1975, 1997 and 2015

Question 1

Labour background 1979

Answer 1

Labour Prime Minister Jim Callaghan was forced to go to the country after his government lost a vote of confidence. the “winter of discontent” that followed severely damaged the government’s economic policy and its standing in the polls.

Question 2

Winter of discontent

Answer 2

Callaghan hoped to keep public sector pay claims under 5%. When tanker drivers forced the Government to give them a 14% raise, the flood gates opened. By the end of January, water workers, ambulance drivers, sewerage staff and dustmen were involved in industrial action.

Question 3

Influence of the media on Callaghan’s campaign 1979:

Answer 3

When asked about the growing industrial crisis facing Britain, Callaghan denied any crisis existed, leading to The Sun headline ‘Crisis? What Crisis?’

Question 4

Conservatives gender advantage 1979

Answer 4

Sir Harold Wilson - the former Labour Prime Minister - who conceded in an interview with the Daily Mail that his wife might vote for the Conservatives, because their leader was a woman.

Question 5

Thatcher’s likability issues?

Answer 5

Although running 10 points ahead in the polls, conservatives issue was Thatcher’s personal unpopularity when compared with Callaghan. Thatcher’s refused to appear on the television programme Weekend World alongside Callaghan and Steel.

Question 6

Conservative attacks on labour 1979

Answer 6

Margaret thatcher pinned the blame of the winter of discontent on the labour government. Their message was “Labour isn’t working”

Question 7

Labours 1979 manifesto

Answer 7

The Government’s manifesto, The Labour Way is the Better Way advocated an increase in pensions and tax cuts.

Question 8

1979 Conservative manifesto

Answer 8

Conservatives were the party more likely to bring taxes down, spelling trouble for Labour. The Tory manifesto, The Conservative Manifesto 1979, promised to control inflation and keep the unions in check.

Question 9

Results 1979

Answer 9

The conservatives won 339 seats, 43.9% of the vote. Labour won 269 seats, 37.8% of the vote. The swing to the conservatives was 5.2%- the largest since 1945

Question 10

Role of the media in Thatcher’s win:

Answer 10

The most memorable Conservative Party posters and TV broadcasts were not about right-wing policies or their principles but about Labour failing to get the basics of economic competence right.

Question 11

Why did Thatcher win?

Answer 11

The British General Election of 1979 points outs, there was no swing to the right during the campaign amongst voters when it came to issues such as public spending and tax levels. And above all the Tories won because Labour lost – due to being seen as incompetent.

Question 12

What unexpected areas did Thatcher win?

Answer 12

The North-west and North-east, especially outside the big towns, had produced some big swings to Thatcher. And the results also produced new evidence of an astonishing resurgence of Tory support in rural Wales.

Question 13

big conservative gains in 1979

Answer 13

Anglesey, on a swing of 12 per cent from Labour.

Question 14

Influence of newspapers read on voters 2015

Answer 14

telegraph-69%C, 8%L, Daily mail,-59%C, Guardian-62%L, 6%C

Question 15

Influence of gender in 2015:

Answer 15

In the 2015 election, conservatives had slightly higher male support with 38% compact 37% women. Labour had slightly higher female support with 33% women and 30% men.

Question 16

Influence of ethnicity in 2015

Answer 16

In the 2015 general election labour received 28% of the white vote and 65% of all ethnic minorities vote. The conservatives received 39% of the white vote and 23% of all ethnic minorities vote.

Question 17

Scottish vote 2015

Answer 17

In 2015, the SNP received 50% of the vote in Scotland, whilst labour received 24.3%, conservatives 14.9%

Question 18

Tory vote lead increase for high income voters in 2015:

Answer 18

the Tories increased their leads by five points among the two highest-income groups: from 8% to 13% among those earning £40-69,000 a year, and from 23% to 28% among those earning more than £70,000 a year.

Question 19

European context to 2015

Answer 19

2009 financial crisis had previously happened and 2013 euro zone crisis which led the government to say at least were not in it and promoted the conservative government to promise a Brexit vote.

Question 20

Medias impact on Ed Miliband 2015:

Answer 20

Ed Miliband was disliked broadly, due to the promotion by the media that he had stabbed his older brother in the back to become the labour leader as they both ran for the position. His father was a well known socialist, Raft Miliband, so media labelled as a communist and he became known as “Red Ed”.

Question 21

Issues with labours economic policy 2015

Answer 21

Labour’s policies against predatory business were popular but were not balanced by a credible policy to grow good, creative business and jobs, further reinforcing their deficit on economic competence.

Question 22

Lib dem failures 2015

Answer 22

lid dem votes tanks, as they had previously been in a coalition with conservatives. In 2010 they had gained votes by promising to get for of university fees if they got into power, however when nick clegg was deputy to David Cameron university fees were raised.

Question 23

Conservative manifesto 2015

Answer 23

promised a Brexit vote after 2013 euro crisis – when the Greek economy and the Italian both plummeted so countries within the euro had to pay and raise taxes in order to bail them.

Question 24

David Cameron’s personal appeal 2015

Answer 24

. David Cameron although Eton and Oxbridge educated appeared to be a nice and simple person, campaigning “hug a hoodie” and “call me Dave” – and preaching compassionate conservatism.

Question 25

Difference in leadership 1997

Answer 25

tony Blair was an incredibly popular politician. He was seen as young, charismatic and energetic; even “cool”. The contrast with John Major – who was seen as grey and boring, and associated with a series of scandals and “sleeze”.

Question 26

New Labour

Answer 26

The party abandoned old socialist policies, instead the party positioned itself much more in the centre of the political spectrum and distanced itself from its more left-wing history and from the trade union movement.

Question 27

Browns economic promise 1997

Answer 27

In order to win the 1997 Gordan Brown promised to stick to conservative economic policies- something the conservatives did not. Labour pledged not to raise the basic or higher rate of income tax and to keep to the Conservative’s spending plans. This avoided the allegation that Labour was the “tax and spend” party.

Question 28

Labours 5 pledged 1997

Answer 28

Cut class sizes to 30 or under for 5, 6 and 7 year olds , Fast-track punishment for persistent young offenders , Cut NHS waiting lists by treating an extra 100,000 patients , Get 250,000 under-25 year-olds off benefit and into work , No rise in income tax rates

Question 29

1997 results

Answer 29

Labour won 419 seats, conservatives 163 seats, Lib dems 45. Conservatives experiences -11.2% swing, and labour +8.8%

Question 30

Areas that voted for labour in 1997

Answer 30

North East, Northwest, Merseyside, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, London, Wales, Scotland