'The Thatcher years' evidence

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A Levels History (Dates/evidence cards) Flashcards on 'The Thatcher years' evidence, created by lizzie.lambrou on 07/05/2014.
lizzie.lambrou
Flashcards by lizzie.lambrou, updated more than 1 year ago
lizzie.lambrou
Created by lizzie.lambrou almost 10 years ago
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Resource summary

Question Answer
North/south divide Large tracts of dereliction in Midlands, the North, Scotland and South Wales
Immigration Sudden rush of immigrants from Bangladesh after breakaway from Pakistan in '74. Asian pop. of Bradford reached nearly 50,000. Immigration Act 1981. British life needed immigrants: transport system, hospitals, hotel industry, restaurants, corner shops
1984 Battle of Orgreave 5,000 miners vs. 8,000 police 50 picketers and 70 police injured
By the 1980s, 'King Coal' was supplying how much of Britain's energy needs? 20%, far less than oil and gas
1979-1990: employment of coal industry 200,000 down to 60,000 and falling
1984 splits in NUM Nottinghamshire miners (30,000) formed breakaway moderate Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM)
1980 and '81 urban rioting St. Paul's distric of Bristol, Toxteh in Liverpool, Brixton in London
1981 Scarman report Criticised police and government: "racial disadvantage is a fact of British life"
1985 rioting in Tottenham PC Blakelock murdered on the Broadwater Farm estate
Rise in football hooliganism Fatal incidents in Birmingham and Brussels. 1989 Hillsborough tragedy in Sheffield, 96 Liverpool fans died.
Extra-parliamentary protest movements CND, Shelter, Age Concern, Church of England's 'Fatih and the City' doc., Animal Liberation Front (ecoterrorism from '82)
Greenham women Greenham Common camp '81, 1983 14 mile human chain (American Cruise missiles), camp not closed til 2000
Anti-poll tax riot 1989, Anti-Poll Tax Federation set up by Militant Tendency. March 1990, expected 60,000 people in Trafalgar Square; 200,000 turned up. 300 arrests, 5000 injured
Media and culture Playwrights David Hare, Howard Brenton - attacking culture of selfishness and greed. Alan Bleasdale's 'Boys From The Black Stuff' - sympathetic view of hard-pressed workers. Spitting Image, Private Eye
1979-1990 stocks and shares ownership by individuals Went up from 3 million to 9 million
Housing Act 1980 - 'Right to Buy' By 1988, approx. 2 million new homeowners. But in 2005, problems (e.g. lack of social housing) caused Scottish Exec. to terminate it in Scotland
Enterprise culture caused public sector unions to become more militant COHSE (Confed. of health service employees), NUPE (national union of public employees), teachers' unions
Union membership fell By 1990, TU membership had fallen by 30% since 1975
Rhodesia 1976 - Smith had accepted Kissinger Plan. Lord Carrington (foreign sec.) brought about final settlement at Lancaster House conference in 1980
The Falkland Islands 8,000 miles away from Britain and only 400 from Argentina but British colony and naval base since 1833. From 1971, only air link to islands run by Argentina and Argentina supplied Falklands' energy
The Falklands War 1981, withdrawal of HMS Endurance from South Atlantic. 1982: April Argentinian invasion; sent task force but tried to get Argentina to accept UN Resolution 502 and withdraw; May sinking of General Belgrano; loss of HMS Sheffield to Exocet missile; June surrender of Argentine forces
National press re. Falklands War American magazine 'Newsweek': "The Empire Strikes Back" (British task force). The Sun: "GOTCHA!" (sinking of Belgrano
People Thatcher bashed for being 'wet' about Falklands War BBC and Archbishop of Canterbury
Long-term effects of Falklands War Didn't stop retreat from Empire: handover of Hong Kong planned for 1997. Diplomatic relations with Argentina reopened in 1989
Thatcher's persistent campaign for Britain to be given a rebate from EEC Eventually successful in 1984
Single European Market Negotiated in 1986, Thatcher enthusiastic
Thatcher had good working relationship in Europe with..? French president Francois Mitterand - agreed Channel Tunnel project in 1986
Turning point in European relations 1988 Bruges speech > formation of Bruges Group
Thatcher clashed with who in the European Commission? Its president, Jacques Delors. Egged on by tabloid press - 'The Sun' headline Nov. 1990 "UP YOURS DELORS!"
Which cabinet members did Thatcher's negative line on Europe cause tension with? Geoffrey Howe and John Major
Thatcher had a fractious relationship in Europe with...? German chancellor, Helmut Kohl > Thatcher not invited to 10th anniversary of fall of Berlin Wall
Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan 1979 - thought to be dangerous threat to Western interests (in reality overstretched Soviet powers militarily and financially but not known at time)
1979 - 1981 emergence of 3 new 'cold warriors' Thatcher, Pope John Paul II (staunch anti-communist), Reagan (U.S. president)
1983 major war scare NATO military exercises in North Atlantic. Soviet jets shot down Korean passenger airline KAL 007 (strayed into Soviet airspace) killing all on board. Cruise missiles stationed in Europe (e.g. Greenham Common). Reagan admin. stepped up plans for 'Star Wars' anti-missile shield
Mikhail Gorbachev New reformist leader of USSR, established his authority 1985-87. 30 years younger than previous leaders. Favourite saying promoting reform: "If not us, who? If not now, when?"
Outcome of Cold War for Germany 1989 - "year of miracles" - take over of East by West > Helmut Kohl = hero of the hour, head of new unified German (pop. 80 million)
Fates of Reagan, Gorbachev and Thatcher Reagan left scene in '88. Gorbachev overtaken by events as Soviet Union and communist system fell apart in '91. Thatcher fell from power Nov. '90, newly independent states of Eastern and Central Europe gave her nothing but admiration (Iron Lady)
Thatcher didn't notably increase Conservative vote Never more than 44% popular vote > 42% in '83 and '87 despite weak opposition
Clipped wings of left-wing councils 1986 Local Government Act (centralised power)
Deregulation of financial markets and modernisation of City of London 1986 - 'Big Bang'
Unemployment Above 3 million for 5 consecutive years starting in '83
Cutting of inflation was successful at first but not later 1979: 19%, 1983: 5%, 1990: 10.9%
Tax cuts Income tax cut (e.g. '87 budget 29% > 27%), personal debt doubled 1980-88, VAT doubled in 1979. Earners above £30,000 benefited
Privatisation of industry 1979 British Petroleum. 1980 British Aerospace. 1984 British Telecom. 1986 British Gas and British Airways. 1988 British Steel.
Lawson Boom 1988, but led to balance of payments problem
Resignations leading to Thatcher's downfall 1986 Westland Affair > Heseltine. 1989 Thatcher's use of Alan Walters > Lawson. 1990 > Howe
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