Major - politics

Question 1

How were the Conservatives divided?

Answer 1

Between “Wets” and “Drys”
Between Eurosceptic and Pro-european

Question 2

How did Major try and deal with divisions in the party?

Answer 2

Gave both “Wets” and “Drys” powerful positions in his cabinet

Question 3

Give an example of a “Wet” in Major’s cabinet.

Answer 3

Ken Clarke who was Home Secretary in 1992 and Chancellor in 1995

Question 4

Give an example of a “Dry” in Major’s cabinet.

Answer 4

Michael Howard was Home Secretary in 1995

Question 5

How did Major appease Thatcherites?

Answer 5

Domestic policies such as the Citizens Charter of 1991 and the privatisation of British Rail in 1994

Question 6

What was the impact of Major’s attempts to maintain party unity?

Answer 6

By balancing all the opposing views, Major was creating a Conservative Party with an identity crisis. By removing Thatcher’s radical policies, Major was just viewed as a “Caretaker PM”

Question 7

What scandals took place in 1992?

Answer 7

Resignation of David Mellor
Arms-to-Iraq Scandal

Question 8

When was the “Cash-for-Questions Affair”?

Answer 8

1994-6

Question 9

What highlights Major’s failure to shake the “Sleaze label”?

Answer 9

The Anti-Sleaze Candidate in 1997 - Martin Bill ran as an independent candidate in the 1997 election under the title of the “anti-sleaze” candidate - he was elected MP. First successful independent parliamentary candidate since 1951.

Question 10

How did Major respond to sleaze in October 1994?

Answer 10

Established the Committee of Standards in Public Life (“Nolan Committee”) to advise the PM on ethical standards.

Question 11

What impact did the “Nolan Committee” have?

Answer 11

Led to the seven principles of public life in 1995

Question 12

What and when was the Defamation bill?

Answer 12

1996, allowed MPs to waive their parliamentary privilege - allowed statements made by Neil Hamilton in the Commons to be used in court.

Question 12

In what ways did Major fail to tackle sleaze?

Answer 12

Failed to respond fast enough and at times showed misguided loyalty to party members (Steven Norris)
Moral undertones of his “Back to Basics” speech provoked tabloid press.

Question 13

What was the outcome of the 1997 election?

Answer 13

Labour won 418 seats to Conservatives 165 seats - the heaviest defeat any government had undergone in the twentieth century.

Question 14

What were the “Modernising” features of New Labour?

Answer 14

Nationalisation was to be abandoned as a party objective
Promised that capitalism would be safe in New Labour’s hands
Legal restrictions on trade unions were to be maintained
Would no longer present its policies in terms of class struggle

Question 15

Who did New Labour target?

Answer 15

Targeted the middle-class of Britain

Question 16

When was Blair’s speech to the conference, and why was it significant?

Answer 16

14th October 1994 - outlined a shift in Labour’s policies from the left to becoming more central.

Question 17

Give an example of how Blair moved Labour more central in his speech.

Answer 17

Phrases such as “tough on the causes of crime”, still maintained traditional Labour values of prevention whilst introducing elements of a right-wing authoritarian approach.

Question 18

What were spin doctors?

Answer 18

Special advisers employed by politicians to present their policies in the best possible light

Question 19

How did Labour use spin doctors?

Answer 19

Alistair Campbell and Peter Mandelson helped Blair manage the media and judge the public mood, enabling him to successfully adapt and fit the zeitgeist - “Cool Britannia”

Question 20

How were Labour progressive in their approach to women?

Answer 20

101 female Labour MPs, adopted all-women shortlists in half the constituencies judged to be winnable in the 1997 election. Dubbed as “Blair’s babes” - successfully encompassing “Third wave feminism”