Michael Z
Mike
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Posts: 4,288
Political Matrix
E: -5.88, S: -4.72
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« on: February 15, 2004, 07:37:51 PM » |
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« edited: February 16, 2004, 06:55:36 AM by Michael Z »
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I share the general view here that Thatcher would have won in a 1984 election and, yes, with a smaller majority. I personally cannot imagine a realistic scenario involving a Michael Foot victory, purely because the left-wing vote was hopelessly split between SDP and Labour.
However, it can be said with certainty that a narrow Thatcher victory in 1984 would have meant two things: Neil Kinnock would not have been Labour leader, at least not in time for the next election. Foot either would have stayed on after the election, or Roy Hattersley would have replaced him. Secondly, the so-called Thatcher revolution (that is to say increasing subjugation of trade unions and the broadening of a free market system) would not have proceeded at the rapid pace it did in the mid-1980s.
Chances are the Conservative Party would have become frustrated with Thatcher's autocratic style of leadership earlier than did take place (as it would have born less fruit with a smaller parliamentary majority), and Michael Heseltine or maybe even Nigel Lawson would have been Prime Minister in time for an imaginary 1989 election.
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