UK 13: The Thatcher Governments Flashcards
Background of Margaret Thatcher
○ Middle class
○ Daughter of a grocer Alf Roberts (local councillor and methodist)
○ Non-traditional Tory - woman, from trade, suburban
○ Went to Oxford
○ Father always said ‘persuade people to do things your way’ -> victorian values
What is a conviction politician?
○ Someone who follows policies based on their own beliefs rather than because they’re popular or to follow tradition - e.g. Margaret Thatcher described herself as this
What was Thatcher’s style of leadership?
○ Dismissive of post-war consensus which she viewed as Britain’s ills
○ Based her politics off of her personal experiences
○ Self-reliance and self-improvement at the core
○ Criticised Heath’s U-turn in 1981 “You turn if you want to - the lady’s not for turning”
○ First politician to use a marketing company - told her to use a deeper voice
- Cautious to industrial relations but determined to push ahead with reforms in taxation, government spending - not in a rush to confront unions at first and let Prior maintain relations with them in 1980-81
What was Thatcher’s ideology?
○ Heavily influenced by New Right think tanks and academics
○ Based on some traditional conservative thinking e.g. Enoch Powell
○ Thatcherites viewed Britain’s economic decline as the result of failures of successive post-war governments, also due to moral decline
○ Thatcherites thought morality was part of free-market as it encouraged people to be more self-aware
○ Belief favoured by Tebbit “the trigger of today’s outburst of crime and violence lies in the era and attitudes of post-war funk”
○ Greater emphasis on order within society, valued ‘family’
Thatcherites were supportive of police force -> accusations in 1980s that police were politicised especially with industrial disputes
Define what the New Right was
○ Collective name for academic and theoretical organisations that challenged Keynesian orthodoxy
○ Based on Milton Friedman and Friedrich Von Hayeck
○ Had Centre for Policy Studies, Adam Smith Institute formed in 1977 to promote free-market economics
Their analysis of the economic decline resulted in the favour of monetarism
Who was Norbit Tebbit and what was his significance?
○ Essex MP, appointed Trade Secretary in Thatcher’s first cabinet
○ Down-to-earth, abrasive style was popular with supporters
○ Criticised by opposition “a semi-house-trained polecat” - Michael Foot
Support for Thatcher
○ Conservative party was a mix of ‘wets’ and ‘drys’
○ She appointed Willie Whiteclaw as her Home Secretary (wet)
○ Jim Prior - employment minister (wet) - thought to be too nice to TU leaders so demoted to Northern Ireland office and replaced by Tebbit
○ Geoffrey Howe was made Chancellor of Exchequer (dry)
○ Keith Joseph had Department of Industry (dry)
○ Nigel Lawson and John Biffen (dry) economics
Many predicted that there would be tensions between Thatcher and Prior in the future.
Opposition to Thatcher
Some due to personal disagreements i.e. Biffen and Tebbit
Westland Affair - Michael Heseltime stormed out of a cabinet meeting resigning and saying that Thatcher was unconstitutional - he became a focus of discontent for opposition
Who was Sir Geoffrey Howe and what was his significance?
○ Trade minister in Heath’s government until 1974
○ 1st Chancellor of Exchequer from 1979-1983 to Thatcher
○ 1983-1989 -> foreign minister but views on Europe conflicted with Thatcher
○ Resigned in 1990, which caused Thatcher’s fall from power
Who was Nigel Lawson and what was his significance?
○ In Thatcher’s first term Howe’s number 2 as chancellor
○ Expansionary budgets 1987 and 1988 created ‘Lawson’ boom
○ 1989 resigned from government furious about excessive influence wielded by his private economic adviser Alan Walters
Who was Michael Heseltine and what was his significance?
○ Millionare turned politician in 1980s
○ Long hair and flamboyant style gave him nickname ‘Tarzan’
○ One Nation and pro-European views brought him into conflict with Thatcher and he resigned in 1986 over Westland affair
○ Thatcherites blamed him for the fall of Thatcher in 1990
○ Later deputy to PM John Major
What is the SDP and how did it emerge?
○ The Social Democratic Party (SDP) broke away from Labour in 1981 which led to Labour defeats in 1983 and 1987, wanted to appeal to middle-ground
○ Started when Bevanite Michael Foot and supporter of unilateral nuclear disarmament was elected leader instead of Denis Healy from centre.
○ Leading politicians aka. ‘Gang of Four’ issued Limehouse declaration announcing formation of Council for Social Democracy
○ Followed by 28 MPs - wanted to not fight the left (Tony Benn supporters) and break away
○ Labour was defeated by Liberals who had ‘broke the mould’ of old two-party system
○ Yet tense relationships and differences i.e. ‘Two Davids’ (Steel and Owen) but still overtook Labour
What was the impact of demographic changes in the 1980s?
○ Labour could no longer depend on working class support
○ Press was hostile
○ Some Labour switched to ‘Thatcher Conservatives’, some voted Liberal or SDP, some became apathetic and didn’t vote
○ Unions no longer a source of strength
○ Pundits speculated about ‘fundamental realignment of British politics’ because Labour had lost their basis
Explain the state of Labour divisions during 1983-1987
○ Neil Kinnock replaced Michael Foot as Labour leader in 1983
○ Labour in danger of being marginalised by Thatcherism and defeat by SDP
○ Kinnock took on extremists and Bennites
○ Criticised Arthur Scargill for failing to hold a strike ballot during miners’ strike in 1984
○ Expelled Militant Tendency in 1986 but Labour still too Left
- 1983, Labour’s vote plunged from 37% in 1979 to 27%
What happened in the 1983 election?
○ ‘Falkla ds Factor’ helped to bring a landslide victory in 1983
○ Labour leadership lacked credibility, divisions too strong
○ MP Gerald Kaufman said the Labour manifesto (heavily leftist) was ‘the longest suicide note in history’
○ The result was an example of distorting the first-past-the-post system (144 seats)
- Labour fell from 49% votes in 1951 to 27%
- Potential support swayed from SDP to Conservatives after Falklands => lack of opposition
- Alliance got half a million votes less than Labour
- Anti-conservative vote = 16 million, 3 million more than pro-Cons but split
What happened in the 1987 election?
○ Conservatives fought with growing economy, lower taxes and backing of the press
○ Kinnock’s leadership had restored Labour discipline but still was defeated
○ Loss of momentum for SDP-Liberal Alliance due to ideological differences within
SDP shrank and Alliance got 24% compared to 40% in 1983
Why did the Conservatives win the 1979 election?
- Callaghan should’ve called an election in 1978, mistake was not doing so
- Winter of Discontent changed political landscape by spring (swaying polls in favour of Thatcher)
- Economic situation deteriorated and image of TU sank
- March 1979, government lost a vote of confidence on Scottish devolution, Callaghan had to call election
- Strikes of 1979 showed old union leaders were losing control
What was the position of the Labour Government, 1975-1979?
- Suffered decline in unity
- Wage increases used to escape industrial crisis increased inflation (also brought Heath down before them)
- Healy’s budget (tax rise) led to further divisions between Tony Benn and Michael Foot
- Stagflation and controversy over ‘lame-duck’ industries
- Devolution debate meant Thatcher led the Conservatives into opposition for devolution to Wales and Scotland - costly as they went from 36 to 0 seats in Scotland and Wales.
What was the difference between ‘wets’ and ‘dries’ in Thatcher’s government?
Wet - Heathites in favour of ‘One Nation’ politics
Dries - In-tune with Thatcher’s right-wing monetarist instincts
What happened when the Liberals and SDP formed the ‘Alliance’?
- Revival of Liberal party began under Jeremy Thorpe (increased support since 1970)
- Replaced by David Steel, in 1976 and aligned with SDP
But tension between two leaders David Steel and David Owen (‘Two Davids’) - Still, replaced Labour as main Conservative opposition until mid-1982 and Falklands Factor.
What was the ‘Falklands Factor’ and why did it boost Thatcher’s popularity?
- Unemployment at 3 million, violent inner city distrubances caused concern
- 1982, Thatcher was most unpopular PM in history
- Support for SDP-Liberal Alliance grew fast
- Thatcher responded to Argentinian invasion in Falklands with full force, spreading a wave of patriotism across the country
- Symbol of bold leadership supported by media attention and even Labour
- Huge springboard for election victory i 1983 and she benefitted from weakness of opposition
