1979 Election Election Campaign
- Thatcher ended the post-war consensus, Conservatives ruled for 18 years - The Conservative adopted many techniques of modern advertising under the
(until 1997) guidance of the 2 professional publicity specialists - Gordon Reece + Tim Bell
- Called after James Callaghan’s majority Labour Government lost a vote of - The Labour campaign lacked awareness of the finer points of presentation,
No Confidence whereas Thatcher proved amenable to her advisers’
- Thatcher’s original majority was modest, but it increased in the 1983 and - Invention of photo opportunities was pictured partaking in public
1987 G.E., John Major clung to power in the 1992 election events
- Labour descended into a prolonged period of left/right infighting over - Although the Conservatives outpaced Labour in the opinion polls, Callaghan
policy until the reinvention of the party under Blair was 20 points ahead of Thatcher on average
- TURNOUT = 76% - In spite of his mistakes, voters still respected his experience
- SIZE OF MAJORITY = 43% - Thatcher however, was wise to turn down the offer of a televised debate,
which would’ve highlighted this difference between them
- It was perfectly acceptable to do so as a debate had not been held at any
previous election
Party Policies + Manifestos
- Both Labour and Conservatives gave high priority to bringing
inflation down Wider Political Context
- Callaghan came from Labour’s traditional centre-right and resisted - The real reason for Thatcher’s victory was the weakness of
pressure from the party’s left-wing the Labour Government, which precipitated the dissolution
- Thatcher’s policy statement contained very little indication that she of Parliament
intended to move the party to the right Media - Callaghan’s personal popularity and tentative signs of
- Also a mention of returning to the nationalised industries to
economic improvements, there was never such doubt that
private hands and removing trade union power
the Conservatives would win
- Meant that Callaghan warned the electorate to a lurch to the right if
- Callaghan’s government was a minority administration that
the Conservatives won; it had little credibility
survived by constructing deals with smaller parties
- Left vulnerable to be defeated in the commons
Party Number of Seats Increase/Loss of seats % of popular vote - Moreover, Callaghan mistimed the election; as there was
widespread expectation that he would call an election in
the autumn of 1978, but backed away from doing so
Conservatives 339 +62 43.9 WINTER OF DISCONTENT
- In the early months of 1979, the government attempted to
impose a 5% limit on pay increases collapsed due to a
Labour 269 -50 36.9
series of strikes - by lorry drivers, health workers, refuse
collectors and in one local authority - grave diggers
Liberal Democrats 11 -2 13.8 - This created a sense of national paralysis
- Thatcher ended the post-war consensus, Conservatives ruled for 18 years - The Conservative adopted many techniques of modern advertising under the
(until 1997) guidance of the 2 professional publicity specialists - Gordon Reece + Tim Bell
- Called after James Callaghan’s majority Labour Government lost a vote of - The Labour campaign lacked awareness of the finer points of presentation,
No Confidence whereas Thatcher proved amenable to her advisers’
- Thatcher’s original majority was modest, but it increased in the 1983 and - Invention of photo opportunities was pictured partaking in public
1987 G.E., John Major clung to power in the 1992 election events
- Labour descended into a prolonged period of left/right infighting over - Although the Conservatives outpaced Labour in the opinion polls, Callaghan
policy until the reinvention of the party under Blair was 20 points ahead of Thatcher on average
- TURNOUT = 76% - In spite of his mistakes, voters still respected his experience
- SIZE OF MAJORITY = 43% - Thatcher however, was wise to turn down the offer of a televised debate,
which would’ve highlighted this difference between them
- It was perfectly acceptable to do so as a debate had not been held at any
previous election
Party Policies + Manifestos
- Both Labour and Conservatives gave high priority to bringing
inflation down Wider Political Context
- Callaghan came from Labour’s traditional centre-right and resisted - The real reason for Thatcher’s victory was the weakness of
pressure from the party’s left-wing the Labour Government, which precipitated the dissolution
- Thatcher’s policy statement contained very little indication that she of Parliament
intended to move the party to the right Media - Callaghan’s personal popularity and tentative signs of
- Also a mention of returning to the nationalised industries to
economic improvements, there was never such doubt that
private hands and removing trade union power
the Conservatives would win
- Meant that Callaghan warned the electorate to a lurch to the right if
- Callaghan’s government was a minority administration that
the Conservatives won; it had little credibility
survived by constructing deals with smaller parties
- Left vulnerable to be defeated in the commons
Party Number of Seats Increase/Loss of seats % of popular vote - Moreover, Callaghan mistimed the election; as there was
widespread expectation that he would call an election in
the autumn of 1978, but backed away from doing so
Conservatives 339 +62 43.9 WINTER OF DISCONTENT
- In the early months of 1979, the government attempted to
impose a 5% limit on pay increases collapsed due to a
Labour 269 -50 36.9
series of strikes - by lorry drivers, health workers, refuse
collectors and in one local authority - grave diggers
Liberal Democrats 11 -2 13.8 - This created a sense of national paralysis
