Realignment of the Labour Party

When was Neil Kinnock leader of the party?

1983—92

What policies of the 1983 manifesto did Kinnock remove?

• unilateral nuclear disarmament

• withdrawal from EEC

• increased taxation on high incomes

Who was the party’s director of communications/spin doctor?

Peter Mandelson

When was John Smith made the party’s shadow chancellor?

1987

When did Kinnock end the party’s support for closed shop union agreements?

1989

What is a closed shop union agreement?

employer agrees to only hire union members, and employees have to remain a member of a union to stay employed

When did Kinnock resign as party leader?

4 days after the 1992 election loss

Which party was exepected to win the 1992 election?

Labour — ahead in opinion polls after Major became PM

When was John Smith leader of the party?

1992—94

What policy did Smith introduce in 1993?

One Member One Vote

When did Smith introduce the policy that abolished the trade union block vote?

1993

What happened unexpectedly in 1994?

Smith died of a heart attack

When was Tony Blair leader of the party?

1994—2007

Who were the two main contenders for Labour leadership after Smith’s death, who formed a deal to avoid dividing the party?

• Tony Blair

• Gordon Brown

When did Blair persuade the party to rewrite Clause IV of the party’s constitution?

1995

What was happening globally, particularly in Eastern Europe, that made the socialist ideas of ‘Old Labour’ seem outdated?

collapse of communism

What public perception was the Labour party trying to break away from?

‘tax-and-spend’

What did Labour promise it would do when in power?

follow Conservative spending plans

What made Blair a good leader?

• skilled communicator

• presented air of moderation

• won over Middle England

What two groups of voters did the Labour party become attractive to?

• women

• young people

What modern pop song did Labour choose as their campaign theme song?

‘Things Can Only Get Better’

What was the name of the person that left journalism to join Labour and became integral in the party’s relation to the press?

Alastair Campbell

What two contradictory arguments did the Conservatives try to use against the Labour party?

• Labour messaging was just stolen Conservative policies

• ‘New Labour’ was just Old Labour in disguise

What party was set up for the 1997 election that won no seats but may have damaged Conservatives in marginal seats and kept Conservative divisions over Europe in the news?

Referendum Party

What constituency became symbolic of election night as a young Labour candidate defeated the major Conservative “beast” Portillo?

Enfield

2 other contributions to Conservative defeat

• tactical voting

• just time for a change in the minds of the public

How many seats did Labour win in 1997?

418

How many seats did the Conservatives win in 1997?

166

What position was Gordon Brown given in Tony Blair’s government?

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Labour’s 5-point pledge card

1. cut class sizes for young children

2. fast-track punishment for young offenders

3. cut NHS waiting lists

4. get under-25s off benefits and into work

5. no rise in income TAX, cut VAT on heating to 5%, inflation + interest rates as low as possible