Topic 5, Lesson 5: How successful were John Major's domestic policies?

Topic 5, Lesson 5: How successful were John Major's domestic policies?

Continued Privatisation (Coal and Railways)

Why they can be seen as a success:

• Privatisation raised significant revenue and reduced the need for government subsidies. This helped Major to maintain Conservaive goals of smaller government and lower public spending.

• Policies such as “Tell Sid” (from earlier privatisations) continued to encourage ordinary people to buy shares. This supported the Conservative aim of creating a ‘share-owning democracy’.

Why they can be seen as a failure:

• The Privatisation of British rail is often viewed as the weakest example. Fragmentation (different companies were responsible for different parts of the rail e.g. the tracks, tickets, maintenance) led to coordination problems, rising fares, and safety concerns.

• Many industries became private monopolies, meaning consumers had little real choice. In utilities, prices often rose after privatisation.

• Public dissatisfaction → By the mid-1990s, privatisation - especially of rail and water - was unpopular. Critics argued services prioritised profits over public interest.

Failure to close the mines

→ In 1991, Michael Heseltine announced the closure of 31 mining pits

→ Workers in Nottinghamshire were not happy because this was a poor reward for them after they famously stood against Scargill by refusing to take part in the 1984-1985 Miners Strike

→ Conservative MPs outcry

→ Michael Heseltine forced to U-Turn and keep the mines open

Successful closure of the mines

→ However, by 1994, no coal mines were left in Britain

British Railways was privatised in 1996

The government also tried to privatise the Post Office, but ran into public opposition which forced them to abandon the scheme.

Topic 5, Lesson 5: How successful were John Major's domestic policies?

The 1991 Citizens Charter

The Citizens Charter (1991)

A document setting out the rights of citizens

By making public services accountable when they do not meet certain standards

Schools: League tables of examination results, truancy and leaver’s destinations were introduced into schools.

For example, schools are required to ensure their students have a minimum attendance of 95%.

NHS: Patients had guaranteed time limits for all consultations and some treatments

Utility Companies: Some utility companies, such as gas and electricity, were expected to offer and keep appointments for home visits

Compensation was made available. For example, “cones hotline” was a phone number motorists could call if motorways were closed off without any sign of roadworks.

Topic 5, Lesson 5: How successful were John Major's domestic policies?

Public Finance Initiative (PFI)

Public-private partnerships that meant private companies would fund infrastructure improvements and then deliver public services that the state would pay for over the length of the PFI contract.

e.g. private companies began to build schools

In the short term, PFI was useful becuase it allowed rapid investment without immediate public spending, but it had bad value for money in the long term. Expensive repayments for 25-30 years, inflexibility of contracts and the burden on future budgets mean it is now widely regarded as more of a failure than a success.

Topic 5, Lesson 5: How successful were John Major's domestic policies?

The NHS Internal Market

The NHS Internal Market (1991)

Meant that different units within the NHS were free to buy services from one another.

Intention was to drive down costs and push up efficiency

Topic 5, Lesson 5: How successful were John Major's domestic policies?

The National Lottery

The National Lottery (1993)

Sums raised by people betting

These sums paid for prizes, costs and profits of administrations

Also donated large sums to the arts, heritage, sport and other “good causes”

Topic 5, Lesson 5: How successful were John Major's domestic policies?

Mad Cow Disease

Led to British beef being banned for sale in Europe by the European Union (EU)