Tony+Blair,+Labour+Party+Prime+Minister,+in+Great+Britain+in+1997+-+Group+3

=Tony Blair Elected=

==Overview== With a win of 419 votes out of 659, Tony Blair was elected, ending 18 years of Conservative rule on May 1, 1997. During a speech on April 3, 1997, Blair offered London a 10-commitment covenant with the British people. He acknowledged the need to create a durable bond of trust between new Labour and the electorate. The Labour leader used the launch of his party's manifesto to play down expectations saying he was not promising the earth, or magic wands.

Main Point
The specific commitments Blair made, including the five core promises on education, crime, the National Health Service, jobs, taxes and the economy, were not going to revolutionize people's lives overnight. The manifesto registered a number of changes made since the 1996 draft manifesto, New Labour, New Life for Britain. Other changes contributed towards a further softening of Labour's past. The New Life vision of "a stakeholder Britain" has lasted no more than a few years - and, like "socialism" cannot be found in the new manifesto. It was Blair's modernization of his party, forcing it to cast off traditional socialist policies that had combined with disunity among conservations to five Labour its best chance of power for almost two decades.

Conclusion
Once Blair was elected, he promised to follow the commitments he made, with education being the number one priority. The share of national income spent on education would increase during the course of a five-year Parliament. Other key commitments were there would be no increase in the basic or top rates of income tax, Labour would get 250,000 young unemployed people off benefits and into work. Spending on administration in the National Health Service would be cut to put more money into patient care, key trade union reforms of the 1980s on ballots and picketing would be retained. This is where a majority of the relevant workforce who wanted union recognition and it was granted. The current government's inflation target of 2.5 percent was met, referendums were held that year on devolution for Scotland and Wales. The rights of hereditary peers to sit of vote in the House of Lords was removed and the life peer system was reviewed. Lastly, Labour backed Britain's bid to house the 2006 World Cup.

References (2009-10.1.2.C)
Bevins, Anthony. "Election '97: Blair's pledge to Britain." //The Independent// [London] 4 Apr. 1997. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. []. Reuter. "Election fever mounts in Britain." //New Straits Times// 14 Mar. 1997: 20. Print.