All general elections produce their winners and losers. Landslide victories are often remembered for their scale and become personal vindications for Prime Ministers. As we reach the 30th anniversary of the 1992 election @scottcresswell1 wonders whether this was one that Labour were glad to lose... Whether it be Attlee in 1945, Thatcher in 1983, or … Continue reading 1992 at 30: What if Kinnock had won it?
Neil Kinnock
Kinnock v Benn: Labour’s Final Battle of the 1980s
In 1988, Tony Benn challenged Neil Kinnock for the leadership of the Labour Party. The story of the campaign often overlooked by historians. -------------------- Rumours began in January 1988 that Kinnock would face a challenge from the left of the party. Tony Benn claimed Kinnock was ‘increasingly intolerant’ and ‘authoritarian’ in his manner and ‘gave a … Continue reading Kinnock v Benn: Labour’s Final Battle of the 1980s
British General Election 1992: Must Labour Lose?
By Popular Demand: A thread on the Labour Party's response to the 1992 General Election – The last time it lost four times in a row The prominent question dominating Labour thinking was ‘If not now, when? If we cannot win in a recession, when can we?’. Labour held a huge poll lead towards the … Continue reading British General Election 1992: Must Labour Lose?
The End of a Thousand Years of History – Labour’s Long March To Brexit
Hugh Gaitskell, Barbara Castle, Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Tony Benn, Neil Kinnock, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Jeremy Corbyn all have one thing in common. They have all advocated withdrawal from the EEC/EU at some point in their long political careers. But only Jeremy Corbyn can see it through to fruition. It begs the question, why … Continue reading The End of a Thousand Years of History – Labour’s Long March To Brexit
We are ready to serve. And together we will change the course of our history, take the shattered remnants of our country and build a new and confident Britain for a new and changing world.
After the sudden death of John Smith in May 1994, Tony Blair defeated John Prescott and Margaret Beckett for the leadership. The real battle had already been won, when Gordon Brown pulled out. I discussed this in That’s Michelle Fowler – Perhaps we should go over and say hello as well as the end of the Smith … Continue reading We are ready to serve. And together we will change the course of our history, take the shattered remnants of our country and build a new and confident Britain for a new and changing world.
Tides of History 