Changes

===A swing to the left===

===A swing to the left===

Michael Foot became leader of the Labour Party in 1980 and took the party in a more leftward direction. The 1983 manifesto pledged to reverse all Thatcher's economic reforms; renationalise all privatised businesses, raise taxes and make them more progressive, restore trade union powers, leave the European Union, abolish nuclear weapons and campaign for a united Ireland as a solution to the paramilitarism and terrorism that had beset the province of Northern Ireland throughout the 70s. The manifesto became known as the "longest suicide note in history" and was defeated by Thatcher's Conservatives in a landslide. Pro-European Union Labour Party members who formed their own party, the SDP, nearly polled more votes than the Labour Party.

Michael Foot became leader of the Labour Party in 1980 and took the party in a more leftward direction. The 1983 manifesto pledged to reverse all Thatcher's economic reforms; renationalise all privatised businesses, raise taxes and make them more progressive, restore trade union powers, leave the European Economic Community, abolish nuclear weapons and campaign for a united Ireland as a solution to the paramilitarism and terrorism that had beset the province of Northern Ireland throughout the 70s. The manifesto became known as the "longest suicide note in history" and was defeated by Thatcher's Conservatives in a landslide. Pro-EEC Labour Party members who formed their own party, the SDP, nearly polled more votes than the Labour Party.

Foot was succeeded by Neil Kinnock who was still pledging broadly left-wing policies in 1987. This manifesto too was defeated in a landslide.

Foot was succeeded by Neil Kinnock who was still pledging broadly left-wing policies in 1987. This manifesto too was defeated in a landslide.