Thatcher's Second Term: The 1983 Election and Privatisation

1. Thatcher’s Second Term: the 1983 election and privatisationAim- to assess why Thatcher won the 1983 election and what impact privatisation had What does this source suggest about why Thatcher won the general election?

2. Thatcher’s Second Term: the 1983 election and privatisationAim- to assess why Thatcher won the 1983 election and what impact privatisation had • Why did Thatcher win the general election? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7noHkLaZ5VI • What was the role of the media like in this campaign?

3. Thatcher’s Second Term: the 1983 election and privatisationAim- to assess why Thatcher won the 1983 election and what impact privatisation had The new Cabinet of 1983 • Francis Pym was sacked and Howe (a ‘dry’) replaced him as foreign secretary • Nigel Lawson (a ‘dry’) became the new Chancellor • One ‘wet’ remained – Michael Heseltine. He was very popular and became Secretary for Defence.

4. Thatcher’s Second Term: the 1983 election and privatisationAim- to assess why Thatcher won the 1983 election and what impact privatisation had Read p. 170 and fill in the table.

5. Thatcher’s Second Term: the 1983 election and privatisationAim- to assess why Thatcher won the 1983 election and what impact privatisation had In the book it states ‘the percentage of the electorate in trade unions declined from 30% in 1979 to 22% in 1987’ as if it is related to privatisation. Do you think this is a legitimate connection? Can you think of any other reasons?

6. Thatcher’s Second Term: the 1983 election and privatisationAim- to assess why Thatcher won the 1983 election and what impact privatisation had Consequences of privatisation – Benefits – Drawbacks -

7. Thatcher’s Second Term: the 1983 election and privatisationAim- to assess why Thatcher won the 1983 election and what impact privatisation had The Big Bang! What was it? Positives – Negatives -

8. Thatcher’s Second Term: the 1983 election and privatisationAim- to assess why Thatcher won the 1983 election and what impact privatisation had • Who do you agree with? • What do you think of privatisation? In the event, Mrs Thatcher’s hope of a share-owning democracy never really took off – the frenzy for cheap shares was already starting to fade... Frequently privatisation proved controversial. On the day of the gas flotation, Tony Blair, then a Labour Treasury spokesman, complained that taxpayers had lost at least £600m through the underpricing of the issue. FT December 2011