Government values and policies

Abstract

At the general election of 1979 a Conservative government was returned with a majority of 43 seats over all other parties with the support of 44 per cent of those who voted. The manifesto on which the government was elected heralded major changes in industrial relations and, in particular, steps to curb the power of trade unions. The Conservatives were returned again in 1983 with a greatly increased overall majority in the House of Commons of 144 seats and with the support of 42 per cent of the electorate. They were returned a third time in 1987, with an overall majority this time of 100 seats, but with the proportion of votes unchanged at 42 percent.