New Labour's Domestic/Social Policy

Devolution

Blair held referendums in Scotland and Wales in 1997 asking the population of those nations if they wanted political bodies to govern certain aspects of those nations. Both voted yes and got their Assemblies in 1998.

Both have had multiple more acts and powers granted to them since then.

Northern Ireland were granted Devolution in the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 and haven’t had any changes since following the Downing St. Declaration in 1993.

National Minimum Wage Act 1998

Set a legal minimum wage targeting low-income earners, aiming to lift many out of poverty without hindering employment.

Raised the incomes of millions without causing significant job losses as critics feared.

Women

Many women found they were still expected to take responsibility for the larger share of housework and childcare despite having jobs.

In 1997 election, more than 100 MPs were in the HoC with the media labelling them ‘Blair’s Babes’ but still faced the ‘glass ceiling’ many women faced in the work place.

New Deal for Young People, 1998

Announced in April 1998, the NDYP aimed at creating jobs for young people aged 18-24.

It also provided training, education, and subsidised employment to help them get better and more skilled jobs.

House of Lords Reform

House of Lords Act 1999 - Removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to stie and vote 92.

Constitutional Reform Act 2005 - Blair removed the Appellate Committee and Law Lords from the HoL and set up a UK Supreme Court that opened in 2009.

Immigration

The enlargement of the EU in 2004 saw the entry of eastern European countries such as Latvia and Poland with the right to come to Britain and work.

By 2006, 1 million Poles had arrived, tensions did rise in certain areas but the response was generally positive.

Multi-Culturalism

Britain had a history of racial tensions (Notting Hill 1958) which meant that Social segregation occurred and produced ethnic enclaves which sparked even more tensions between these enclaves.

Religious Hatred Act 2006 - Designed to protect people from being abused for their religious beliefs, although critics felt religious hatred was too vague a concept to be able to be defined in law.

Population and The Work Force

The population hit 60.5 million in 2006, rising 5 million since 1971.

However average age rose from 34→39. The population ageing had doubled the number of pensioners between 1956-2006.

Led to unjust burden on the working population and dramatised theories that there would be a war between young and old.

Education

When Blair was campaigning he announced his priorities as “education, education, education” with the main objectives being to raise standards and achieve greater equality of opportunity.

• Sure Start Centres - Targeted support for families in the most deprived areas

• Education maintained allowance - Financial support for students staying in Post-16 education.

• Children Act 2004 and ‘Every Child Matters’ policy - placed children at the centre of public services.

• Principle that Universities should contribute to tuition costs, fees hiked in 2004 despite backbench backlash.

Poverty and Welfare

Child Poverty:

• 1999, Blair pledged “our historic aim is that ours is first generation to end child poverty forever”

• From 1997-2008, pensioner poverty fell from 20%→14%

Welfare Reform:

• 1st year of Blair’s government, sever cuts made to benefit lone parents - rational was single parents work whilst state provided cheap, free childcare.

• Welfare policy aimed to make social security a route into employment, reducing taxes and penalties that discourage work

Winter Fuel Allowance, 1997

Annual tax-free heating allowance of between £100-£300 made to those over the pension age. It meant that many older people were able to ‘survive’ the winter but did extend the powers of the state beyond that of previous governments.

Human Rights Act 1998

Introduced the European standard for Human Rights outlined by the ECHR into the UK constitution.

Jobseeker’s Allowance 1996

Introduced a 40hr week and combined previous unemployment systems into 1.

Divided into condition based and income based.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Provided a general right of access of information by public authorities

‘Open Government’

Good Friday Agreement 1998

Why was it made? - Blair and Bertie Ahern worked together along with Sinn Fein agreed the need to decommission weapons and the paramilitaries agreed. Held a referendum in RoI and NI: RoI voted 95%, NI voted 71% in favour.

Mo Mowlam - Blair’s Sec. of State for NI who was open and approached both sides building relationships with Unionists and Nationalists. Helped create the trust needed for negotiations.

Successes:

• Ended large scale violence which lasted 30 years.

• After GFA, violence dramatically decreased.

• Brought extremists into politics

• Leaders like Gerry Adam’s became political actors instead of relying on conflict for progress

Failures:

• Peace was fragile - Stormont suspended in 2002 due to tensions

• Decommissioning problems - IRA delayed giving up weapons causing mistrust

• Continued Violence - Omagh Bombing 1998 (28 dead), not all groups accepted peace

• Controversial decisions - Early release of paramilitary prisoners, many saw negotiating with terrorists morally wrong.

Signed 10th April 1998 in Belfast.