Labour divisions

what new political party was formed + when?

SDP, Jan 1981

who set up the SDP

‘gang of four’ = david owen, roy jenkins, shirley williams, bill rodgers

how many labour mps followed them into the SDP

28

why was the SDP formed?

MPs felt Labour was being taken over by extremists, need to build a new centrist alternative 

give 2 by-election successes 

• Shirley Williams, conservative seat of Crosby, Nov 1981 

• Jenkins, Glasgow Hillhead, March 1982

example of Labour defeat

defeated by Liberals in previously safe, w/c seat of Bermondsey, East London

what alliance was formed? 

SDP-Liberal Alliance, also known as “the Alliance” 

why did the SDP-Liberal Allaince not work out?

tensions between the ‘two Davids’ - leaders

what was press coverage like for Labour?

hostile 

what specific Labour support decline

working class 

give 4 ways in which ex Labour supporters now voted 

• supported thatcher instead

• voted liberal/sdp 

• still supported far left 

• became apathetic 

what was the party conference in Wembley notorious for?

hostility shown towards speakers by hard left hecklers, convinced moderates e.g. Shirley Williams that it was time to give up on Labour

when did Kinnock replace Foot as leader?

1983

who did Kinnock expel in 1986 and who were they + slogan 

Militant Tendency, followed Trotskyite ideas of revolutionary socialism.