Politics (1979-87)

Question 1

5

Describe Thatcher’s first cabinet

Answer 1

• 3/4 of cabinet associated with mainstream keynesian ideals
• Included ‘wets’ and ‘dries’

Question 2

4

‘wet’ in Thatcher’s first cabinet

Answer 2

• Michael Heseltine - Env Sec
  *

Question 3

6

Describe reasons for conservative victory in 1983

Answer 3

• Falklands War victory
• ‘Right to buy’
• Economic success (e.g. inflation falling from 22% to 5%)
• Trade Union reform
• Labour issues

Question 4

5

Describe the results of the 1983 election (for the conservatives)

Answer 4

• 144-seat Conservative majority
• won only 42.4% of popular vote

Question 5

5

stat that shows the impact of the SDP in the 1983 election

Answer 5

• Won 25.4% of popular vote, only 2.2% behind Labour

Question 6

6

Describe the ‘longest suicide note in history’ 1983

Answer 6

• Higher personal taxation
• Withdrawal from EEC
• renationalisation of privatised companies e.g. British Aerospace
• abolition of HoL

Question 7

3

unemployment in Northern Ireland (1983-87)

Answer 7

• Unemployment at 21%, highest in the UK

Question 8

4

Describe Tory rebellions (1983-87)

Answer 8

• Shops Bill 1986 derailed by 72 Con rebels
• Heseltine resigned over the Westland Affair

Question 9

4

results of the 1987 election

Answer 9

conservative majority of 102

Question 10

Describe the reasons for Conservative victory in the 1987 election

Answer 10

• Affluence of Lawson’s policies
• Industrial policy (miner’s strike and trade union policy)
• Failures of Labour

Question 11

6

Describe the success of Conservative policies by 1987

Answer 11

• ‘Economic miracle’ (consumer-driven boom) in prosperous regions that had backed Conservatives in 1983,
• Real wages higher than inflation in many areas
• Privatisation provided windfall profits