'The Conservative Govt. won the 1983 election due to the weakness of the opposition.'
- Created by: yazmintaylorx
- Created on: 25-04-18 16:56
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- 1983 election
- Weaknesses of the opposition
- decomposition of the two party system with influential SDP/Liberals lead to Cons. 144 seat majority
- Resurrection of Liberals ensured Lab. didn't gain a majority
- SDP/Liberal Alliance only 2.2% behind Lab.
- Gang of Four created more RW element of Lab. making internal divisions deeper and polarised the party
- divisions caused weakness in the opposition during the election compaign
- MP Kaufman remarked the 1983 manifesto was 'the longest suicide note in history'
- Lab. had continuously poor reputation with economic policy
- ghosts of their failures remained e.g. IMF crisis
- 1983 Lab concerned with feeble issues e.g. unilateral disarmament & fox hunting
- the party moved increasingly to the left under Foot
- Lab. opposition to Falklands war seen as unpatriotic & pacifist
- loss of traditional support due to demographic changes & economic prosperity
- Strengths of the Cons.
- Falklands Factor
- wave of patriotism in Britain
- seen as international stateswoman
- bold leadership was admired
- quick and decisive war
- FPTP
- number of seats SDP/Liberals gain (23) made no difference to the Cons. majority of nearly 400
- it was the weakness of the SDP/Liberals to beat the FPTP system that lead to Tory victory
- despite increased polarisation of the party, anti-Cons. vote was 16 million; 3 million more than Tory vote
- success of Tories due to FPTP
- Economic Policy
- Thatcher's economic policy ensured inflation controlled by monetarism and deflationary measures e.g. privatisation
- Right to Buy and denationalisation e.g. BT & BP ensure B became property & share owning democracy
- made Thatcher appeal to middle class voters
- managed to cut inflation; 19% 1979 - 5% 1983
- monetarist policy transformed; top rate income tax 83% to 60% & base rate 33% to 30%
- Thatcher's economic policy ensured inflation controlled by monetarism and deflationary measures e.g. privatisation
- 1980 Housing Act was very popular e.g. 2m bought homes
- united her party with 'wets' and 'dries' in her cabinet
- end of post-war consensus & return to individual accountability
- Falklands Factor
- Weaknesses of the opposition
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