Case Study: The 1979 Election (Edexcel A Level Politics): Revision Note

National voting behaviour in the 1979 general election

Context

• The 1979 election took place in the context of the severe unpopularity of the Labour government under James Callaghan following the Winter of Discontent

  • Widespread public sector strikes, refuse collection stoppages and industrial disruption undermined confidence in Labour

  • Unemployment had reached 1.5 million, inflation was high and the government appeared unable to control powerful trade unions

• Labour’s support fell across all social groups, with many traditional working-class voters switching to the Conservatives or abstaining

Election results

Voting patterns

• The Conservatives made gains among skilled and semi-skilled workers (C1 and C2 voters), signalling early signs of class dealignment

• Turnout was high at 76%, reflecting the sense of national crisis and public desire for change

• The FPTP system amplified the swing from Labour to Conservative, producing a decisive majority for the Conservatives

Factors affecting the 1979 general election outcome

Economic problems and Labour’s governing record

• High inflation, rising unemployment and long-term economic stagnation reduced trust in Labour’s competence

• The government appeared unable to control trade union power, especially during the Winter of Discontent

Leadership perceptions

• James Callaghan was personally more popular than the Labour Party, but his government was seen as tired and ineffective

• Callaghan’s relaxed attitude to the crisis, captured in the famous “Crisis? What crisis?” headline, reinforced the impression that Labour was out of touch

Conservative campaign strategy

• Margaret Thatcher campaigned on restoring economic discipline, reducing inflation and curbing union power

• The highly effective slogan “Labour Isn’t Working” featured long queues of unemployed people, symbolising economic decline

• The Conservatives offered a clear alternative and a message of renewal after years of perceived decline

Media influence

• Many national newspapers backed the Conservatives

  • They emphasised Labour’s internal divisions and the chaos caused by industrial disputes

• Media criticism of Labour reinforced public perceptions of disorder and decline

Party image and cohesion

• Labour appeared divided and poorly disciplined

• The Conservatives projected unity and strong leadership under Thatcher

The impact of the 1979 general election on parties and government

• The 1979 general election marked the end of post-war consensus politics

  • This had been based on mixed-economy principles, strong welfare provision and cooperative relations with trade unions

• It launched the Thatcher era, characterised by

  • Reductions in trade union power (eventually achieved through the 1980s trade union reforms)

  • Monetarist economic policies aimed at controlling inflation

  • Privatisation and a shift toward free-market principles

• The Conservative Party became aligned with neoliberal economic ideas, reshaping the political landscape for decades

• Labour entered a long period of introspection and division

  • The party struggled to solve internal divisions between the traditional left and the emerging centre-left

  • These divisions contributed to further defeats in 1983 and 1987 and, eventually, to New Labour

• In government, the 1979 result strengthened executive authority

  • The large Conservative majority enabled Thatcher to push through radical economic change

  • It shifted the balance of power away from trade unions and towards the state, permanently altering government-union relations