Case Study - Prime Ministers

MARGARET THATCHER

-Prime Minister for other 11 years —> showing her strong electoral support and dominant leadership

-Won the general election in 1979, 1983 and 1987

THATCHERISM

• Much stronger focus on free-market economics (less state intervention than traditional Conservatives)

• Privatisation on a large scale (moving a business or service from government to private ownerships)

• Reduced power of trade unions —> by passing laws limiting strikes

• Emphasis on individual responsibility over welfare support —> didn’t believe in paternalism.

• More ideological and radical.

• Equal oppurtunity not equal outcome, but believe that inequality was a natural part of society.

Case Studies/ Examples on Thatcher to use in essays

Economic Policy:

• Privatisation – Sold state-owned industries like British Telecom and British Gas to increase efficiency, reduce government spending, and promote competition

• Tax changes – Cut income tax to encourage work and investment, but increased VAT, shifting the tax burden toward spending

Trade Unions:

• Trade Union Acts (1980, 1984) – Made strikes harder by requiring secret ballots and limiting union actions

• Miners’ Strike (1984–85) – Defeated the National Union of Mineworkers, showing unions had lost significant power

Social/ Welfare:

• Right to Buy scheme – Allowed council tenants to buy homes at a discount, increasing home ownership and promoting individual wealth

• Reduced welfare dependence by promoting self-reliance and individual responsibility

Political Impact:

• Developed “Thatcherism” – a clear ideology based on free markets, low taxes, and a smaller state

• Shifted British politics to the right economically, influencing later governments

TONY BLAIR

• Was prime minister for 10 years —> making him the longest serving Labour PM.

• Won the general election in 1997, 2001 and 2005

BLAIR POLITICAL STYLE

• He was a presidential (when a single elected president leads the government separately from the legislature) and highly centralise leader.

• Had a ‘sofa government’—> decision making was often just made by his special advisors and close workers (informal meetings), rather than involving the whole government and cabinet.

• Aimed to dominate political agenda

• Successfully pushed for minimum wage legislation and expanded tax credits

Case Studies/ Examples on Blair to use in essays

• ‘Sofa government’ —> decision making was concentrated in his smaller circle, consisting of special advisors and workers.

—> Iraq War 2003, Blair’s involvement shows strong US alignment but led to major political controversy and loss of trust.

• Had a huge majority in 1997 of 179, and in 2001 of 167—> making it easier for him to pass polices and bypass cabinet.

• Devolution 1998, created the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.

• Humans Rights Act 1998, incorporated the European Convention of Human Rights into the UK law —> sought to bring the UK "closer to the heart of Europe"

• House of Lords Reform 1999, removed hereditary peers —> 750 hereditary peers reduced to 92.

• Freedom of information Act 2000, increased government transparency

DAVID CAMERON

• Was prime minister for just over 6 years, before his resignation after the nation voted to leave the EU.

• Won the general election in 2010 and 2015

DAVID CAMERON POLITICAL POLICY

• 2010–2015: Coalition between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats after a hung parliament → limited Conservative power as policies had to be approved by Nick Clegg

• Lib Dems had influence in government, as Clegg was Deputy PM and Lib Dems had cabinet roles

• Key policy: Austerity → spending cuts and welfare reforms to reduce the deficit after 2008

• 2015–2016, Conservatives won a small majority—> David Cameron could govern without compromise

• Growing divisions within the Conservative Party (far right and more centralised) over the EU→ 2016 referendum called → vote to leave → Cameron resigned

• Promoted “Big Society” → one nation policy, shift power away from central government.

• He used the media to promote his more ‘modern’ approach, and to maintain close links with media proprietors

Case Studies/ Examples on Cameron to use in essays

Coalition government (2010–15):

• Governed with Nick Clegg → had to compromise policies

Economic Policy:

• Austerity policies to reduce government deficit and government spending —> spending cuts and welfare reforms to reduce deficit after 2008 financial crisis

Social/ Welfare:

• Introduced universal credit, combining several benefits into one payment.

• Created the Benefit Cap, which reduced the total amount a household could receive.

• Education Reforms, including expansion of academies and state schools —> Academy Act 2010, more schools could convert to academies

• Scottish Independent Referendum, 2001 majority voted YES, but in second referendum in 2014 Scotland voted NO.
  

EU Referendum:

• In the EU referendum the UK voted 52% to leave the EU —> took 4 years to close the Brexit deal.

Party Modernisation:

• Tried to “detoxify” Conservatives —> “Vote Blue, Go Green” to focus on environment.

• Strong use of media and image —> Same Sex Marriage legalised 2003 —> shows he used policy + media to improve the party’s image and appeal to a wider electorate.

THERESA MAY

• Was Prime Minister for 3 years

• She took over role as PM after David Cameron resigned in 2016.

• Theresa May survived two no-confidence votes (2018–19), but after her Brexit deal was rejected three times and poor 2019 EU election results, she resigned.

THERESA MAY POLITICAL POLICY

• She has a small majority of 12 seats —> meaning it was harder for her to pass policies

• She was a ‘One Nation’ Conservative —> therefore she has more of a centrist ideology

• Theresa May was criticised for a “bunker mentality” —> relied on a small group of close advisers and ignored wider Cabinet input, especially after losing her majority in the 2017 snap election.

• Ignored wider Cabinet input → weakened decision-making

• ‘Maybot’ —> she was criticised for lacking emotion/ character by parliament and media. She wanted to appear composed so she purposefully wouldn’t show much emotion

Case Studies/ Examples on May to use in essays

Brexit leadership:

• Negotiated a Brexit deal, but it was rejected 3 times in Parliament —> shows weak parliamentary control / difficulty managing Brexit

2017 General Election:

• Called a snap election in hopes to strengthen her majority

• However she lost majority —> thus had to rely on Democratic Unionist Party. It was seen as a major political miscalculation.

Leadership style:

• Criticised for “bunker mentality” —> relied on a small group of advisers

• Ignored wider Cabinet input —> didn’t get consult the whole of cabinet on her 2017 snap election, which caused lots of division within cabinet.

“Strong and Stable” campaign:

• Key slogan in 2017 election

• Backfired as campaign was seen as rigid and repetitive —> damaged her public image

Domestic policy example:

• “Dementia tax” (2017 manifesto) which proposal to fund social care —> however it meant that some old people would have to sell their homes to pay for social care

• Forced into a U-turn after backlash —> showing weak leadership and lack of clear direction

BORIS JOHNSON

• Was prime minister for almost 3 years

• Took over from Theresa May after she resigned —> as a result of her failure to come up with Brexit deal.

• He resigned following a series of scandals that led to a mass revolt by his ministers

BORIS JOHNSON POLITICAL POLICY

• “Get Brexit Done” slogan which put him in power —> he put in place conventions to block no deal Brexit —> leading to the UKs exit from the EU on the 21st of January 2020.

• Covid-19, lockdown and restrictions —> he introduced the Furlough scheme to support jobs which meant large state intervention in the economy

• He promised more funding for NHS, police, and schools —> shift away from strict austerity.

Case Studies/ Examples on Johnson to use in essays

Brexit success:

• “Get Brexit Done” (2019 election) → won a large majority

• Passed his Brexit deal and took the UK out of the EU (2020) —> showing decisive leadership and electoral success

COVID-19 response:

• Introduced national lockdowns and furlough scheme —> shows willingness for state intervention

• Criticism for late responses and handling of crisis.

Partygate scandal:

• Government parties during COVID restrictions

• Led to fines and major loss of trust and support by cabinet and his MPs —> shows issues with accountability and integrity

—> He still won vote of confidence, winning 211 seats, even all the criticism and resignations he faced.

LIZ TRUSS

• Was PM for 44 days.

• She resigned due to huge loss of party support, after causing significant economic loss and party division

Case Studies/ Examples on Truss to use in essays

• ‘Mini- Budget’ economic reform, large tax cuts and reduction in cooperate tax (she wanted a free-market economy) —> however it caused major hit backs and a depreciation in currency value.

KEIR STARMER

• Currently is the UK’s prime minister and has been since 2024

• Won the 2024 general election

• The Conservative Party was in power for 14 years beforehand

KEIR STARMER POLITICAL POLICY

• Economic stability and growth

• Fiscal discipline (careful with spending)

• Investment and job creation

• Improve NHS and education

• Reduce waiting times

• Green energy and clean transition

• Tough on crime, support policing

• Stronger workers’ rights and fair pay

• Accepts Brexit, wants closer EU ties

• More centrist and moderate Labour approach

Case Studies/ Examples on Starmer to use in essays

Labour Party shift to the centre:

• Moved Labour away from left-wing policies under Jeremy Corbyn

• Dropped or softened policies like large-scale nationalisation —> showing focus on electability and moderation

• U-turn on key pledges (2023–24) —> dropped or weakened policies (e.g. green spending plans), showing lack of consistency / weak direction

• Criticism from within Labour Party —> tensions between left and centre factions, suggests limited party unity/control