Thatcherism and society

What was the sale of council houses/right to buy purpose?

To turn Britain into a property owning democracy

What was involved in the sale of council houses?

-The housing act of 1880 gave council tenants the right to buy their houses

-Received a discount of 33-50%

What was labors position on the right to buy scheme?

-Initially they opposed it but then later dropped the opposition

What were the positives of the sale of council houses/

-By 1988 approximately 2 million homeowners had taken advantage

-symbol of success under thatcher

-Popular with the public especially in the south creating an new generation of working class conservative voters

What are the negatives of the right to buy scheme?

-The sale of council houses was only in predominantly in well off areas having a lesser impact in less desirable estates

-Number of quality housing available reduced and the waiting lists for houses was made even longer leading to many houses in emergency B+B accommodation which was expensive for councils to provide

What did the government do to provoke the miners’ strike?

-Thatcher’s economic reforms aroused hostility, and public sector unions became more militant

-1981 the NCB warned of the need to close 23 pits

What did the government do to prepare for a miners’ strike?

-Thatcher was in the cabinet during the 72 miners’ strike, so she wanted revenge and was going to do the opposite of what edward heath did

-Coal stocks were built up, and there was a steady flow of north sea oil

-Thatcher waited till 1984, once she had an increased majority

-Asked fir strikes to take place in the summer

Who was Ian McGregor, and what was his response to Arthur Scargill’s claim?

The new chairman of the NCB rejected the claim when in reality there was indeed a strategy to close 75 pits over the following 3 years

What did Arthur Scargill of the NUM claim?

Claimed that he had seen a secret plan to close 70 pits

What problems did Scargil face within the NUM?

Did not gain total support for a national strike so refused to hold a national ballot on the strike action

Nottigham mines were still productive

What did the Nottinghamshire miners do

Formed a breakaway union, the UDM

What did scargillites and the UDM accuse each other of?

-The scargillites acuse the UDM of being scabs/traitors

-UDM accuse the scargallites of caring more about hard left politics than the intrest of miners

What had Thatcher done to the police between 1979 and 1984?What was the criticism?

They were given riot training with new equipment while also increasing their pay

-She was accused of politicising the police and that they were being used less for upholding law and order

Battle of Orgreave

-June 1984

-5000 moiners/8000 police

-50 miners injured/70 poloce

-Controversy of accusations and yorskhire police pay compensation

Who did Scargill alienate, and who did he not have the support of?

-Moderates

-Labour party leaders like Neil Kinnock

-Labour could not do anything as they lost their majority in 83 due to most unpopular manifesto

How was the strike considered to be a failure?

-The number of miners working was reduced to 60,000 by 1990, and the number of union members decreased by 2/3

-Privatisation continues with BG in 86

What were the causes of the poll tax riots in 1990?

• Unfair taxation: Everyone paid the same flat rate regardless of income, hitting poorer people hardest.

Higher bills: Many people paid more than they had under the previous rates system.

What were the events of the poll tax riots in 1990?

• March 1990 a day before implemation: Around 200,000–250,000 people protested against the Poll Tax in central London.

• Protesters clashed with police in Trafalgar Square

• Anti poll tax unions set up urging people not to pay and in some areas 30% of people didnt pay

Consequences of the Poll tax riots in March 1990

• Contributed to thatchers downfall as it placed pressure on her-loss of authority

• The crisis deepened divisions within the Conservative Party over Thatcher’s leadership and policies.

• damaged the government’s reputation and highlighted the unpopularity of Thatcher’s policies.

• Replaced by council tax