1997 general election Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in 1997 general election Deck (35)
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1
Q

background

A

john major’s party divided over EU issue

2
Q

how many members elected

A

659

3
Q

winning party

A

labour landslide victory

4
Q

how many years had labour been in opposition

A

18

5
Q

what was labours parliamentary majority

A

179

6
Q

how many seats did labour win

A

418

7
Q

conservative to labour swing

A

10.2%

8
Q

turnout

A

71% last national vote turnout to exceed 70%

9
Q

Blair’s leadership

A

centrist policy ‘New Labour’

10
Q

Labours campaign pledges

A

creation of national minimum wage, devolution referendums scot+wales, greater economic competence than cons

11
Q

conservative party campaign

A

emphasised falling employment+economic recovery after after 1990 recession

12
Q

why did the cons lose

A

disunity over EU, black wednesday, electorate wanting change after 18 years

13
Q

black wednesday

A

refers to September 16, 1992, when a collapse in the pound sterling forced Britain to withdraw from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM).

14
Q

cons worst defeat since…

A

1906
165 MPs
lowest % share of the votes 1832
no seats scot and wales

15
Q

Lib Dems

A

Paddy Ashdown

46 MPs

16
Q

SNP

A

6 MPs

17
Q

what did Blair abolish

A

clause IV which committed to mass nationalisation of industry+ reversed policy on unilateral nuclear disarment

18
Q

Labours manifesto

A

class sizes cut below 30 for 4,5,6 yr
cut NHS waiting lists treating 100,000 patients
250,000 under 25s off benefits
inflation+interest rates low as possible
no income tax rise

19
Q

why did major want a long campaign

A

‘expose’ labours hollowness +conservative campaign would show stabability

20
Q

conservative campaign problems

A

James Goldsmiths referendum party advocate EU mbrship

21
Q

cons poster attacking labour

A

‘new labour, new danger’

22
Q

what were the two approaches taken to attack labour

A

new labour was facade

copying conservative position

23
Q

liberal democrats promises

A

increase education funding increase income tax

24
Q

how did lib dems double their number of seats

A

tactical voting

25
Q

how did labour win

A

tony blairs charisma, popular in contrast

PR managed by Alastair Campbell+ Peter Mandelson

26
Q

what ruined the conservative rep

A

bad economy

27
Q

suns newspaper switched to supporting labour with which headline

A

‘give labour a chance’

they claimed to have won cons 1992 election

28
Q

what did the sun publish which damaged cons rep

A

Piers Merchant involved in adulterous affairs with 17 year old in night club

29
Q

how did major alienate some con voters

A

attack labs plans for devolution of scotland and wales cons lost those voters

30
Q

how did blair anger voters in scotland

A

compared scottish parliament to an English parish council

31
Q

opinion polls

A

labour (43-53%)

cons (28-33%)

32
Q

media bias

A

sun back lab
times more positive about lab
sun backed winning party since 1970s (no proof)

33
Q

why were newspapers losing influence

A

more people getting political tv news

34
Q

spin doctors

A

politicians employ press adivisors

35
Q

what was this election seen as

A

‘media election’

economy was stable+no radical policies (still a big swing)