Title: 1997 United Kingdom general election - Wikipedia
Headings: 1997 United Kingdom general election
1997 United Kingdom general election
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Contents
Overview
Loss of parliamentary majority
Timing
Campaign
Conservative campaign
Labour campaign
Liberal Democrat campaign
Endorsements
Opinion polling
Notional 1992 results
Results
Results by constituent country
Defeated MPs
MPs who lost their seats
Post-election events
Internet coverage
See also
Footnotes
References
Further reading
Manifestos
External links

Content: Contents
1 Overview
2 Loss of parliamentary majority
3 Timing
4 Campaign
4.1 Conservative campaign
4.2 Labour campaign
4.3 Liberal Democrat campaign
5 Endorsements
6 Opinion polling
7 Notional 1992 results
8 Results
8.1 Results by constituent country
9 Defeated MPs
9.1 MPs who lost their seats
10 Post-election events
11 Internet coverage
12 See also
13 Footnotes
14 References
15 Further reading
15.1 Manifestos
16 External links
Overview
The British economy had been in recession at the time of the 1992 election, which the Conservatives had won, and although the recession had ended within a year, events such as Black Wednesday had tarnished the Conservative government's reputation for economic management. Labour had elected John Smith as its party leader in 1992, but his death from a heart attack in 1994 led the way for Tony Blair to become Labour leader. Blair brought the party closer to the political centre and abolished the party's Clause IV in their constitution, which had committed them to mass nationalisation of industry. Labour also reversed its policy on unilateral nuclear disarmament and the events of Black Wednesday allowed Labour to promise greater economic management under the Chancellorship of Gordon Brown. A manifesto, entitled New Labour, New Life For Britain was released in 1996 and outlined five key pledges: Class sizes to be cut to 30 or under for 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds by using money from the assisted places scheme. Fast track punishment for persistent young offenders, by halving the time from arrest to sentencing. Cut NHS waiting lists by treating an extra 100,000 patients as a first step by releasing £100 million saved from NHS red tape. Get 250,000 under-25-year-olds off benefit and into work by using money from a windfall levy on the privatised utilities. No rise in income tax rates, cut VAT on heating to 5%, and keeping inflation and interest rates as low as possible.