4.1.1
Case Studies of Elections
General Election Case Study - 1979
General Election Case Study - 1979
An example of an important general election was the 1979 general election won by the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher.
Election results
Election results
- In 1979, Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative party were elected, winning a small majority of 43 which increased in the 1983 and 1987 elections.
Explaining election results
Explaining election results
- Election results can be explained by factors such as the party policies and manifesto, the political context of the election and the campaign run by each party.
- A party’s manifesto outlines the party’s programme of policies it aims to implement if elected.
1979 result: political context
1979 result: political context
- A key reason for the Conservatives victory in 1979 was the weakness of the Labour government, which had lost a vote of no confidence in Parliament and had been regularly defeated in the House of Commons.
- Callaghan was also seen as unable to control trade unions, who had been striking following attempts to impose a 5% limit on pay increases in early 1979, and his government was seen to be unable to address the social breakdown across the UK.
- The country was recovering from the "Winter of Discontent", where there were mass strikes.
1979 result: election campaign
1979 result: election campaign
- Margaret Thatcher used publicity specialists Tim Bell and Gordon Reece in her campaign and had a number of photo opportunities she took advantage of.
- The Conservatives put pressure on Labour over the "Winter of Discontent" and their handling of the economy
- Jim Callaghan, the Labour Party leader, was higher than Thatcher in the opinion polls with voters approving of his political experience.
1979 result: party policies
1979 result: party policies
- Both Conservative and Labour Party manifestos were moderate and both parties prioritised lowering inflation.
- Thatcher mentioned privatising recently nationalised industries and reducing trade union power, but did not outline the extent to which she would do so.
General Election Case Study - 1997
General Election Case Study - 1997
Another example of an important general election was the 1997 election won by Tony Blair.
Election result
Election result
- In 1997, Tony Blair’s New Labour was elected with 418 seats, and the Labour Party remained in power until 2010.
- In 1997, the Labour Party achieved a 179-seat majority.
1997 result: political context
1997 result: political context
- The Conservatives were unpopular after the John Major government’s failings from the previous 5 years, and only won 30% of the vote.
- The Conservatives were viewed as weak on economic policy because of ‘Black Wednesday’ in 1992
- Despite economic improvement since then, many voters had not felt the benefits of the recovery through more investment in public services or tax cuts.
- The Conservatives were involved in a number of sexual and financial scandals before the election, which weakened their appeal.
1997 result: campaign
1997 result: campaign
- Labour used public relations experts to handle the media in the election and used focus groups in order to better understand the opinion of the public.
- Labour’s campaign involved targeting marginal seats, which are seats that have a small majority and only require a small swing of the vote for a new party to win it.
1997 result: party policies
1997 result: party policies
- Tony Blair’s ‘New Labour’ had modernised policy, in which the party moved away from traditional Labour policies of increasing taxes, strengthening trade unions and nationalisation.
- New Labour was tough on law and order and Blair emphasised his links to business.
- Labour emphasised itself as a moderate party that appealed to ‘Middle England’
- Labour’s constitutional reform policy appealed to Liberal Democrat voters who supported Labour in seats which their candidates had no chance of winning.
General Election Case Study - 2010
General Election Case Study - 2010
A third example of an important general election was the 2010 election, which led to a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.
Election result
Election result
- In 2010, the Conservative Party were the largest party with 306 seats.
- But, they were short of a majority so formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats.
2010 result: political context
2010 result: political context
- The 2010 election followed the 2008 financial crisis which took place when Gordon Brown was prime minister, and gave the Conservatives a means to attack his policies and time as leader.
- Brown was unpopular for not calling a general election when he took over as prime minister from Tony Blair in 2007.
- Voters did not clearly favour the Conservatives over Labour, with polls suggesting 29% of voters felt that the Conservatives would be best for managing the economy compared to 26% for Labour.
2010 result: campaign
2010 result: campaign
- Television debates were held with the three main party leaders David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg.
- Nick Clegg performed particularly well and saw an increase in the opinion polls after the first debate, whilst Gordon Brown was seen to have performed worse.
- The Conservatives targeted marginal seats and market-tested their policies with voters, whilst Labour had a weak campaign.
- Gordon Brown was heard calling a voter a ‘bigoted woman’ who had asked him about immigration.
2010 result: party policies
2010 result: party policies
- The main parties all focused on policies to reduce the budget deficit and making savings.
- The Conservatives stated the need for immediate cuts, whilst Labour and the Liberal Democrats wanted more gradual public spending cuts.
- The Conservatives targeted Labour’s economic policy in government, which they said included overspending and failing to regulate the banking system.
- This was a successful approach and a view shared by voters.
1Democracy & Participation
1.1Representative & Direct Democracy
1.2Wider Franchise & Suffrage
1.3Pressure Groups & Other Influences
2Political Parties
2.1How Political Parties Work
2.2Established Political Parties
2.3Emerging & Minor Political Parties
3Electoral Systems
3.1Different Electoral Systems
3.2Referendums & How They Are Used
4Voting Behaviour & the Media
5Conservatism
5.1Conservatism: Core Ideas & Principles
5.2Conservatism: Differing Views & Tensions
6Liberalism
6.1Liberalism: Core Ideas & Principles
6.2Differing Views And Tensions Within Liberalism
7Socialism
7.1Socialism: Core Ideas & Principles
7.2Differing Views And Tensions Within Socialism
8The UK Constitution
8.1Nature & Sources of UK Constitution
8.2Constitutional Change since 1997
8.3Role & Powers of Devolved UK Bodies
9The UK Parliament
9.1Houses of Parliament
9.2Comparative Powers
9.3Legislative Process
10The Prime Minister & the Executive
10.1The Executive
10.2Ministerial Responsibility
10.3Prime Minister & the Cabinet
10.3.1Role of the Prime Minister
10.3.2Prime Minister's Powers
10.3.3Limits on the Prime Minister's Powers
10.3.4Role of the Cabinet
10.3.5Prime Minister & Cabinet: Relations
10.3.6Prime Minister & Cabinet: Balance of Power
10.3.7Prime Minister & Cabinet: Case Studies
10.3.8End of Topic Test - PM & Cabinet
10.3.9Top Grade AO3/4 - PM & Cabinet
11Relationships Between Government Branches
11.1The Supreme Court
11.2Parliament & Executive Relations
11.3The European Union & the UK
11.4Sovereignty in the UK Political System
12US Constitution & Federalism
12.1Nature of the US Constitution
12.2Principles of the US Constitution
12.3Federalism
13US Congress
13.1Structure of Congress
13.2Functions of Congress
14US Presidency
14.1Presidential Power
14.2The Presidency
14.3Interpretations & Debates of the US Presidency
15US Supreme Court & Civil Rights
15.1Nature & Role of Supreme Court
15.2Supreme Court Appointment Process
15.3The Supreme Court & Public Policy
15.4Protection of Civil Liberties & Rights
15.5Debates & Interpretations of the Supreme Court
16US Democracy & Participation
16.1Presidential Elections
16.2Electoral College
16.3Electoral Campaigns
16.4Incumbency
16.5Democrats & Republicans
16.6Internal Conflict & Ideology
16.7Support & Demographics
17Comparing Democracies
17.1Theoretical Approaches
17.2UK & USA Similarities & Differences
17.2.1Constitution: Nature
17.2.2Constitution: Provisions & Principles
17.2.3Federal System & Devolution
17.2.4Legislative: Lower Houses of Government
17.2.5Legislative: Upper Houses of Government
17.2.6Legislative: Powers & Functions
17.2.7Executive
17.2.8Supreme Court
17.2.9Supreme Court: Judicial Independence
17.2.10Civil Rights
17.2.11Civil Rights: Interest Groups
17.2.12Party Systems & Parties
17.2.13Campaign Finance & Pressure Groups
17.2.14End of Topic Test - Comparing UK & US
17.2.15Application Questions - UK & USA
18Feminism
18.1Feminism: Core Ideas & Principles
18.2Different Types of Feminism
19Nationalism
19.1Nationalism: Core Ideas & Principles
19.2Different Types of Nationalism
Jump to other topics
1Democracy & Participation
1.1Representative & Direct Democracy
1.2Wider Franchise & Suffrage
1.3Pressure Groups & Other Influences
2Political Parties
2.1How Political Parties Work
2.2Established Political Parties
2.3Emerging & Minor Political Parties
3Electoral Systems
3.1Different Electoral Systems
3.2Referendums & How They Are Used
4Voting Behaviour & the Media
5Conservatism
5.1Conservatism: Core Ideas & Principles
5.2Conservatism: Differing Views & Tensions
6Liberalism
6.1Liberalism: Core Ideas & Principles
6.2Differing Views And Tensions Within Liberalism
7Socialism
7.1Socialism: Core Ideas & Principles
7.2Differing Views And Tensions Within Socialism
8The UK Constitution
8.1Nature & Sources of UK Constitution
8.2Constitutional Change since 1997
8.3Role & Powers of Devolved UK Bodies
9The UK Parliament
9.1Houses of Parliament
9.2Comparative Powers
9.3Legislative Process
10The Prime Minister & the Executive
10.1The Executive
10.2Ministerial Responsibility
10.3Prime Minister & the Cabinet
10.3.1Role of the Prime Minister
10.3.2Prime Minister's Powers
10.3.3Limits on the Prime Minister's Powers
10.3.4Role of the Cabinet
10.3.5Prime Minister & Cabinet: Relations
10.3.6Prime Minister & Cabinet: Balance of Power
10.3.7Prime Minister & Cabinet: Case Studies
10.3.8End of Topic Test - PM & Cabinet
10.3.9Top Grade AO3/4 - PM & Cabinet
11Relationships Between Government Branches
11.1The Supreme Court
11.2Parliament & Executive Relations
11.3The European Union & the UK
11.4Sovereignty in the UK Political System
12US Constitution & Federalism
12.1Nature of the US Constitution
12.2Principles of the US Constitution
12.3Federalism
13US Congress
13.1Structure of Congress
13.2Functions of Congress
14US Presidency
14.1Presidential Power
14.2The Presidency
14.3Interpretations & Debates of the US Presidency
15US Supreme Court & Civil Rights
15.1Nature & Role of Supreme Court
15.2Supreme Court Appointment Process
15.3The Supreme Court & Public Policy
15.4Protection of Civil Liberties & Rights
15.5Debates & Interpretations of the Supreme Court
16US Democracy & Participation
16.1Presidential Elections
16.2Electoral College
16.3Electoral Campaigns
16.4Incumbency
16.5Democrats & Republicans
16.6Internal Conflict & Ideology
16.7Support & Demographics
17Comparing Democracies
17.1Theoretical Approaches
17.2UK & USA Similarities & Differences
17.2.1Constitution: Nature
17.2.2Constitution: Provisions & Principles
17.2.3Federal System & Devolution
17.2.4Legislative: Lower Houses of Government
17.2.5Legislative: Upper Houses of Government
17.2.6Legislative: Powers & Functions
17.2.7Executive
17.2.8Supreme Court
17.2.9Supreme Court: Judicial Independence
17.2.10Civil Rights
17.2.11Civil Rights: Interest Groups
17.2.12Party Systems & Parties
17.2.13Campaign Finance & Pressure Groups
17.2.14End of Topic Test - Comparing UK & US
17.2.15Application Questions - UK & USA
18Feminism
18.1Feminism: Core Ideas & Principles
18.2Different Types of Feminism
19Nationalism
19.1Nationalism: Core Ideas & Principles
19.2Different Types of Nationalism
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