United Kingdom general election, 1987
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-->The UK general election, 1987 was held on 11 June, 1987 and was the third victory in a row for Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives. She was the first leader since Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool to win three successive elections although this has since been matched by Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The Conservative government had survived the industrial disputes with mine workers (1984–85) and print unions (1985–86), the 1986 Westland affair had been put aside with the loss of Michael Heseltine and Leon Brittan and the economy was performing well. Labour was in the throes of modernisation and a return to more centrist policies under Neil Kinnock but expected to do better than in 1983. The SDP and the Liberals renewed their Alliance, but neither Alliance leader (David Owen and David Steel) could agree to support either one of the major parties in the event of a hung parliament.
Campaign and Policies
The Conservatives' advertising campaign by Tim Bell was dominated by anti-Labour sentiment, attacking mainly on taxation but also with rapid-response campaigns to pick up on Labour errors. Saatchi and Saatchi produced memorable posters for the Conservatives, such as a picture of a British soldier's arms raised in surrender with the caption: "Labour's Policy On Arms"—a swipe at Labour's policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament. The first Conservative party political broadcast played on the theme of "Freedom" and ended with a fluttering Union Jack, the hymn I Vow to Thee, My Country and the slogan: "It's Great To Be Great Again".The Labour campaign was a marked change from previous efforts; professionally directed by Peter Mandelson and Bryan Gould, it concentrated on presenting and improving Kinnock's image to the electorate. Labour's first party political broadcast, dubbed Kinnock: The Movie, was directed by Hugh Hudson of Chariots of Fire fame, concentrated on Kinnock as a caring, compassionate family man. Kinnock's personal popularity jumped 16% overnight.David Butler and Dennis Kavanagh, The British General Election of 1987 (Macmillan, 1988), p. 154.
Defence was a weak spot for Labour and on 24 May Kinnock, when interviewed by David Frost, claimed that Labour's alternative defence strategy in the event of a Soviet attack would be "using the resources you've got to make any occupation totally untenable".[TV-AM (24 May, 1987)] In a speech two days later Mrs. Thatcher attacked Labour's defence policy as a programme for "defeat, surrender, occupation, and finally, prolonged guerilla fighting...I do not understand how anyone who aspires to Government can treat the defence of our country so lightly."[Speech to Conservative Rally in Newport (26 May, 1987)]
Result
The Conservatives were returned with a 102-seat majority, 42 down on 1983 with a swing of about 1% toward Labour. There were increasingly marked divisions across the country, as the Conservatives dominated southern England and even took seats from Labour but performed poorly in Northern England, Scotland, and Wales.Even though Neil Kinnock had worked hard to get a good result, it showed in only 20 extra seats for his party. The Conservatives were still going strong and for a party already with a landslide to still be gaining seats into a third term shows how Labour would have to work even harder to get anywhere.
The result for the Alliance was depressing and the loss of seats as well as an 8% gap between Labour and the Alliance, compared to a slim 2% gap four years before, would eventually lead to end of the Alliance and the birth of the Liberal Democrats.
Almost all the 'big names' held onto their seats. Of the more notable failures there were Enoch Powell and two Alliance members - Liberal Clement Freud and former SDP leader Roy Jenkins.
In Northern Ireland the various unionist parties maintained an electoral pact (with a couple of dissentients) in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement.
The overall result of this election was to show that Thatcherism retained significant support. A strong third term result enabled Margaret Thatcher to continue her right-wing policies.
Turnout: 32,530,204 (75.3%)
Results
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All parties gaining over 500 votes listed.
See also MPs elected in the UK general election, 1987.
References
| United Kingdom general elections |
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