Thatcherism 1979-1987

• What year did thatcher become prime minister?

  1979
• How many elections did Thatcher win in a row?

  3
• Thatcher, how did the longest unbroken period for any PM in the 20th century - how many years?

  11
• Why did thatcher feel she had an insight into the problems of housewives and an understanding of ordinary people?

  She grew up, helping run her father’s grocery shop
• What are factors main beliefs?

  Financial probity and reducing the power of the state
• What was the perception of Thatcher after the Falkland islands?

  Likened in her ability to rouse the nation
• What did other people believe about her in terms of the Falkland islands?

  She provoked the war on purpose
• What incident proved her, behaviour in 1984?

  The IRA tried to assassinate her - calmness and composure gave her strong image
• Why was the special relationship we developed?pp

  She decided with Reagan in condemning the USSR as the evil Empire, and they had a mutual liking and respect
• What were Thatchers three economic objectives?

  1. Reverse economic decline
  2. Carefully cost policies
  3. Fundamental change of direction
• What word Thatchers criticisms of previous economic policies.?

  Had allowed harmful, social and economic habits with unnecessary government, interference and over powerful unions
• What did Enoch Powell influence in the new right?


  Social and political issues, very free-market
• Who was Milton Friedman?


  An economist who challenged Keynesianism and argued monetarism
• What did supporters of a free-market believe?

  Capitalism
• Who was Norman Tebbit?

  Essex MP, who blamed emoji decline of country on socialism
• Why did Thatcherite's support the police?

  Law and order
• Why did Thatcher have a problem with postwar consensus?

  Believed state shouldn’t reward the incompetent and half-hearted
• What does Thatcher believe in in terms of the economy?

  Individual accountability
• Why was Thatcher critical of heath?

  Had pushed Britain further toward socialism than even Labour
• What did one nation conservatives believe in?

  State involvement, listen to people, post war consensus
• Who did that to ensure most of the key posts were taken up by?

  Dries – ‘one of us’
• Who were two people, key economic posts were given to?

  John Biffen and Nigel Lawson - men with dry approaches to the economy and Finance
• Who was the ‘wet’ exception in the cabinet?

  Jim Prior
• Who was Michael Heseltine?

  Leading Conservative politician, who was pro-European and conflicted with Thatcher
• When and why did Michael Heseltine resign?

  1986, over the Westland fair
• Who was the labour party Leader during Thatcher??

  Michael Foot
• What did Michael foot believe in?

  Radical programs, public spending, nationalisation
• When did the SDP emerge?

  1981
• What was the SDP?

  Social Democratic Party
• Who was in the SDP?

  A group of labour politicians, including Jenkins, named ‘the Gang of Four’
• Why was the Labour Party conference in 1981 divisive?

  Showed hostility towards hard left
• What was the alliance?


  The liberals and SDP, working together in 1983, and 1987
• Why was the alliance not good for Labour?

  Showed their divisions, relations between leaders tense
• Why was Labour not demographically strong?

  Seen as having lost touch and working class loyalty lost
• Who became the leader of the Labour Party in 1983?

  Neil Kinnock
• How did Kinnock take on extremist, militant tendency?

  Denounced them and told the party it had to adapt to the real world
• Why did Kinnocks reforms help?

  Pagan policy review and rejected unilateralism
• Why was Kinnocks speech in 1985 good for the Labour Party?

  showed party was willing to reform, but stole SDP values
• Why was thatcher strong in the 1983 election?

  Falklands War Showed her bold leadership
• The Falkland war was in 1982 and was a conflict between the UK and Argentina