A set of notes outlining the reasons and effects for the formation of the SDP from the Labour Party and how this affected Thatcher's premiership in the future as well as the election. Notes to answer the exam style question 'The emergence of the SDP was the main reason Thatcher won the general elec...
“The emergence of the SDP was
the main reason Thatcher won
the general election”
Created @November 12, 2022 8:34 PM
Topic Politics
Gov and PM Conservatives Thatcher
Type Classwork
Background:
Why was the Labour split so catastrophic?:
- Electorally it was damaging for Labour, as it would be harder for the party to have a
comfortable majority; therefore massively reducing the chances of Labour ever being
elected.
- It people were right wing, they would just vote for the COnservatives, however, left
wing people had a whole spectrum to choose from, i.e. Labour, Liberals and now
SDP was added to it - diluting the votes of left-wing people.
- The fact that many leading Labour MPs (i.e the ‘Gang of Four’) meant that Labour
had lost its most reliable members and had nothing left to work with properly.
- E.g. Jenkins was Home Secretary form 1967-1970 and Shirley Williamd was a star
in the cabinet in the 1970s
- Now Labour lacked a central voice - and was only populated by left winged - many
of which were extremists. They had lost their previous balance.
- Eventually these far left ideologies gave birth to ‘the longest suicide note in history’,
where the Labour Party suggested things such as:
- Abolising the House of Lords = no one cares
- Withdrawing from the EEC = EEC was popular, shown by the referendum where
2/3 of people voted to remain in the EEC
- Continue with unilateral nuclear disarmament = poor choice considering this
“The emergence of the SDP was the main reason Thatcher won the general election” 1
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