William Hague 1997-2001 Flashcards
What was the Conservative’s stance on Europe after the 1997 election?
The party was more Eurosceptic and Thatcherite than it had been previously.
How many Eurosceptics were in the Conservative Party after the 1997 election?
One estimate is that 145 of the remaining 165 Conservative MPs were Eurosceptic and the party had lost some of its big hitters on the pro-European wing, such as Chris Patten.
What did a Eurosceptic Conservative Party mean for Michael Hesseltine and Ken Clarke?
Their pro-European views would limit their chances of winning candidacy nomination.
What did Thatcher say about Hague?
‘Vote for Hague to follow the same kind of government I did’.
How did Hague unify the Conservative Party? But was this still limited?
Even when Hague had largely unified the party on Europe by ruling out entry into a single currency ‘in the foreseeable future’, the Tories remained unpopular.
What did some in the Conservative Party identify?
That they needed to change both its policies and image - they were seen as uncaring, intolerant, old fashioned and obsessed with Europe. But this proved extremely controversial.
Give an example of Thatcherism dividing opinion in the Conservative Party.
In 1999 Peter Lilley, previously an arch Thatcherite, delivered a speech which seemed to criticise some elements of Thatcherism. He warned that although the public had accepted Thatcher’s economic reforms as necessary to tackle the issues that Britain faced in the 1980s, they were suspicious of further such reform.
What were the public cautious about?
Further privatisation, as Major had found out when the possibility of Royal Mail being sold was discussed.
What were the electorate even more resistant to during this time?
More private involvement in public services such as education and health, preferring them to be run and delivered by the State.
Why did Peter Lilley’s speech cause uproar?
It was interpreted as a repudiation of Thatcherism.
Hague was forced to reiterate his support for Thatcher.
Describe the ‘Mods’ and the ‘Rockers’.
The Conservative Party was starting to divide between those who believed that the Tories needed to change – the Mods – and those who resisted this – the Rockers.
