'Opposition-Craft': an Evaluative Framework for Official Opposition Parties in the United Kingdom Edward Henry Lack Submitte
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‘Opposition-Craft’: An Evaluative Framework for Official Opposition Parties in the United Kingdom Edward Henry Lack Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of PhD The University of Leeds, School of Politics and International Studies May, 2020 1 Intellectual Property and Publications Statements The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. ©2020 The University of Leeds and Edward Henry Lack The right of Edward Henry Lack to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 2 Acknowledgements Page I would like to thank Dr Victoria Honeyman and Dr Timothy Heppell of the School of Politics and International Studies, The University of Leeds, for their support and guidance in the production of this work. I would also like to thank my partner, Dr Ben Ramm and my parents, David and Linden Lack, for their encouragement and belief in my efforts to undertake this project. Finally, I would like to acknowledge those who took part in the research for this PhD thesis: Lord David Steel, Lord David Owen, Lord Chris Smith, Lord Andrew Adonis, Lord David Blunkett and Dame Caroline Spelman. 3 Abstract This thesis offers a distinctive and innovative framework for the study of effective official opposition politics in the United Kingdom. While other work has focused on narrow aspects of life in opposition – such as leadership, media communications, or policy – this work draws together the entire scope of skills into a framework, described as ‘Opposition- Craft’, against which any official UK opposition can be tested for its effectiveness. Using Bulpitt’s 1986 paper on ‘Statecraft’ as its inspiration, this thesis compiles a similar set of key elements that an opposition must possess if it is to have any hope of victory at a general election. Bulpitt established a set of criteria around the key structural aspects of a good government which, if followed, would likely result in a governing party remaining in power. In that regard, ‘Statecraft’ focused on parties of government, whereas this new framework produces a similar set of criteria by which an opposition can be measured. Following the creation of the model in the opening chapter, subsequent chapters go on to test the framework against four distinct periods of opposition from 1980 onwards, each of which assesses a wide spectrum of electoral success: Michael Foot’s Labour Party, 1980-83, Neil Kinnock’s Labour Party, 1987-92, Tony Blair’s Labour Party, 1994-97, and David Cameron’s Conservative Party, 2005-10. By applying the model and forming judgements around their relative success, this project will evaluate why, during the post-war period, the Conservative Party has been more successful in opposition than the Labour Party. Thus, ‘Opposition-Craft’ is the first of its kind in that it presents a full exploration of all dimensions involved in the technique of opposition. In that regard, if Bulpitt’s notion of ‘Statecraft’ is the art of successful government, then ‘Opposition-Craft’ is the art of successful opposition. 4 Table of Contents Intellectual Property and Publications Statements ...................................................... 2 Acknowledgements Page ............................................................................................ 3 Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 4 List of Tables, Diagrams and Illustrations ..................................................................... 7 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 1: ‘Opposition-Craft’: The Model ............................................................. 9 1.1 Section1: The rationale for the project ................................................................................. 11 1.2 Section 2: The existing literature ........................................................................................... 13 1.3 Section 3: Context ................................................................................................................. 20 1.4 Section 4: Strategy ................................................................................................................. 27 1.5 Section 5: Tasks ..................................................................................................................... 32 1.6 Section 6: Skills ...................................................................................................................... 38 1.7 The case for ‘Opposition-Craft’.............................................................................................. 49 Chapter 2 ........................................................................................................... 55 Tony Blair, 1994-97: A masterclass in how to operate in opposition ........................... 55 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 55 2.2 Academic Perspectives on the Blair Era, 1994-97 ................................................................. 55 2. 3 Context ................................................................................................................................. 58 2.4 Strategy ................................................................................................................................. 67 2.5 Tasks ...................................................................................................................................... 74 2.6 Skills ....................................................................................................................................... 80 2.7 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 89 Chapter 3 ........................................................................................................... 93 David Cameron, 2005-10: A stunning achievement or a failure to complete the job? .. 93 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 93 3.2 Academic Perspectives on the Cameron Era, 2005-10 .......................................................... 94 3.3 Context ........................................................................................................................... 96 3.4 Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 111 3.5 Tasks .................................................................................................................................... 120 3.6 Skills ..................................................................................................................................... 129 3.7 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 140 Chapter 4 ......................................................................................................... 144 Neil Kinnock, 1987-92: On the right track, but outsmarted in the end ...................... 144 4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 144 4.2 Academic Perspectives on the Kinnock Era, 1987-92 .......................................................... 145 4.3 Context ................................................................................................................................ 147 4.4 Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 157 4.5 Tasks .................................................................................................................................... 170 4.6 Skills ..................................................................................................................................... 178 4.7 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 192 5 Chapter 5 ......................................................................................................... 195 Michael Foot, 1980-83: What not to do in opposition .............................................. 195 5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 195 5.2 Academic Perspectives on the Foot Era, 1980-83 ............................................................... 196 5.3 Context ................................................................................................................................ 198 5.4 Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 206 5.5 Tasks .................................................................................................................................... 213 5.6 Skills