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British Politics: New Labour 1997-2010 - Week 8
Part 1: The Origins of New Labour
The Perceived ‘Failure’ of Old Labour
● The ‘rationale’ for ‘New’ Labour stem from electoral factors:
● Between 1951 and 1992, Labour contested 12 elections and lost 8.
● Of 4 victories, only one was comfortable in (1966) - 3 were marginal.
● Demanded a disassociation with the politics of Old Labour?
In this period, the Labour share of the popular cote declined:
● 1945-51: 47-48%
● 1983: Collapsed to 27%.
● 1992: Despite an economic recession, Labour could only manage 34% in their 1992
defeat.
The poor electoral performance between 1951 and 1992 due to:
1. Long-term structural factors within the electorate.
2. Long-term perceptions of the competence of Labour in government.
3. Long-term perceptions of the internal conflict within Labour.
● Long-term structural factors within the electorate worked against Old Labour and
explain their electoral decline.
● Shifts occurred in the size of the social classes.
● The contradiction of the working class as a percentage of the electorate impeded the
electoral chances of Labour.
● Long-term perceptions of the competence of about in government focused on doubts
about their economic competence.
● For example; the economic crisis of 1967, IMF crisis 1976, WInter of Discontent
1978-1979.
● The Conservatives projected Labour as a ‘tax and spend’ party which was a threat
to living standards.
● Long-term perceptions of the internal conflict within Labour undermined their
electoral appeal.
● For example; over clause 4 in the late 1950s, over defence in the late 1950s-1980s,
over trade union reform 1969, over Europe in the 1970s/1980s.
● Formal split and formation of SDP in 1981.
● ‘The Gang of Four’ - ex-Labour ministers create the SDP in 1981.
, From Old to New: Labour in Opposition 1992-1997
● After its 4th successive defeat in 1992, Labour faced a strategic dilemma: one more
heave or radical modernisation?
John Smith, elected in 1992:
● Favoured gradual and incremental change.
● BUT was accused of relying on the mistakes of the Conservatives to win - there were
many to pick from.
● Labour secured a comfortable opinion poll lead 1992-94.
● Smith died in May 1994.
The 1994 Leadership Battle:
● 3 candidates: Tony Blair, John Prescott, Margaret Beckett.
● Blair agreed with Gordon Brown that only one of them should stand and that it should
be Blair.
● Was Blair more voter friendly?
● The Blair/Brown deal - myth or reality?
As the new Labour leader, Blair identified the following:
● British politics had shifted to the right due to Thatcherism.
● Labour needed to disassociate itself with its own past.
● Labour needed to broaden its appeal and attract voters from new social groups.
● Labour needed sweeping changes in organisation and ideology to recover.
New Labour (1994-1997) redefined Labour in ideological terms:
● Downgrading of nationalisation, culminating in abandoning of clause 4.
● Sought to escape the traditional ‘tax and spend’ image of Labour.
● New Labour recognised the need to improve media presentation and project an
image of credible government in waiting.
● Attempting to negate the impact of pro-Tory press bias.
● Massive success here - evidence of pro-New Labour bias in 1997 General Election.
1951-1992
● 12 elections: 8 defeats, often heavy: (1959, 1983, 1987) & 4 victories, but 3 were
marginal (1964, 1974).
● 1992: Conservative - Majority: 21
● 1997: Labour - Majority: 179
● 2001: Labour - Majority: 167
● 2005: Labour - Majority: 66.
Part 2: The Record of New Labour in Government
As a project, New Labour is successful. Labour win 3 elections because they were stronger
than the Conservatives in terms of the following governing criteria between 1997-2005:
British Politics: New Labour 1997-2010 - Week 8
Part 1: The Origins of New Labour
The Perceived ‘Failure’ of Old Labour
● The ‘rationale’ for ‘New’ Labour stem from electoral factors:
● Between 1951 and 1992, Labour contested 12 elections and lost 8.
● Of 4 victories, only one was comfortable in (1966) - 3 were marginal.
● Demanded a disassociation with the politics of Old Labour?
In this period, the Labour share of the popular cote declined:
● 1945-51: 47-48%
● 1983: Collapsed to 27%.
● 1992: Despite an economic recession, Labour could only manage 34% in their 1992
defeat.
The poor electoral performance between 1951 and 1992 due to:
1. Long-term structural factors within the electorate.
2. Long-term perceptions of the competence of Labour in government.
3. Long-term perceptions of the internal conflict within Labour.
● Long-term structural factors within the electorate worked against Old Labour and
explain their electoral decline.
● Shifts occurred in the size of the social classes.
● The contradiction of the working class as a percentage of the electorate impeded the
electoral chances of Labour.
● Long-term perceptions of the competence of about in government focused on doubts
about their economic competence.
● For example; the economic crisis of 1967, IMF crisis 1976, WInter of Discontent
1978-1979.
● The Conservatives projected Labour as a ‘tax and spend’ party which was a threat
to living standards.
● Long-term perceptions of the internal conflict within Labour undermined their
electoral appeal.
● For example; over clause 4 in the late 1950s, over defence in the late 1950s-1980s,
over trade union reform 1969, over Europe in the 1970s/1980s.
● Formal split and formation of SDP in 1981.
● ‘The Gang of Four’ - ex-Labour ministers create the SDP in 1981.
, From Old to New: Labour in Opposition 1992-1997
● After its 4th successive defeat in 1992, Labour faced a strategic dilemma: one more
heave or radical modernisation?
John Smith, elected in 1992:
● Favoured gradual and incremental change.
● BUT was accused of relying on the mistakes of the Conservatives to win - there were
many to pick from.
● Labour secured a comfortable opinion poll lead 1992-94.
● Smith died in May 1994.
The 1994 Leadership Battle:
● 3 candidates: Tony Blair, John Prescott, Margaret Beckett.
● Blair agreed with Gordon Brown that only one of them should stand and that it should
be Blair.
● Was Blair more voter friendly?
● The Blair/Brown deal - myth or reality?
As the new Labour leader, Blair identified the following:
● British politics had shifted to the right due to Thatcherism.
● Labour needed to disassociate itself with its own past.
● Labour needed to broaden its appeal and attract voters from new social groups.
● Labour needed sweeping changes in organisation and ideology to recover.
New Labour (1994-1997) redefined Labour in ideological terms:
● Downgrading of nationalisation, culminating in abandoning of clause 4.
● Sought to escape the traditional ‘tax and spend’ image of Labour.
● New Labour recognised the need to improve media presentation and project an
image of credible government in waiting.
● Attempting to negate the impact of pro-Tory press bias.
● Massive success here - evidence of pro-New Labour bias in 1997 General Election.
1951-1992
● 12 elections: 8 defeats, often heavy: (1959, 1983, 1987) & 4 victories, but 3 were
marginal (1964, 1974).
● 1992: Conservative - Majority: 21
● 1997: Labour - Majority: 179
● 2001: Labour - Majority: 167
● 2005: Labour - Majority: 66.
Part 2: The Record of New Labour in Government
As a project, New Labour is successful. Labour win 3 elections because they were stronger
than the Conservatives in terms of the following governing criteria between 1997-2005:
