current con party is thatcherite

Question 1

paragraph 1: is thatcherite as reduced taxes, public spending and size of the state

Answer 1

• Thatcher reduced top rate of income tax from 83% to 40% and corporation tax from 52% to 34%
• in first years she cut public spending (housing education employment) by £1 billion
• liz truss 2022 mini budget aimed to abolish top rate of income tax and cut stamp duty
• 2024 spring budget con announced to cut national insurance contributions for employees from 10% to 8% to 6% by 2027
• said disability benefits contribute to “sick note” culture in UK

Question 2

paragraph 2: isn’t thatcherite as sunak economy focused on fixing truss damage

Answer 2

-reversed truss planned tax cut, pledged to increase some taxes to tackle inflation
- corporation tax rose from 19% to 25% in april 2023
-Badenoch hasn’t indicated she supports cuts to VAT and corporation tax since becoming leader in 2024

Question 3

paragraph 3: is thatcherite as strong law and order stance

Answer 3

-Thatcher tough on crime, increased funding for police and armed forces
- Sunak met 2019 pledge of recruiting additional 20,000 police officers, pledged to recruit 8000 more in 2024 manifesto
-March 2023 sunak introduced immediate justice initiatives, offenders required to engage in community work 48 hours after sentencing
- tough approach to striking workers Strikes (minimum service levels ) act 2023 , public order act locking on offence

Question 4

paragraph 4: isn’t thatcherite as not as strong a stance on trade unions

Answer 4

• con government did negotiate with striking teachers and nurses raised teachers pay by 5.5% in 2024
• september 2024 nurses rejected con offer of 5.5% pay rise

Question 5

paragraph 5: is thatcherite due to foreign policy

Answer 5

-Thatcher strong foreign policy, “iron lady”, Falklands war, strong relationship with Reagan
- 2024 Con gov committed £2.5 billion in military aid to ukraine
- Feb 2025 Kemi Badenoch supported lab policy of raising defence spending by 2.5% by 2027
- con party pledged to take back control after BREXIT

Question 6

paragraph 6: not thatcherite as more anti free trade

Answer 6

-Thatcher supported free trade and economic union
- strong immigration stance under sunak, different to thatcherism which recognised economic benefits
- Safety of Rwanda (asylum and immigration) Act April 2024
- initial payment of £290 M to rwanda and an additional £11,000 per asylum seeker
-2025 Badenoch announced 5 new immigration policies