john major (1990-1997)

Question 1

‘Honeymoon effect’.

Answer 1

The good feel and press following a new government, experienced strongly by Major especially after Thatcher’s unpopularity.

Question 2

When did the First Gulf War end.

Answer 2

1991.

Question 3

What did Major replace the poll tax with and what.

Answer 3

Council tax, with 1991.

Question 4

Why did Major struggle with the poll tax.

Answer 4

Because it could split the party.

Question 5

How much was lost when moving from poll tax to council tax.

Answer 5

£1.5 billion.

Question 6

How much was Labour ahead in 1992 opinion polls.

Answer 6

41%.

Question 7

‘Soapbox politics’.

Answer 7

Political style of making impromptu speeches in street towns on soapboxes.

Question 8

Economic problems inhereted by Major.

Answer 8

• Declining manufacure output.
• High unemployment.
• High interest rates.
• Slump in housing prices.

Question 9

What was unemployment at in 1992.

Answer 9

2.6 million.

Question 10

‘Negative equity’.

Answer 10

Repaying mortgages higher then their homes value. Often led to home reposession.

Question 11

Who did the issue of negative equity effect.

Answer 11

Working class and traditional Tory voters.

Question 12

What did Major increase public spending in during 1991-92.

Answer 12

Subsidies on transport and the NHS.

Question 13

ERM.

Answer 13

Limits on how much European currencies could change to stabilise exchange rates.

Question 14

When did Britian leave the ERM.

Answer 14

1992.

Question 15

When had Britian joined the ERM.

Answer 15

1990 (under Thatcher).

Question 16

What did leaving the ERM cause.

Answer 16

Black Wednesday.

Question 17

Black Wednesday.

Answer 17

A wave of speculative selling of pounds causing value to sink.

Question 18

Positive effects of leaving the ERM.

Answer 18

• Britian didnt need to raise interest rates to protect the sterling.
• Exchange rates floated downwards.
• Housing market picked up.

Question 19

Negative effects of leaving the ERM.

Answer 19

• Conservatives were no longer seen as competent with Britians economy.
• Steep drop in support.
• Major was criticised for his lack of authority.

Question 20

What did Major see the economic events of 1992 as.

Answer 20

“The beginning of the end”.

Question 21

Economic positives by 1997.

Answer 21

• Productivity up.
• Consumer spending up.
• Car ownership up.
• Housing prices raised and negative equity stopped.

Question 22

Which two Tory Mp’s had to resign due to extramartial affairs.

Answer 22

Tim Yeo and David Mellor.

Question 23

When was the Scott Enquiry set up and what for.

Answer 23

1994 to investigate illegal arms dealings.

Question 24

What did the Scott enquiry uncover.

Answer 24

Government ministers were enabling arms companies to sell weaponary to Iraq.

Question 25

'Cash-for-questions' scandal.

Answer 25

When Tory MPs were found to be taking money from Harrod's owner in return for lobbying.

Question 26

Main sites of satire against the Torys.

Answer 26

- The Secret Diary of Jon Major, Private eye. - Spitting Image.

Question 27

Which industries were successfully privitised.

Answer 27

- Coal. - Railways.

Question 28

Which industry failed to be privitised and why.

Answer 28

The Post Office due to public concern.

Question 29

Private Finance Initiative.

Answer 29

Public-private partnerships where private companies would fund infratructure improvements, then deliver public services that the State would pay for over contract length.

Question 30

Citizens Charter (1991).

Answer 30

Provides information to public about services they should expect.

Question 31

Why was Citizens Charter ridiuled by press.

Answer 31

The Cones Hotline.

Question 32

When did Heseltine close Nottinghamshire pits.

Answer 32

1991.

Question 33

Why was closure of Nottinghamshire pits criticised.

Answer 33

Nottingham miners were the ones who stood with the governent against Scargill.

Question 34

What did the 'mad cow disease' outbreak lead to.

Answer 34

Banning of British beef in Europe in 1996.

Question 35

What was revealed in the 90s about the Troubles that caused criticism.

Answer 35

Miscarriages of justice revealed, such as the Birmingham Six and Guilford Four.

Question 36

What did Britian recieve from Northern Ireland from 1993.

Answer 36

Messages that Sinn Fein was open to negotiations on peace agreements.

Question 37

What were unionists afraid of.

Answer 37

Being 'sold out' to the British.

Question 38

Who was the Irish Taoiseach of the time.

Answer 38

Albert Reynolds.

Question 39

Bill Clinton's contribution to Irish-British peace negotiation.

Answer 39

Persuaded Sinn Fein away from armed struggle.

Question 40

When was the Downing Street Deeclaration made public.

Answer 40

1993.

Question 41

When was ceasefire called by the IRA.

Answer 41

1994.

Question 42

When did the IRA bomb Canary Wharf.

Answer 42

1996.

Question 43

What did right-wing press commonly call for.

Answer 43

A stronger leader to replace Major and "save the party".

Question 44

When did Major call for a leadership challenge and what was his slogan.

Answer 44

1995; "back me or sack me".

Question 45

Who was Major's main competitor in the leadership challenge.

Answer 45

John Redwood.

Question 46

Why did John Redwood not win the leadership challenge 1995.

Answer 46

Heseltine agreed to be Major's deputy Prime Minister and made it public he had voted for Major.

Question 47

How did Thatcher contribute to Major's downfall.

Answer 47

- Encouraged eurosceptics to demand a referendum on Europe. - Memoirs published in 1993 were lukewarm about Major. - Supported Redwood in the 1995 leadership challenge.

Question 48

Peter Mandelson.

Answer 48

- Kinnock's director of communications. - Labour 'spin doctor'.

Question 49

John Smith.

Answer 49

- Labour shadow Chancellor of the Exchquer.

Question 50

Changes in Labour manifesto by 1988.

Answer 50

- Withdrawal from EEC. - Abandonment of unilateral disarmament. - Abandondment of high tax on high incomes.

Question 51

What Labour committment did Kinnock end in 1989.

Answer 51

Closed shop union agreements.

Question 52

What did John Smith introduce in 1993.

Answer 52

'One member One vote', lessening the influence of trade unions.

Question 53

1994 legislation for homosexuals.

Answer 53

Lowering age of consent from 21 to 18.

Question 54

What was set up in 1993.

Answer 54

Childs Support Agency.

Question 55

What legislation did Mary Whitehouse influence the passing of in 1994.

Answer 55

Video Recording Act.

Question 56

Public response to the Windsor Castle fire in 1992 and what did it lead to.

Answer 56

Debate over tax money going toward its repair, causing the Queen to reduce her civil list.

Question 57

What caused a moral panic.

Answer 57

Acid house music leading to raves with ecstacy and psychedlics use.

Question 58

Criminal Justice and Public Order Act.

Answer 58

1994; gave police more powers to break up parties.

Question 59

Third Wave Feminism.

Answer 59

Focus on breaking down stereotypes with crossovers with race, sexuality and environmentalism.

Question 60

When were women first ordained into the Church of England.

Answer 60

1994.

Question 61

When did rape within marriage become an offence.

Answer 61

1994.

Question 62

How many women were employed by 1996.

Answer 62

50%.

Question 63

How many non-white MPs elected in the 1987 election.

Answer 63

Four.

Question 64

Where were most asylum seekers coming from.

Answer 64

- Somalia. - Afghanistan. - Iraq. - India. - Bangledesh. - Pakistan.

Question 65

Who published and what occured after 'The Satanic Verses'.

Answer 65

Salman Rushdie, and the Iranian Ayatollah issued a fatwa against him.

Question 66

Maastricht Treaty.

Answer 66

1992.

Question 67

Euroseptics in Major's cabinet.

Answer 67

Micheal Portillo and John Redwood.

Question 68

Social Chapter.

Answer 68

Part of the Maastricht Treaty which regulate working conditions for employees.

Question 69

United Kingdom Independance Party.

Answer 69

1993.

Question 70

Who set up the Referendum Party, when and for what purpose.

Answer 70

Sir James Goldsmith, 1997, to fight the election due to the issue of a referendum on Britains relationship with Europe.

Question 71

When was the USSR officially dissolved.

Answer 71

1991.

Question 72

When did Britain help America in expelling Iraqui forces from Kuwait.

Answer 72

1991.

Question 73

When did republic of Slovenia declare independance.

Answer 73

1991.

Question 74

Where in the Balkans experienced violent clashes following 1991.

Answer 74

Serbia and Croatia.

Question 75

British Foregin Secretary.

Answer 75

Douglas Hurd.

Question 76

Douglas Hurd on the Balkan disputes.

Answer 76

Optimistic that mediation would be effective.

Question 77

What was the issue in British intervention in the Balkan disputes.

Answer 77

Unclear is aim was for maintaining a multi-ethnic Yugoslavia or if it was to break it up.

Question 78

When did war in Bosnia break out and what happened.

Answer 78

1992; Muslims were driven out by 'ethnic cleansing'.

Question 79

1992 Vance-Owen plan.

Answer 79

A UN representative and former British foregin secretary set a framework for a lasting settlement for peacekeeping in Bosnia.

Question 80

How did the Vance-Owen plan and Major's intervention in Bosnia fail.

Answer 80

- US refused to intervene. - War continued for three more years.

Question 81

When was the massacre of Srebrenica.

Answer 81

1995.

Question 82

How was a peace treaty signed in 1995 for Balkans.

Answer 82

America became involved and held air strikes on Serb forces which led to peace conferences.

Question 83

Terms of the 1995 peace treaty on Balkans.

Answer 83

Guaranteed Bosnian independance.