Topic 6: Conservatives (1997-2007) Flashcards
1
Q
6
Describe the 1997 Conservative leadership contest
A
- 1997 party was half size of 1992 party and more eurosceptic
- frontrunner Portillo had lost seat
- Heseltine declined to contest leadership citing health concerns (supported Clarke)
- Clarke faced considerable hostility from right - ‘anyone but Clarke’ campaign
- Thatcher’s preffered candidate, eurosceptic Hague, won despite only securing 25% of votes on first ballot
- Hague won as had fewest enemies
2
Q
6
Describe the policies of the Conservatives under Hague
A
- Criticism of further European legislation did not resonate with public
- 2000, opposed Blair’s plans to repeal Section 28 - failed to judge public mood
- 2000, accussed of crude populism after support of Norfolk farmer Tony Martin who shot intruder
- 2000, Portillo (CX) promised to strengthen BoE independence and not repeal minimum wage - centrist consensus
- Promoted ‘Tebbit Trinity’ of europe, immigration and tax cuts at 2001 election
- Labour attacked Conservatives on source of tax cuts, alleging they would reduce public spending
3
Q
5
Describe the image of Hague
A
- 36 year-old - youthfulness and inexperience led to no power base
- Demonstrated in limited political intution (Section 28, Tony Martin)
- Assiduous at PMQs but lacked political gravitas of Blair
- Mocked for wearing baseball cap, appearing at Notting Hill Carnival in 1997 and for teenage boasting of drinking 14 pints
- Heseltine criticised Hague’s ‘foreign land’ speech at 2001 Tory Party Conference
- 2001 Daily Telegraph poll found that 66% of voters thought he was a ‘wally’ and 70% felt he would say anything to win votes
4
Q
6
Describe the Conservative campaign under Hague
A
- 1999, spent £250k on ‘listening to Britian’ campaign to put Conservatives back in touch with public
- 1999 EP elections - critical of further European integration but muted on ‘euro’ stance to appease pro-europeans
- Held brief lead in 2000 polls due to public organisation during fuel strikes
- by 2001, retreated to traditional Conservative pre-occupations of Europe (‘the fight to save the pound’), a hard line on immigration and law and order
- Disaligned with electorate’s priorities of health, education and transport
- Hague backed Jeffrey Archer to run for London mayor in 2000, who was soon convicted for perjury for 1987 libel trial
5
Q
3
Describe internal opposition to Hague
A
- Portillo won Kensington and Chelsea by-election in 1999
- Portillo had embodied social liberal ideas upon return including admitting past homosexuality
- Made Shadow CX in 2000 as Hague felt threatened
6
Q
3
Describe the electoral performance of Hague’s conservatives
A
- 1999 European Elections - won 36 MEP seats compared to Labour’s 29
- 2000 London Mayoral Election - overshadowed by Archer affair as independent Livingstone won
- 2001 - increased seat total by only one
7
Q
2
Describe the electoral base of the Conservatives by 2001
A
- Right-wing positions had prevented some Conservative voters drifitng to UKIP or BNP
- Did little to appeal to middle ground
8
Q
6
Describe the 2001 Conservative Party leadership election
A
- Rules changed to allow members to vote on final 2 candidates
- Eurosceptic IDS won 1/3 of PLP support
- Con membership vote: IDS (61%) vs Clarke (39%)
- IDS won support of Thatcher for right-wing eurosceptic views
- IDS had democratic legitimacy no previous leader had held, though lacked confidence of PLP who could oust him in no-confidence vote
- Negative campaigning against Clarke, Portillo
9
Q
6
Describe the image of IDS and his Conservativres
A
- Seen as unknown, uncharismatic, unelected and ineffective in PMQs
- Proclaimed himself the ‘quiet man’ in 2002
- Prompted Labour backbenchers to raise fingers to lips and ‘shush’ IDS during PMQs
- Mocked for 2002 visit to deprived Easterhouse estate in Glasgow
- Even Conservative Party Chair, Theresa May, admitted the tories were the ‘nasty party’ in 2002
- Oct 2003, investigated by Parliamentary Watchdog for having wife on payroll despite doing no work
10
Q
5
Describe the policies of IDS
A
- Hard eurosceptic and social conservative
- Aimed for social justice to tackle poverty and family breakdown
- Imposed 3-line whip on supporting amendment to Adoption and Children Act 2002 to disqualify gay couples from adopting
- 2003, voted against repeal of Section 28 (though allowed PLP a free vote)
- Ardent support of Iraq War in 2003 after meeting VP Dick Cheney gave Conservatives little room to manoeuvre to position of critical opposition (LD claimed electoral success in 2005)
11
Q
4
Describe the downfall of IDS
A
- Oct 2003
- Major Party donor Stuart Wheeler claimed there was ‘overwhelming case’ to replace IDS
- Lost confidence vote 90-75 after refusing to resign
- Even Osborne, PMQ aide, secretly voted against IDS
12
Q
3
Describe the 2003 Tory leadership election
A
- Davis and Letwin immeidately announced Howard support
- Michael Howard won unopposed
- Board of Conservative Party decided against ratification vote by members
13
Q
6
Describe the image of Michael Howard
A
- More moderate, able and experienced politician than IDS
- claimed that as a grammar school boy he would not be lectured by privately-educated Blair
- Had reputation for toughness on law and order having served as Home Secretary between 1993-97
- lacked popular appeal
- no match for Blair at PMQs
- Ann Widdcombe suggested personal shadiness claiming there was ‘something of the night’ about him
14
Q
4
Describe the policies of Michael Howard
A
- Few policy initiatives
- Feb 2004, called on Blair to resign after failing to ask ‘basic questions’ regarding WMD claims
- Bush subsequently refused to meet Howard
- Abandoned much of IDS’s social justice work
15
Q
3
Describe party unity under Howard
A
- Focussed on party unity rather than modernisation
- February 2004, removed whip from Ann Winterton MP after she joked about 23 Chinese migrant deaths
- whip restored a month later
