Political Developments: The Westland Affair and 1987 Election Flashcards
(28 cards)
When did the Westland Affair occur?
1986
Who was one of the people involved in the Westland Affair?
Michael Heseltine
What was the affair over?
The future of the Westland Helicopter Company
What was significant about the Westland Helicopter Company?
It was the last British Helicopter manufactureer
What happened to the Westland Helicopter Company in the end?
It was sold to the USA
What was the impact of how Thatcher handled the affair?
Michael Heseltine resigned
Who favoured a European company to take control of the Helicopter company?
Michael Heseltine
Why did Heseltine want a European company to take control of Westland?
So that the USA did not have full power over selling Helicopters to Britain
What did Thatcher herself say about the Westland affair?
It was the closest she ever came to resigning
Why was a pre-election budget made?
To get more votes for the Conseratives
Who was Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1987?
Nigel Lawson
What had Lawson done economically in 1986?
Deregulated the London Stock Market
What had Thatcher’s government been continuously doing economically since 1983?
Privatisation
What did Lawson announce for public spending in his 1987 budget?
£8 billion more would be spent on public services
Name 2 services that the public spending surge would go to
Education, Health
What percentage of the GDP was spent on education in 1980?
5.2%
What percentage of the GDP was spent on education in 1985?
4.8%
What percentage was inflation at in 1987?
3%
What was the case for unemployment every month after 1986?
It decreased
What had Labour tried to do to their party overall to be more appealling?
Rebrand themselves
How many council homes had been sold by 1987?
1 million
What did Thatcher’s government do in October 1986 that was beneficial for the public?
They deregulated the stock market
Where did Thatcher visit before the 1987 election?
Moscow
Who did Thatcher meet with in Moscow?
Gorbachev
