Paper 1: Election 1997

Policies and manifesto

-Labour and conservatives were moderate

-High priority to bring inflation down

-Conservatives: Thatcher had little indication of radical reform (denationalisation/trade unions)

Campaign

-Conservatives did publicity stunts: Thatcher did photo opps of drinking tea and photo of her with baby cow that would be named Victory if she won

-Callaghan seen as more experienced with 20 point lead in polls

Context

-Labour weak despite Callaghan’s popularity, minority gov so stuggled to pass laws, cap on 5% wage increase

-Winter of discontent, strikes and Callaghan attacked by The Sun as he left on international business in the Carribean “Crisis? What Crisis?”

Factors influencing voting patterns

Class dealignment as working class voters with more patriotic values that value trad institutions like the monarchy shifted to vote tory

Factors influencing voting behavior

-Many skilled workers voted tory as disenchanted with incompetance of Labour govs in 70s

-Economic voting model: Conservatives thought to deliver greater economic prosperity Winter of discontent