From: clarinews@clarinet.com (WILLIAM B. RIES)
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Subject: Conservatives victorious in British election
Keywords: international, non-usa government, government, election, politics,
	political personalities
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 92 23:48:12 PDT
Location: great britain
ACategory: international
Slugword: britain-election250aed
Priority: urgent
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Note: (Complete writethru; adding vote percentages, new quotes, BBC
 projection)

	LONDON (UPI) -- In a historic, surprise victory, the Conservatives led
by Prime Minister John Major defeated the opposition Labor Party Friday,
extending their 13-year tenure in office despite high unemployment and
an economy mired in recession.
	With 618 constituencies reporting results, the Tory party had 321
seats in the 651-seat House of Commons, five short of a majority. Labor
took 269 seats, the Liberal Democrats 16, and other parties 12.
	The British Broadcasting Corp. predicted the Conservatives would
achieve a 17-seat overall majority once results from the remaining
districts were counted later Friday. Labor, seeking to end more than a
decade in opposition, failed to win the 97 additional districts needed
to defeat the Tories.
	In a victory that confounded the opinion polls, Major, 49,
established himself as the voters' choice for prime minister over the
next five years.
	``We've won tonight a magnificent victory,'' said Major, who
succeeded former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher following a party
power struggle in November 1990.
	``A victory many people thought was beyond our grasp, but one the
Conservative Party always believed was there for the taking, and as a
result of that victory we have five years to put into place those items
of policy we set out in our manifesto,'' he told cheering campaign
workers.
	In Thursday's polling, which had a strong turnout of 77 percent, the
Tories took 43 percent of the vote, Labor 36 and the Liberal Democrats
18. Major's victory gave the Conservatives a fourth term in office, a
feat unequaled since the Napoleonic era.
	Conceding defeat, Kinnock launched an attack on Conservative policies
and vowed to fight the government's narrow majority from Labor's
expanded base in Parliament.
	``I naturally feel a strong sense of disappointment,'' he told
campaign workers, ``not for myself, for I am very fortunate in my
personal life. But I feel dismay, sorrow for so many people in our
country who do not share this personal good fortune. They deserve better
than they got on the ninth of April, 1992.''
	Paddy Ashdown, head of the Liberal Democrats who fought to increase
their share of 22 seats, failed to become a possible coalition partner
as the prospect of a hung Parliament faded.
	Labor's poor showing was blamed on its failure to capture key
marginal seats throughout the country. Nevertheless, Labor slashed the
Tories' majority, ousting several senior Conservatives, including
campaign chairman Chris Patten, Overseas Development Minister Lynda
Chalker and several junior Cabinet ministers.
	Senior Labor leader Robin Cook said it would be difficult for the
Conservatives to remain in office for five years with a narrow majority.
	Roy Hattersley, deputy Labor Party leader, expressed surprise that
his party did not win a majority.
	``We won some seats I didn't think we'd win; we lost some seats I
didn't dream we'd lose,'' he said. ``I simply do not know how the
British mind and the British psyche operated to produce this result. It
needs a lot of us to think about why it happened.''
	Labor's poor showing was blamed on its failure to capture key
marginal seats throughout the country and especially in Scotland, where
a strong Scottish nationalist vote sapped its strength.
	Nevertheless, Labor slashed the Tories' majority of 140, ousting
several senior Conservatives including campaign chairman Chris Patten,
Overseas Development Minister Lynda Chalker and several junior Cabinet
ministers.
	Senior Labor leader Robin Cook said it would be difficult for the
Conservatives to remain in office five years with a narrow majority.
	The closely fought contest brought back memories of the 1974 election
in which the Conservatives lost their majority and ended with four seats
less than Labor. Prime Minister Edward Heath remained in office for four
days while he tried to form a coalition with the Liberals and the Ulster
Unionists. He failed and resigned, criticized by Labor for his actions.
	With 9.4 percent unemployment and bankruptcies at record levels, the
British economy was the main issue of the campaign. Voters also were
concerned about the free National Health Service and the quality of the
education system. International topics were largely ignored.
	The Conservatives, emphasizing their experience, assured voters that
the stage is set for recovery. Labor, declaring ``it's time for a
change,'' blamed the Tories for the worst recession since World War II.
	Personal taxes were a focal point of the debate on the economy. Labor
said it would increase taxes for the higher-paid workers while exempting
the lowest-paid from income tax. The Conservatives proposed to reduce
tax rates for the lowest paid and promised annual reductions for all
taxpayers.
	The Liberal Democrats, promising a fresh approach to government,
vowed to raise income tax 1 percent to improve education.
	For the Conservatives, Thursday's election is the first in 33 years
without former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as a candidate. Thatcher
was ousted in party power struggle in November 1990. Major, waging his
first campaign as head of his party, has had the difficult task of
establishing himself as a leader in his own right without repudiating
the Thatcher legacy.
	During his year and half in office, Major has attempted to make his
party more ``caring'' on social issues. But the Tories remain committed
to free market economics, privatized industry and less government
control of health and education. Labor would reverse many Tory reforms
by reasserting central control over schools and hospitals.
	In the 1987 election, which gave Thatcher a third term as prime
minister, the Conservatives received 42.2 percent of the vote and Labor
30.8 percent with Liberal-Social Democrats alliance taking 22.6 percent.
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