general elections: 1997 and 2017

run up to 1997 election

• 1992 surprise john major win

• tories became divided over EU and Maastricht Treaty

• Blair takes leadership in 1994

1997 tory key policies

• focus on econ recovery → overshadowed by europe

• ‘referendum party’ disrupted tory campaign ensuring issue of euro was prominent throughout

labour 1997 key polcies

• reassurance about their economic managment

• 5 key pledges: cut class sizes, fast track punishment system for young offenders, cut NHS waiting lists, get 250,000 unemp under 25s into work, cut VAT on heating and not raise income tax

1997 LibDem key polies

• democratic reforms to crete greater equality

• wated to inc spending on education by inc income tax by 1p in the pound

length of 1997 campaing

Mjaor setled for 6 weeks

longer than usual 31 day standard

hopes would put pressure on blair and expose labour divisions

1997 campaign focuses

• focussed on main leaders with manifestosreflecting themes of parties

• tory: ‘you can only be sure with the conservatives’

• lab: ‘bc britian deserves better’

1997 campaign varies and issues

• labour striclty ran from millbank media centre by balir, brown, mandelson, campbell and gould

• tory highlighted dangers of blair and lab party restoring inf to TU

• sleaze as dominant issue: record of sex scandals and financial corruption among tory MPs

impact of 1997 camp

inc of apathy: long campaign and little differecne between party policies, media focused on sleaze

• media focused electioneering: rise in US partisan style counter-claim advetising, more negative confrontational style of campaigning used in UK

• financial recession of 1992 likely impact resulted

1997 tory seats and vote

165, 171 lost, 30.7%

1997 labour seats won and %

418, gained 147, 43.2%

how did people vote 1997: region and class

• L gained voes across all regions disrupting N/S trend

• tory wiped out in scot ad wales and red to 11 in london

• lib dem est stronghold in south west

• lab gained supp across all classes w largest gaines in C1 (+19%) and C2 (+15%)

how did people vote 1997: geder and age

• lab closed the gedner gap w men and women equally likely to support them

• tory dom in 65+ but lab won all other groups

how did peopl vote 1997: race

• lab won 43% of white vote and 70% BME

• tory 32% white vote and 17% BME

2017 tory key policies

• brexit

• policies relating to austerity, promises to protect NHS, major reforms in education

2017 labour key policies

• improve welfare provisio and inc investemet

• abol tuition fees and intro 4 ew bank holidays

2017 lib dem key policies

• type of brexit and need for second referendum after negotiations

• offered series of soc reforms funded by inc in tax and potential cuts

2017 ukip and snp policies

• ukip: ensuring tories commit to hard brexit

• snp: promised to fight for scottish interests in the brexit negotiations nd indep ref

issues i tory campaign

• ‘dementia tax’ triggered U-turn within 24hr

• removal of triple lock on pensons and grammar school commitments alienated some voters

• may refused to participate head to head debates

• terrorist attacks: concerns raised - cuts to police sevies an failure of home office to deal w suspects before the attacks

2017 tory seats

318, 42.4% of vote, lost 13

labour 2017 votes and seats

262, 40%

impact of election 2017

• suggests return of 2 party system: both held 89% of seats

• tory loss of 13 seats weakened may’s position esp after grenfell disaster

• corbyn secured place: gaining 30 seats and 40% of vote

how did ppl vote: region 2017

• lab agined some rural areas

• lab gained strenght in london

• ukip wiped out

• snp fell back in scotland w most gains from tories

class, gender age, 2017

• tory gained in c2 and de

• la agined votes ab and c1: class div minimal

• male vote leaned towards tories

• turning point of voting from lab to tory 47

• 18-24: lowest turnout but inc sig and predom labour