Save
...
Paper 1
Voting behaviour and media
1997
Save
Share
Learn
Content
Leaderboard
Share
Learn
Created by
HarunHobbes
Visit profile
Cards (11)
T – The Pledge
Labour’s 5-point
pledge card
made promises on key issues.
Simple and clear — helped build
trust
with voters.
N – New
Labour
Blair
rebranded the party as
centrist
, modern and electable.
Dropped
Clause IV
, embraced business — appealed to
middle-class
voters.
E –
Eurosceptics
Tory divisions over
Europe
were a big problem.
Made the party look split and ungovernable.
M –
Major
John Major, the
PM
, was seen as weak and divided (especially over
Europe
).
Couldn’t control his party or energise voters.
S – Song ("
Things Can Only Get Better
")
Labour
used this as their campaign anthem.
Gave the campaign a modern, upbeat, hopeful feel.
S – Sleaze
Tory government under
Major
was damaged by scandals (
cash for questions
, sex scandals).
Public saw the
Conservatives
as corrupt and tired.
S – Sleaze
Tory government under
Major
was damaged by scandals (
cash for questions
, sex scandals).
Public saw the
Conservatives
as corrupt and tired.
E –
Education, Education, Education
Blair’s
campaign focused heavily on improving schools.
Memorable slogan showed clear priorities.
S – Swing (everywhere!)
A huge national swing to
Labour
of
10.2%
.
Labour won
418
seats, Tories down to just
165
.
S – Sun
The Sun newspaper famously switched support to Labour.
Headline:
“The Sun
Backs
Blair”
Big influence on public opinion.
A –
Alastair Campbell
Labour’s
media chief
, helped control the message and avoid gaffes.
Professionalised Labour’s press strategy —
spin doctor
role.