Hotline’ - allowed motorists to call number if motorway lane was closed with no sign of roadworks
- Became a meaningless complaint line
2
Describe NHS policy under Major
- Further reorganised to create ‘internal market’ through Community Care Act 1990
- GP fundholding scheme created 1991 - gave some GPs control over budget for hospital care of patients
2
How was the NHS reorganised to create the ‘internal market’ under Major?
- Purchasers and providers split
- NHS trusts replaced wider regional boards
2
Describe criticism of NHS policy under Major
- Widespread complaints of bureaucracy
- GPs without fundholding got worse deal for patients
5
Describe education policy under Major
- LEA power largely ceded to independently-managed schools
- SATs gradually introduced from 1991-98
- ‘School league tables’ introduced in 1992 - based on standardised examination results
- Reports of falling standards led to revision of teacher training to old methods
- Education Act 1992 established OFSTED - imposed system of national inspection
Education Act 1992 shortly before re-electon
1
Give an example of old-style teacher training methods
Instruction to whole class rather than individual learning
4
Describe opinion polling leading up to the 1992 election
- By-elec results, opinion polls and european parliament elecs all pointed towards Conservative defeat
- April opinion poll: Lab 41%, Con 35%, LD 20%
- ICM poll day before elec put Con and Lab equal at 38%
- Even largely-accurate exit poll suggested hung parliament
4
Describe the results of the 1992 election
- Con 336 (-40), Lab 271 (+42), LD 20 (-2)
- Major won narrow unexpected victory
- High turnout of 78% - high Lab polling drew back ‘shy Tories’
- Majority climbed down from 102 to 21 - would cause problems in succeeding years
2
Describe the success/failure of Labour in the 1992 election
- Labour made some gains in Scot, Wales and traditional northern areas
- Yet failed to secure more than half wc vote
4
Describe the formation of the Lib Dems
- Alliance pop vote faded to 23% and 22 seats in 1987
- David Steel took initiative to merge parties in 1988
- Owen strongly opposed this - formed ‘continuing’ SDP
- Liberal Paddy Ashown elected leader
3
Describe the failure of the Lib Dems in 1992
- support dwindled to 18% (from 23%)
- failed to replicate past by-election success
- e.g. Ribbie Valley 1991 where they overturned 40% Conservative majroity
3
Describe how the electoral system impacted the 1992 election
- 250k poll tax evaders not on electoral register, harming Labour
- 11 marginal seats secured with less than 60 votes difference
- Conservatives won 4 seats by under 100 votes
4
List the reasons for Conservative victory in 1992
- Tory election campaign
- Impact of Press
- Some economic/social policy successes
- Failure of Labour
3
Describe the salient issues of the 1992 campaign
- Broad agreement on foreign affairs
- Main issues: economy, taxation, welfare
- Conservatives largely perceived as mismanaging govt - but Lab didn’t appear particularly strong either
3
Describe the Conservative election campaign in 1992
- Utilised rhetoric of classless society + citizens charter
- Saatchi ‘Labour’s Tax Bombshell’ billboards - suggested Labour spending plans would lead to increased £1250 tax for ordinary people
- ‘The Best Future for Britain’ manifesto focused on its perceived Conservative strengths
3
Describe Major’s campaigning in the 1992 election
- Major sought to win over wavering LD voters
- Exploited his own personal charm and humble upbringings in Brixton
- Soap box campaigning
4
Describe the impact of the press in the 1992 election
- Kinnock mercilessly vilified by Tory sections of press
- Of national daily papers, 7/11 backed the Conservatives
- Conservative-supporting papers made up 67% of newspaper sales
- ‘The Sun Wot Won it’
3
Describe the ‘Sun Wot Won It’
- Circulation at 3.6m, over double nearest competitor
- Election day headline: ‘if Kinnock wins today, will the last person to Britain please turn the lights off’
- Claimed ‘The Sun Wot Won It’
2
Describe limits to the impact of the press in the 1992 election
- TV coverage was more equal
- 60% Sun readers still backed Labour
2
Describe the Labour successes in the 1992 election campaign
- Promoted image of social democratic party embracing moderation
- Kinnock positioned as enthusiastic and effective campaigner
3
Describe the Labour failures in the 1992 election campaign
- ‘Shadow budget’
- Sheffield Rally
- left-wing play ‘The Absence of War’ criticised Kinnock for ideological betrayal
4
Describe the ‘shadow budget’
- Introduced by John Smith (Shadow CX)
- Top rate of income tax to be increased from 40% to 50%
- Would fund increased welfare benefits
- Reinforced unpopular Old Labour image
2
Describe the Sheffield Rally
- introduced shadow cabinet as actual cabinet
- ‘we’re all right’
