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Copyright Adonis 1997. LondonNet is published by Adonis, London, UK.

 

UK ELECTION '97 FEATURE:

Review of the Campaign that led to the biggest Labour majority in history

LondonNet's Election Night Lead | Final Result - Seats | Labour's best ever result, the Tories worst since 1832 | Tony Blair on victory: "A new dawn has broken...", Tony Blair Manifesto | John Major accepts defeat: "Politics is a rough old trade..." | Our view on election day | The news from the Election & Campaign Summary

Lead Story Election Time May 1997

PRIME MINISTER BLAIR ANNOUNCES LABOUR CABINET

Blair's Landslide Government set to be the most radical and reforming this century:

Radical centre-left Cabinet announced

Five women in Cabinet, 118 women in Commons

Social, electoral & constitutional change planned

Final Result - Seats

Labour 418, Conservatives 165, Liberals 46, Others 29, Speaker 1

Labour's best ever result, the Tories worst since 1832

Labour have ended 18 years of Conservative rule. Their country wide rout has dismissed all Tories from Scotland & Wales and swept aside opponents in London and the South East, gaining 45 seats in the region. Conservative leadership candidate, Michael Portillo lost his safe Enfield site. The Liberals took 46 seats.

Tony Blair @ The Royal Festival Hall 5.15 am May 2:

"We've Done It! The British people have put their trust in us. A new dawn has broken. The size of our majority imposes a special responsibilty upon us. We were elected as New Labour and we shall govern as new Labour. We have the responsibilty upon us and we shall make this country as proud of us as we are of them."

John Major @ Conservative Central Office 5.30 am May 2:

"Politics is a rough old trade. It was a very bad defeat. We have suffered great defeats before, but we have always come back."

We voted Labour for our city, our country, our cyberspace, our conscience and our children

LondonNet 1 May 1997

"We will be a radical government. New Labour is a party of ideas and ideals but not of outdated ideology. What counts is what works. The objectives are radical. The means will be modern. Britain will be better with new Labour"

Tony Blair, Leader of the Labour Party, Party Manifesto 1997

UK ELECTION 1997

Election News

Polling today, Thursday, May 1st 1997.

Weather: Sunny 23' C. Expected Turnout: Moderate to High

Labour have been on the offensive with health and education, warning against complacency and urging supporters to vote on May 1st. Tony Blair has announced that he intends to move his family into residence at 10 Downing Street if he wins. Were Mr Blair elected Thursday he will confirm the following Cabinet appointments on Friday; David Blunket, Education Secretary; Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequor; Robin Cook, Foreign Secretary.

There is increasing speculation on John Major's successor should the Tories lose. Candidates include Michael Heseltine and Kenneth Clarke on the left (One Nation, Pro-Europe) and Michael Portillo and John Redwood on the right (Euro-sceptic, Anti-Welfare State).

The Liberal Democrats could improve their representation at Westminster despite their poor showing in the polls. Although fighting all but two seats nationwide, they have directed resources to their top 60 seats and are urging the anti-Tories to vote tactically - for them.

(1/5/97)

Campaign Summary

Conservatives

John Major led from the soapbox again, relishing the Conservative campaign despite his party's sleaze scandals and division over Europe.

London: The Conservatives plan to privatise London Transport's tube system.

Ex-Premier Margaret Thatcher's husband Denis, summed up the Tories' chances of victory as "nil".

Labour

Tony Blair's Labour Party ran under the "A Better Britain" slogan. It had the support of Rupert Murdoch's Sun and News of the World Newspapers for the first time.

London: Labour plan a new directly elected Mayor and London Assembly.

Tony Blair warned his supporters against complacency: "This is not a landslide country" he said.

Liberal Democrat

Paddy Ashdown's Liberals, who were heading for their worst result in a generation, improved their position. They were the only party promising to increase taxes. They got 46 seats.

London: The Liberals propose to increase spending on London's public transport.

Nationalists

Plaid Cymru (Wales) defended four seats on May 1st, the Scottish Nationalist Party three. Both avoided losses, despite facing a squeeze from Labour and Liberals who were both proposing devolution for the provinces.

LondonNet's Final Poll of Polls:

Lab 51, Con 30, Lib 15, Others 4 (30/4/97)

The above figures pointed to a Labour landslide with a majority in excess of 100 seats, however the parties own private polling indicated a closer result. The real result showed a smaller percentage lead but a larger, 179 seat majority.