page_title: Social history of the United Kingdom (1979–present)
section_title: Thatcher's Britain
hierarchical_section_title: Social history of the United Kingdom (1979–present) / Thatcher's Britain
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: Collectie / Archief&#160;: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie&#160;: Bezoek Engelse premier Margaret Thatcher Beschrijving&#160;: Premier Thatcher tijdens een persconferentie Datum&#160;: 19 september 1983 Trefwoorden&#160;: ministers-presidenten, persconferenties Fotograaf&#160;: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo Auteursrechthebbende&#160;: Nationaal Archief Materiaalsoort&#160;: Negatief (zwart/wit) Nummer archiefinventaris&#160;: bekijk toegang 2.24.01.05 Bestanddeelnummer&#160;: 932-7044
context_page_description: The social history of the United Kingdom (1979–present) began with Conservative Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher entering government and rejecting the post-war consensus in the 1980s. She privatised most state-owned industries and worked to weaken the power and influence of the trade unions. The "New Labour" premiership of Tony Blair accepted most of Thatcher's economic policies. Devolution became a major topic, as Scotland and Wales gained more local control following referenda held in 1997. In 2014, a referendum on Scottish independence was held, and Scotland voted 55% to 45% to remain part of the UK. The UK voted to leave the European Union in a nationwide referendum held on 23 June 2016 and withdrew a few years later.
context_section_description: Margaret Thatcher was the dominant political force of the late twentieth century, often compared to Churchill and David Lloyd George for her transformative agenda commonly referred to as "Thatcherism". She was Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975–1990, and Prime Minister from 1979–1990. She was often called the "Iron Lady" for her uncompromising politics and leadership style.
  Political analyst Dennis Kavanagh concludes that the "Thatcher Government produced such a large number of far-reaching changes across much of the policy spectrum, that it passes 'reasonable' criteria of effectiveness, radicalism, and innovation".
  The Labour Party under James Callaghan (Prime Minister 1976–79) contested the 1979 general election as unemployment passed the 1,000,000 mark and trade unions became more aggressive. The Conservatives used a highly effective poster created by advertisers Saatchi and Saatchi, showing an unemployment queue snaking into the distance, carrying the caption "Labour isn't working". The Conservatives received 43.9% of the vote and 339 seats to Labour's 269, for an overall majority of 43 seats at the 1979 general election. Labour was weakened by the steady long-term decline in the proportion of manual workers in the electorate. Twice as many manual workers normally voted Labour as voted Conservative, but they now constituted only 56% of the electorate. When the Labour Party led by Harold Wilsonnarrowly won the 1964 general election, manual workers had accounted for 63%. Furthermore, they were beginning to turn against the trade unions – alienated, perhaps, by the difficulties of the winter of 1978–9. In contrast, Conservative policies stressed wider home ownership, which Labour refused to match. Thatcher did best in districts where the economy was relatively strong and was weaker where it was contracting.
caption: Margaret Thatcher (pictured in 1983) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990
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