What was the alternative to the Thatcher government in the 1980s?

 in 1986  At the highest; 3,4 mio. Unemployed

o Neoliberal labour market policies: Conservative values, a liberal market
and a ‘stronger’ state
 Thatcher blamed unions demand of high wages and the unemployed –
turned into passive clients,
o more focused on inflation rather than the problem of unemployment

The Labour Party (a short history):

1893: Keir Hardie created Independent Labour Party

 1900: The Trade Union Congress set up the LRC to support working-class
candidates for the election
 1906: 29 LRC-sponsored candidates formed The Labour Party
 First government in 1924 with Ramsey MacDonald
 1929-35: minority government, unemployment  the Great Depression
 After World War 2 Clement Attlee elected prime minister.
o social security, housing program, National Health Service 
establishing of the British welfare state
o Lost the election in 1951.
 Harold Wilson in 1964-70 & 1974-76.
 Both administrations: marked by economic crisis, devaluations of the pound
and industrial turmoil.
 James Callaghan: 1976-79: Take Over the office from Wilson.
o Faced massive strikes – in 1979 The winter of discontent
The 1980s:
 After winter of discontent James Callaghan  lost the election in 1979
o the worst result in the party’s post-war history.
o shift to the left after this.

 After 79 the left tried to change Labour’s constitution by making the
leadership more accountable to the party outside of the parliament
 more power to leftist activists.
o 1980: Michael Foot  new leader
o launched the 1983 manifest “The longest suicide note in history”
o Labour experienced the biggest defeat since 1918.
 A split in 1981 the establishment of a new Social Democratic Party  the
“Gang of 4”
 Unhappy with the shift of power and that the trade unions
o critical towards the militant activists in the party.
o Formed an electoral alliance with the Liberal Party,
 1988 the party merged with the Liberal Party form the Social and Liberal
Democrats (today the Liberal Democrats)

Neil Kinnock: 1983-1992:

 Kinnock  tried to curtail the power of unions and activists
o make more space for moderate candidates.
o critical towards the NUM’s tactics during the Miners’ Strike 1984-85.
 took the party to the center.
 Many have emphasized  Kinnock laid the groundwork for the New Labour
victory in 1997  making Labour electable again.