1979

• Context

  Took place after Callaghan lost a vote of no confidence
• Results

  • Conservatives won a 43 seat majority with 339 seats and 43% of the vote
  • Labour won 269 seats with 36% of the vote
  • Turnout stood at 76%
• Governing Competence

  Callaghan was seen as weak due to losing vote of no confidence by one vote, he couldn't control take unions and didn't handle the winter of discontent well
• Manifesto

  Conservatives: control inflation, increase home ownership and improve Britain's defences

  Labour: control inflation, tackling unemployment, using Britain's influence to destroy world poverty
• Leadership

  Thatcher was seen as decisive, competent and effective.

  Callaghan (was more popular than Thatcher) was seen as weak and incompetent
• Issue Voting

  Labour was divided over winter of discontent which left many people dissatisfied with them (possibly resulting in more tactical voting)
• Campaign

  Conservatives: focused heavily on labours failures with slogans such as "Labour isn't working"

  Televised debates were proposed with Callaghan keen on the idea but Thatcher refused to attend (after being convinced by her PR assistant it was a lose lose situation)
• Media

  Stoked harsh criticism of labour with headlines such as "Crisis what crisis"