The Thatcher Governments 1979 -1990

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Who were the key figure of Thatchers government?
Chancellor = Geofrey Howe, Foreign Secretary = Lord Carrington, Home Secretary = Willie Whitelaw, Defence Sceretary = Francis Pym
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What was the Tory majority in May 1979?
44, Tories = 339 seats, Labour = 269 seats, Liberals = 11 seats, SNP = 2 seats, Plaid Cymru = 2 seats
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What was in Howe's first budget in June 1979?
Cut the top rate of income tax from 83% to 60% and the standard 33% - 30% and the VAT rate was raised to 15%. Public spending was also cut by £1.5 billion, there was no wages and prices policy.
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What did Thatcher make?
The political weather.
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What was M3?
The target Howe had set for the money supply which was between 7 and 11%.
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What did Thatcher have to balance?
The left wing one nation Tories and the right wing free marketers within her cabinet.
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What was the inflationary growth in retail prices in May 1980?
21.9%
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What level was unemployment at in 1980?
2.78 million
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What did Thatchers privatisation begin with?
British Aerospace, cable and wireless
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What was the 'Right to Buy' policy?
It was enshrined into the 1980 Housing Act and allowed council tenants to buy their homes at a reduced price, in the first term 500,000 council properties were sold.
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What did the government replace Polaris with?
Trident
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When did the National Coal Board announce a series of pit closures?
February 1981
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When and who formed the Social Democratic Party?
It was formed on the 20th March 1981 by Shirley Williams, David Owen and Bill Rogers.
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When were the Brixton riots?
10th - 12th April 1981
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What did the Scarmen Report find?
There was racial disadvantage and anger at policing techniques which caused the riots that were spontaneous.
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When did Argentine forces first invade the Falklands?
2nd April 1982, the 1800 islanders and 80 royal marines surrendered.
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How did the government respond to the invasion?
The commons was recalled for a Saturday debate on the 3rd April and there was wide spread cross party support for military response.
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When did the war end?
It ended in July 1982 in victory for the UK, there were 225 British fatalities and 777 service men were injured.
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What was included in the 1982 Employment Act?
It outlawed secondary strikes, strengthened individual rights against the closed shop, greater ability for employers to sack employees, it was unlawful to eclude firms from competitive tender if they did not belong to a union.
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Who won the May 1983 election?
Thatcher won with a majority of 144. Tories = 397 seats, Labour = 209 seats, Liberal/SDP alliance = 23 seats.
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Who were the key figures of Thatchers new government?
Chancellor = Nigel Lawson, Foreign secretary = Geofrey Howe, Home Secretary = Leon Britain, Deputy PM and Leader of the Lords = Willie Whitelaw.
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What was included in Lawson's first budget in July 1983?
There was a £500 million cut in public spending.
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When was the first miners strike?
March 1984 to March 1985.
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What did Arthur Scargill declare?
A national strike on a rolling basis, he also refused to conduct a national ballot of members as miners from Nottingham would have voted against the strike.
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What ended the strike?
Half of the Nation Union of Miners returning to work.
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What did Thatcher destroy?
The mining spirit and community.
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What did Thatcher secure in the March 1984 Brussels Summit?
A 1.1 Billion ecus rebate from the EC.
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What happened in October 1984?
The IRA tried to blow up Thatcher and her Government at the Tory conference in Brighton.
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What industries were privatised in November 1985?
British Airways, British Gas, BT, Jaguar and Sealink.
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When was the Anglo-Irish agreement signed?
November 1985.
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What was published in January 1986?
A green Paper introducing poll tax on every adult over 18 in every household.
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Who resigned in the 'westland affair' in January 1986?
Micheal Hesseltine
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Who won the June 1987 election?
Thatcher with a majority of 100.
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When did the Sterling join the ERM?
October 1987
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What is 'Black Monday'?
£90 billion was wiped of the London stock exchange as share values plummeted, US trade deficit and falling investor confidence sparked a global recession.
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What was 'scabs charter'?
The Employment Act of May 1988, it made provisions for mandatory ballots for strike and for leadership elections and those who refused to strike could not be disciplined.
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How many water boards were privatised in January 1989?
10 water boards
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Why did Lawson resign in October 1989?
Interest rates were at 15%, the pound fell against the Deustchmark and interest rates grew further.
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Who challenged Thatcher for the Leadership in December 1989?
Sir Anthony Meyer, Thatcher won 314 votes to 33.
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What Industry was privatised in 1990?
The electricity industry
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When did poll tax become law?
April 1990.
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Who challenged Thatcher in November 1990?
Micheal Hesseltine, Thatcher wins 204 to 152.
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Why did Thatcher resign?
following her second leadership challenge the cabinet lobbied her to resign.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What was the Tory majority in May 1979?

Back

44, Tories = 339 seats, Labour = 269 seats, Liberals = 11 seats, SNP = 2 seats, Plaid Cymru = 2 seats

Card 3

Front

What was in Howe's first budget in June 1979?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What did Thatcher make?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What was M3?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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