Topic 6: Politics (1997-2007)

Question 1

5

Describe the Third Way

Answer 1

• In 1988 pamphlet, Blair defined 4 values for just society
• equal worth, opportunity for all, responsibility and community
• based on ideas of sociologist Anthony Giddens
• Sir Christopher Meyer, British Ambassador in Washinhton, dismissed ideology as electoral tactic
• largely dropped after first Labour term

Question 2

3

Describe Blair as a leader

Answer 2

• Appeared youthful, charismatic and a break from the usual run of politicans
• Held 89% approval post-Diana
• Largely unshaken by Ecclestone Affair in 1997 - subjected himself to TV interviewer by BBC’s John Humphrey to defend himself

Question 3

3

Describe Blair’s placation of Gordon Brown

Answer 3

• Constant speculation over when Brown would succeed Blair after secret 1994 meeting in Granita restaurant, Islington
• Given almost sole control of economic policy (BoE independence, euro adoption, etc)
• Therefore Brown had huge influence on domestic policy

Question 4

3

Describe the reality of the 1997 election victory

Answer 4

• Had only achieved 43% of popular vote
• Voter participation had dropped from 78% (1992) to 71% (1997)
• 1997 landslide a result of ‘shy tories’ abstaining, tactical voting for LD candidates and winner’s bonus

Question 5

5

Describe Blair’s position by 1997

Answer 5

• Significant parliamentary majority
• Demoralised and weak conservative opposition
• Favourable economic position
• Popular appeal and favourable press
• Loyalist and prepared cabinet

Question 6

5

Describe Blair’s first cabinet in 1997

Answer 6

• Had spent 3 years preparing for power to carry through centrist ‘Blair project’
• Included loyalists like Robin Cook (FS), Jack Straw (HS), David Blunkett (Edu)
• Brown placed at Treasury
• Prescott, a former union official, given DPM role to placate left-wing members and wc voters
• Yet none of cabinet had previously served in cabinet

Question 7

6

Describe the constitutional aims of the New Labour manifesto in 1997

Answer 7

• Referendums on Scottish and Welsh devolution and English regional government
• Election of mayors for London and other major cities
• Hereditary peers would lose their right to vote in HoL
• ECHR entrenched into UK law
• Referendum on electoral reform
• Legislation to ensure FOI

Question 8

4

Describe devolution in Scotland under Blair

Answer 8

• Unpopularity and centralisation of Tory governments
• Voted in 1997 to devolve powers to Scottish Parliament and in favour of it holding tax-raising powers
• Scottish Assembly based on system of AMS
• Led to rise of SNP, who had gained power by 2007

Question 9

2

Describe devolution in Wales under Blair

Answer 9

• 0.6% majority for assembly on low 50% turnout
• limited powers compared to Scotland (lacked primary legislative powers)

Question 10

3

Describe devolution in Northern Ireland under Blair

Answer 10

• Power-sharing assembly set up following GFA 1998
• Based on STV
• UUP/SDLP alliance - followed by DUP/SF

Question 11

3

Describe devolution to England under Blair

Answer 11

• Elections for elected mayor and assembly in London from 2000
• London Mayoral Election 2000
• Plans for regional assemblies derailed after NE 2004 referendum defeat

Question 12

3

Describe the London Mayoral election 2000

Answer 12

• Independent Ken Livingstone (former hard left GLC leader) became London mayor despite Blair’s spin doctor attempts to criticse him
• Ken Livingstone defeated in labour mayoral selection - votes weighed in favour of Labour MPs rather than rank-and-file party members
• Frank Dobson, Labour candidate, came 3rd

Question 13

3

Describe Parliamentary Reform under Blair

Answer 13

• HoL reform reached compromise - hereditary peers slimmed down to fixed 92 rather than removing voting rights altogether
• rebalanced composition towards life peers
• Jenkins Report 1998

Question 14

4

Describe the Jenkins Report 1998

Answer 14

• Commission set up by Labour government with support of LD to invetsigate alternatives to FPTP
• Recommended AV+ (majoritarian system with proportion top up)
• Would have changed status quo from Tory majorities to Lab-LD coalitions
• Government support for electoral reform wained after successive landslide victories

Question 15

2

Describe the components of reform to citizens’ rights under New Labour

Answer 15

• HRA 1998
• FOI 2000

Question 16

3

Describe the Human Rights Act 1998

Answer 16

• ECHR entrenched into UK law
• Led to issues regarding judicial review
• 2004, Government forced to amend legislation that enabled indefintite detention if terrorist suspects after Law Lords ruled it incompatible

Question 17

4

Describe the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Answer 17

• Gave people right to request significant amounts of information from public bodies
• By 2006, over 1m requests being made yearly
• Blair later regreted decision as it impeded politicians from making difficult decisions fearing that it could become public knowledge
• 2005, Blair refused FOI to release official advice on legality of Iraq War

Question 18

3

Describe the situation in Northern Ireland in 1997

Answer 18

• Major’s ‘backdoor channel’ had built confidence between unionists and nationalists
• Talks (though irregular) between different parties in NI since 1996
• John Hulme (SDLP leader) had convinced Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness (SF) that negotiated settlement was possuble

Question 19

2

Who was George Mitchell?

Answer 19

• Former US Senator
• Served as Clinton’s special envoy for Northern Ireland

Question 20

4

Describe talks to achieve the GFA 1998

Answer 20

• Chairman of talks George Mitchell was trusted by both sides
• Blair had developed close working relationship with Bertie Aherm, Irish Taoiseach - helped support of republicans
• Mo Mowlam (Sec of State for NI) visited Maze prison to win over paramilitaries
• Blair’s personal committment vital to reassuring David Trimble (UUP leader) that SF could be trusted

Question 21

3

Describe the final negotiations of the GFA 1998

Answer 21

• April 1998
• Final negotiations extended by 17 hours past Mitchell’s deadline
• Jeffrey Donaldson, a UUP negotiator, walked out of talks in protest of lack of progress in ensuring IRA decommissioned its arms

Question 22

3

Describe the disagreements over the negotiations of the GFA 1998

Answer 22

• Whether paramilitary groups would actually decommission
• Early release of convicted terrorists
• Right of Protestant Orange Order to march its traditional route

Question 23

6

Describe the terms of the GFA 1998

Answer 23

• Both UK and ROI would rescind claim on NI - the people of NI would decide
• Devolved assembly and power-sharing executive set up
• Links between NI/ROI and UK/ROI to be strengthened
• Parties would use influence to ensure decommissioning of arms
• Independent commission to oversee reform of policing
• Release of prisoners where paramilitary organisations committed to peace

Question 24

4

Describe the role of Tony Blair in the GFA 1998

Answer 24

• Was closely involved in moving two sides closer to agreement
• Forged close relationship with Ahern and expressed less-ardent unionist sentiment
• Reassured Trimble to allow UUP to continue negotations
• Arguably Blair’s greatest achievement behind gaining US backing in Kosovo

Question 25

3

Describe other figures who led to the GFA 1998

Answer 25

• John Hume (SDLP) had already persuaded Gerry Adams to peace plan
• Mo Mowlam had success at bringing paramilitary groups together
• Mitchell was an effective mediator

Question 26

2

Describe the GFA 1998 referendums

Answer 26

• 71% in NI voted for agreement (81% turnout)
• 94% in ROI voted for agreement

Question 27

3

Describe oppostion to the GFA 1998

Answer 27

• McGuiness and Adams concerned by potential Republican backlash
• Dr Ian Paisley and DUP opposed agreement
• Omagh Bombing 1998

Question 28

5

Describe the Omagh Bombing 1998

Answer 28

• Aug 1998
• Car bombing that killed 30
• Carried out by Real IRA - splinter group that opposed IRA ceasefire and GFA
• Condemned by unionist and nationalist leaders - sign of significant progress
• Group alleged it did not intend to cause casualties - announced ceasefire shortly thereafter

Question 29

4

Describe the first NI Assembly

Answer 29

• UUP largest party, but SDLP won largest share of first preference votes
• First Minister - Trimble; Deputy First Minister - Seamus Mallon (SDLP)
• Power-sharing executive included UUP, SDLP, SF and DUP
• DUP refused to attend Executive Committee meetings in protest at SF involvement

Question 30

3

Describe the significance of the 2003 Northern Ireland Assembly elections

Answer 30

• DUP largest party, overtaking UUP
• SF came 3rd, overtaking SDLP
• Became central unionist and republican party respectively

Question 31

3

Describe the suspension of the NI Parliament

Answer 31

• Powers devolved to Executive 1999
• Yet was suspended 4 times from 1999-2007
• Stormontgate most prominent

Question 32

4

Describe Stormongate

Answer 32

• A controversial alleged IRA spy ring based in Stormont
• Dennis Donaldson, SF group administrator in NI Assembly, arrested
• Stormont Executive/Assembly suspended 2002-07
• Ended by St Andrews Agreement 2006 between UK and ROI

Question 33

3

Describe the St Andrews Agreement 2006

Answer 33

• SF accepted PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland), which had incorporated the RUC
• Largely reitirated sentiment of GFA 1998
• New election held in 2007

Question 34

5

Describe prominent resignations during Blair’s premiership

Answer 34

• 1998 - Peter Mandelson (Trade and Industry Sec) resigned after failing to register interest-free loan for Notting Hill house
• 2001 - Mandelson (NI Sec) reisgned again after using position to influence passport application
• 2003 - Robin Cook (Leader of HoC) and Clare Short (International Development Sec) resigned after Iraq War
• 2004 - Blunkett (HS) resigned in sleaze scandal after allegations he helped fast-track work permit renewal for ex-lover’s nanny
• 2006 - Charles Clarke (HS) resigned due to embarrassment when prisoners awaiting detention escaped and could not be traced

Question 35

4

Describe Iraq WMD claim scandals

Answer 35

• Sept 2002, intellegience dossier published to show urgent danger from Iraq’s WMDs, incluidng nuclear and biological weapons
• May 2003, public sensation following claims by journalist Andrew Gilligan that WMD dossier has been ‘sexed up’ by Alastair Campbell (chemical weapons deployable within 45 mins claim)
• Death of David Kelly
• July 2003, govt reputation irreparably damaged after suicide of weapons expert David Kelly, leaker of dossier exagurrations to Gilligan, only 2 days after

Question 36

5

Describe the death of David Kelly

Answer 36

• Weapons expert David Kelly had leaked dossier exagurrations to Gilligan in an off-the-record conversation
• Gave evidence to Foreign Affairs Select Committee in July 2003
• Committed suicide 2 days later
• Lord Hutton enquiry absolved govt of blame and criticised BBC
• Yet enquiry did little to alter public mood of condemnation

Question 37

3

Describe the Blair 2004 ‘wobble’

Answer 37

• Jan 2004, Hutton enquiry publsihed findings
• Jan 2004, backbench revolt against introduction of top up fees for university students - Blair only won vote by slim 5-vote margin despite 165-seat majority
• Blair defied speculation he would resign before next election