The General Election of 1979 - Professor Vernon Bogdanor

A survey of the events and personalities in British politics before the 1979 General Election: The 1979 election inaugurated the premiership of Margaret Thatcher, the longest continuous premiership since that of Lord Liverpool (1812-27), and an 18 year period of Conservative government. It occurred after the ’winter of discontent’, marked by public sector strikes which destroyed the Labour government’s social contract. James Callaghan, defeated Labour Prime Minister, declared before the election that it marked a sea-change in British politics. Was he right? The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: