Labour Party Evidence Flashcards
Blair
Blair won by a landslide in May 1997, helped by the disintegration of John Major’s conservative government. He then went on to be re-elected twice, though he became unpopular due to the Iraq War, before standing down in 2007 to be replaced by his long-serving chancellor Gordon Brown, who was defeated in the 2010 election.
Brown and the response to the 2008 financial crash
- in response to the 2008 financial crisis, the treasury pumped money into the banking system in order to boost economic activity and the government nationalised or part-nationalised the most vulnerable banks to restore confidence.
- Brown broke an earlier promise to not raise income tax levels by creating a new 50% band for over £150,000 annual earnings
Labour Party policy under Miliband
Period of opposition under Miliband between 2010 and 2015 saw the party take up a not always coherent position. Maintained some of new Labour’s policies while shifting slightly to the left.
He called for the restoration of the 50% top take rate, reduced 5% by the coalition, as well as a temporary energy prince freeze.
Miliband tried to combine New Labour’s support for business with the defence of the working class.
how was Miliband presented in the media
- he was dubbed ‘Red Ed’ with many media commentators ascribing his defeat in the 2015 May election to his perceived hostility to the private sector and willingness to return to ‘tax and spend’ policies.
What 6 big nationalisations did Labour pledge in 2019
In 2019, Labour pledged 6 big nationalisations
Rail, mail, water, energy, broadband and ending Private Finance Initiatives
Would have led to a £200B increase in the assets held by the public sector
Labour law and order policy in 2019 and 2017
In 2019 and 2017, Labour also pledged to end immigration targets
Corbyn Law and Order policies
- Corbyn opposed cuts to police numbers as he believed it jeopardised public safety
- Corbyn’s premiership was marred by accusations of being close to terrorist groups in the past
What did Corbyn oppose and what did he pledge to replace (welfare policies)
Corbyn strongly opposed benefit cuts and also pledged in 2019 to replace universal credit
Also opposed the use of the private sector to deliver public services, a central aspect of New Labour, and argued for a wholly state-run NHS.
- pledged an annual increase of 4.3% in overall health and social care spending.
In 2019 what age did labour pledge to freeze the state pension age at (welfare policies)
66
In 2019 and 2019 Labour pledged to scrap, end and introduce
Scrap tuition fees
End the charitable status of private schools
Introduce a lifelong adult learning service
Foreign Policy - Corbyn - NATO and trident
Although as a backbencher Corbyn was generally anti-capitalist and anti-western and wanted the UK out of NATO and to get rid of trident
In 2017 and 2019 election, the Labour Party pledged not to pull out of NATO and to pay for Trident, due to the insistence of the public and moderate MPs in and out of cabinet.
Foreign Policy - Corbyn - 2019 manifesto included
That they would have a second referendum on Brexit, which was strongly supported by Starmer at the time, though Corbyn’s view was less clear, making him look weak.
Labour Party- council house pledge 2019
In 2019, Labour pledged to build 100,000 council houses each year by 2024
In 2019 labour pledged what surrounding childcare
In 2019, Labour pledged to extend 30 hours of free childcare to all two-to-four year olds.
Current Labour economic policies
- those earning over £80k will pay a little more income tax, but national insurance tax for everyone else will be frozen.
- criticised the conservatives approach to the cost of living crisis and pledged to decrease disparities within society
- Starmer has pledged to create a nationalised Great British Energy Company and to nationalise rail, but removed Corbyn’s other planned nationalisations.
