8 Political aftermath
-
John Shepherd
Abstract
This chapter examines the last days of the James Callaghan government in 1979, from the vote of confidence on 28 March to polling day on 3 May, has two main purposes. First, it questions how far the turbulent events of the 1978-79 winter contributed to the downfall of the Callaghan administration in March 1979 and Labour's subsequent defeat in the 1979 general election. Second, the chapter explores why the 'winter of discontent' in the years after 1979 has remained so prominent in British politics. With the party conducting an acrimonious inquest into its electoral defeat, Denis Healey had few doubts about why Labour had lost in 1979. The 'winter of discontent' was a significant factor in a disappointing prodevolution vote. Callaghan's response to Margaret Thatcher was to focus on the new agreement, the St Valentine's Day Concordat, between the government and the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Abstract
This chapter examines the last days of the James Callaghan government in 1979, from the vote of confidence on 28 March to polling day on 3 May, has two main purposes. First, it questions how far the turbulent events of the 1978-79 winter contributed to the downfall of the Callaghan administration in March 1979 and Labour's subsequent defeat in the 1979 general election. Second, the chapter explores why the 'winter of discontent' in the years after 1979 has remained so prominent in British politics. With the party conducting an acrimonious inquest into its electoral defeat, Denis Healey had few doubts about why Labour had lost in 1979. The 'winter of discontent' was a significant factor in a disappointing prodevolution vote. Callaghan's response to Margaret Thatcher was to focus on the new agreement, the St Valentine's Day Concordat, between the government and the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of illustrations viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of abbreviations xii
- 1 The 1970s 1
- 2 Election deferred and the collapse of the social contract 18
- 3 The Ford strike, 1978 38
- 4 The oil tanker drivers’ dispute and the road hauliers’ strike 59
- 5 Public sector strikes 82
- 6 Media coverage 108
- 7 The Conservative Party and the ‘winter of discontent’ 130
- 8 Political aftermath 147
- 9 In conclusion 168
- ‘Winter of discontent’, 1978–79 176
- Bibliography 179
- Index 196
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of illustrations viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of abbreviations xii
- 1 The 1970s 1
- 2 Election deferred and the collapse of the social contract 18
- 3 The Ford strike, 1978 38
- 4 The oil tanker drivers’ dispute and the road hauliers’ strike 59
- 5 Public sector strikes 82
- 6 Media coverage 108
- 7 The Conservative Party and the ‘winter of discontent’ 130
- 8 Political aftermath 147
- 9 In conclusion 168
- ‘Winter of discontent’, 1978–79 176
- Bibliography 179
- Index 196
