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British History > Topic 5: Realignment of Labour (1987-97) > Flashcards

Topic 5: Realignment of Labour (1987-97) Flashcards

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1
Q

4

List the Labour leaders in the 1980s and 1990s

A
  • Michael Foot 1980-83
  • Neil Kinnock 1983-92
  • John Smith 1992-94
  • Tony Blair 1994-2007

Margaret Beckett (acting) in 1994

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2
Q

5

List the reasons for Labour’s realignment by 1997

A
  • Leadership
  • Shift in policy
  • End of internal leftist activism
  • Change in Labour party processes/machinery
  • Influence of Thatcher/failure of Conservatives
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3
Q

5

Describe the reorganisation of the Labour Party 1987-92

A
  • Party became more professional in presentation
  • Move led by Peter Mandelson, Kinnock’s Director of Comms
  • John Smith appointed Shadow CX in 1987 to give more reassuring image of modernisation and competence
  • Kinnock dominated NEC with ‘soft left’ allies
  • New Labour policy arguably began in 1987
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4
Q

4

Describe the demise of the hard left in Labour 1987-92

A
  • Kinnock dominated NEC with ‘soft left’ allies
  • 1988 leadership challenges
  • 1989, Ken Livingstone lost seat in NEC
  • 1991, Militant decided by large majority to abandon entryism in Labour party
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5
Q

3

Describe the 1988 Labour leadership challenges

A
  • Kinocck crushed vain challenge by Benn by 8:1
  • Roy Hattersley, Kinnock ally, comfortably held onto Deputy leadership
  • Positioned as dream ticket: Kinnock representing left of party, Hattersley representing right
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6
Q

6

Describe change in Labour policy under Kinnock 1987-92

A
  • ‘New realism’
  • Advocating mixed economy of modest economic planning as opposed to nationalisation of 1983
  • Strengthened committment to Europe
  • Law and order to protect WC, who suffered most from crime
  • Hattersley published Choose Freedom in 1987 - emphasised equality as the guarantee to pluralism, tolerance and personal freedom
  • Abandoned UDI programme in 1983 and 1987
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7
Q

2

Give an example of new realism in Labour policy under Kinnock 1987-92

A
  • trade unions accepting thatcherite employment laws
  • more focus on cooperating with managers
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8
Q

1

Give an example of Labour strengthening their committment to Europe under Kinnock 1987-92

A
  • Delors recieved standing ovation at 1988 TUC Conference in Bournemouth
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9
Q

3

Describe the eventual abandonment of UDI policy under Kinnock

A
  • Shadow FS, Gerald Kaufman, a multilateralist who coined phrase ‘the longest suicide note in history’
  • October 1989 Conference, Kinnock formally abandoned UDI and opted for MDI
  • On this basis, Polaris and Trident could be retained
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10
Q

2

Describe Labour’s support base 1987-92

A
  • Suggestions of wider reaching support base
  • Dormant union leaders like John Edmonds (Municipal Workers) more positive in approach
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11
Q

4

Describe Labour electoral success 1987-92

A
  • By-elec victories in Glamorgan, Glasgow Central, Vauxhall
  • 1989 European elections: Lab 45, Con 32
  • Decline in prominence of Alliance/Lib Dems (collpased by 12.5% in 1989 European elections)
  • Lab led every poll from June 1989 until Thatcher resignation
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12
Q

1

Describe the the resignation of Kinnock

A
  • Kinnock resigned 4 days after election (election - 9 April 1992) after personal criticism
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13
Q

3

Describe the image of John Smith

A
  • Edinburgh laywer and former Shadow CX
  • Exuded more intellectual self-confidence than Kinnock
  • Still largely reflected the values of Old Lab
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14
Q

3

Describe the leadership style of John Smith

A
  • Won over 90% of overall vote in leadership elec against Bryan Gould
  • Sought to modernise party to centre ground and expel Militant Tendency extremists
  • Presented himself as consensual figure - able to work harmoniously with left of party (Deputy leader Margaret Beckett, Prescott)
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15
Q

4

Describe European policy change under Smith

A
  • Embraced EU membership as platform for economic advancement
  • Enthusiasim for social charter after popularity with grassroots and TUC
  • Leading colleagues, like Blair and Brown, pro-EU
  • Lab had united policy on Europe unlike divided Conservatives
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16
Q

2

Describe the decline of euroscepticism in Labour under Smith

A
  • Byran Gould, a leading eurosceptic, left frontbench in Autumn 1992
  • Returned to native NZ in 1994
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17
Q

2

Describe fiscal policy under Smith

A
  • Shadow CX - Brown
  • Emphasised that Labpour no longer aimed at high public expenditure, high taxation or state planning
18
Q

2

Describe business relations under Smith

A
  • Much effort given to improving relations with CBI
  • Several influential business people announced support for Labour
19
Q

3

Describe law and order policy under Smith

A
  • Shadow HS - Blair
  • Sought to counter accusations it had been soft and anti-police
  • 1993 - ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’
20
Q

2

Describe nationalism and mixed economy policy under Smith

A
  • Prominent Jack Straw (Shadow Housing Sec) openly campaigned for abolition of Clause Four
  • Few felt nationalisation had role in modern Labour party
21
Q

2

Describe Trade Union policy under Smith

A
  • Attempted to remove remove union griphold on party decision-making and ‘social contract’
  • Introduced OMOV and abolished union block vote for parliamentary candidate selection at 1993 conference
22
Q

2

Describe the 1993 conference vote to introduce OMOV

A
  • Smith came into conflict with TUC
  • Won with very narrow margin of 0.2%
23
Q

3

Describe the death of John Smith

A
  • May 1994 poll put Lab on avg 23 pts above Con
  • Suddenly died of heart attack in May 1994
  • Death a catalyst for more dramatic period of change
24
Q

4

Describe Blair in the leadership election 1994

A
  • Struck agreement with more senior rival Brown (2 4yr terms for Blair, then Brown would take over)
  • Ruthless throughout campaign
  • Mandelson decision
  • Had immense support from all wings of party
25
Q

4

Describe Mandelson’s decision in the 1994 leadership contest

A
  • Has served as Director of Comms 1985-90, now a Hartlepool MP
  • Backed Blair over Brown
  • Believed former to be better communicator
  • Proved an effective campaign manager
26
Q

2

Describe the results of the 1994 Labour leadership election

A
  • Blair won 57% electoral college vote, easily seeing off Prescott and Beckett
  • Won 60% MP vote, 58% party membership vote, 52% union vote
27
Q

5

Describe the personal image of Blair

A
  • Had come from affluent background unike wartime technocracy of Wilson or union background of Callaghan
  • Father was Tory member
  • Influenced by Christian metaphysics and reformist Australian politics
  • Attached himself to values rather than specific policies to evade criticism
  • Regarded by media, civil service and public PM in waiting - ascendancy unparalleled)
28
Q

5

Describe how Blair attached Labour to a patriotic image

A
  • Spoke of ‘New Labour’ leading ‘New Britain’ of patriotism and compassion
  • Rise coincided with growing self-confidence of ‘Cool Britannia’
  • October 1994 conference
  • 1996 conference - targeted Mondeo Man
  • Praised Thatcher’s patriotism
29
Q

4

Describe the October 1994 Labour conference

A
  • Declared Britain a young nation with best days ahead
  • Language evangelistic and imprecise
  • ‘new’ appeared 37 times
  • Registered well in Tory heartlands of southern and ‘middle’ England
30
Q

3

Describe how Blair dealt with Thatcher

A
  • Agreed on promotion of enterprise and curbing overreach of government
  • invited her to Downing St weeks after election victory
  • little comparative effort made for Callaghan
31
Q

3

Describe the abolition of Clause IV

A
  • Had committed Labour to common ownership of industry
  • 1995, national party ballot overwhelmingly voted for redrafted version
  • Called for diluted collectivism - ‘for the many, not the few’
32
Q

5

Describe Blair’s authority over the Labour Party

A
  • Appealed directly to growing membership rather than lw activists
  • cut himself off from trade union association
  • Strong personal machine
  • Claire Short (shadow minister) ruthlessly shut down after expressing support for cannabis legalisation
  • Presidential style extended to NEC and Conference - could not derail leadership unlike predecessors
33
Q

2

Outline Blair’s personal machine

A
  • Strategist Mandelson
  • Combative press officer Alaistair Campbell
34
Q

2

Describe Blair vs Major at PMQs

A
  • Commanding role of Blair contrasted with weak Major suffering from internal disputes over Europe
  • ‘You follow your party, I lead mine’ - contrast with previous Labour leaders
35
Q

6

Describe the development of Labour Party machinery under Blair

A
  • Shifted HQ location
  • Sophistciated use of information technology
  • Used to focus groups to track voter opinion rather than through local constituencies
  • Heavy use of media (‘The Sun backs Blair’)
  • Spin doctors - Cambell and Mandelson
  • Processes suited energetic and charismatic Blair
36
Q

2

Describe the change in location of Labour HQ

A
  • Labour HQ Transport House dubbed ‘a penny farthing in the jet age’ by Wilson
  • 1996, Moved to Millbank Tower in City of London
37
Q

2

Describe Blair’s ideology

A
  • Third Way - Blair spoke of ‘radical centre’
  • Welcomed collaboration with Roy Jenkins, now a LD (led voting system reform report)
38
Q

2

Describe Labour policy development under Blair

A
  • Employed David Milliband (brains) in his Policy Unit - former director of IPPR
  • Close connections with centrist Demos think tank
39
Q

4

Describe Labour policy under Blair

A
  • Traditional policies (high spending, egalitarian educational policies, soft law and order policy) all dropped
  • Promised to not exceed Tory government spending or income tax
  • Focussed on cutting waiting lists
  • Promoted ‘education, education, education’
40
Q

4

Describe how Blair dropped a public association with trade unions

A
  • Membership had dropped 13m to 6.75m
  • Movement remained strictly local after renewed dock troubles in Liverpool
  • Played little role in election campaigns
  • Blair spoke of closeness to CBI

British History (36 decks)

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