labour

• what did the original labour symbol contain?

  a torch, quill and shovel to represent the fusion of the working class -> education + labour + socialism
• why did Labour use the red rose?

  national flower of england
• why do Labour use the colour red?

  associated with anti - authority since the middle ages and associated with socialism
• where on the political spectrum is labour?

  centre - left -> depending on leader and era
• what does the labour party want?

  • greater state intervention
  • social justice
  • strengthening worker's rights
• what ideology did labour fight to distance itself from?

  communism
• what clause committed the labour party to socialism in their 1918 constitution?

  clause IV
• which leader was described as a return to old labour?

  corbyn
• what did Corbyn want?

  to renationalise railways and utilities, reversing austerity and increasing taxes on businesses to pay for the welfare state
• when was the Labour Representation Group formed and who did it include?

  1900. Included trade union and left wing political groups
• what was the aim of the Labour Representation Group?

  to represent the industrial working class in parliament
• why was Micheal Foot not liked by many?

  he was seen as too radical as he went further left in 1979
• what did Clause IV in the 1918 constitution commit labour to?

  common ownership - widespread nationalism
• what is social democracy?


  an ideology that has similar values to socialism but within a capitalist free market framework
• when did Ed Miliband become leader and what was he labelled as by right wing newspapers?

  2010, Red Ed due to his appearance and personality
• who took over after Micheal Foot resigned and was he liked by the press?

  Neil Kinnock, no, he was labelled by tabloids as being the 'loony left'
• after Blair stepped down and Brown became PM, what was his reputation damaged by?

  the 2008 global financial crash which the conservatives successfully capitalised on
• when did Labour form its first minority government?

  1929 under Ramsay McDonald
• why did Corbyn's share of the vote increase in 2017 despite media criticism?

  his use of social media attracted younger voters
• in what ways was Corbyn a rebellious backbencher?

  during Blair's government he led the 'Stop the war' coalition against the war in Iraq. He also opposed nuclear weapons and the arms trade
• what did Blair's 1997 landslide victory allow him to pass?

  • removal of hereditary peers in the HOL
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Freedom of information act 2000
  • introduction of a national minimum wage
  • increase public spending
• what did Heath's government have trouble with?

  Northern Ireland and a dispute with miners in 1973 which led to the 'three day week'
• what is the 'third way'

  an ideological compromise developed by new labour. It balanced centre-right economic policy and centre left social policy
• what was Wilson's government (1964) responsible for?

  social and educational reforms such as the abolition of the death penalty, legalisation of abortion and homosexuality and the creation of comprehensive education and the Open University
• what was Atlee's government responsible (1945) for?

  creation of the NHS and welfare state, nationalisation of many industries such as electricity, steel, water and public transport
• what were some challenges that McDonald's government faced?

  Wall street crash 1929 and the subsequent Great Depression which led to unemployment doubling and the government had no real answers or solutions. He resigned after this
• when did the Labour party become the largest in the house of commons?

  1929 with 287 seats

  -> however, McDonald was still reliant on the support of the Liberal party
• in 1940 what did PM Churchill decide to do with the main parties?

  form a coalition
• after the defeat of Ed Miliband 'Blairites' called for what?


  a return to centrist policies again so that the party could really compete with Cameron

  -> corbyn's victory put an end to those wishes
• in 1994 when Blair became leader what did he recognise the success of and end up rewriting?

  the success of Thatcherite economic policies and he ended up rewriting clause IV to remove references of social economic policy
• what did Harold Wilson's government inherit?

  a large trade deficit that led to a currency crisis and a doomed attempt to stave off devaluation of the pound
• in 1977 the scottish labour party left callaghan which made him do deals with who?


  smaller parties. The nationalist parties then demanded devolution to their countries in return for their support

  -> referendums held in Scotland and Wales in 1979
• what did Labour's extremely left wing 1983 manifesto include?

  • unilateral nuclear disarmament
  • leaving the EEC and NATO
  • closer governmental influence in banking
  • national minimum wage
  • ban of fox hunting
• when did Starmer become leader and what did he aim to do?

  2020 - aimed to make labour electable after Corbyn and to improve the appeal to working class voters