"New labour was nothing more than warmed up Thatcherism" do you agree? The purpose of this essay is to discuss and evaluate the extent to which it can be said that the New Labour Party was just a case of 'warmed up Thatcherism' or in other words, a continuation of Thatcherite policies during its 'modernisation project' and its entry into office in 1997 after its colossal victory. There are significant similarities shared by the two governments, evident in its domestic policies such as privatisation , less so regarding welfare, but, as it will be analysed in this essay, New Labours shift in the political spectrum highlights the 'paradigm-shift' it experienced in its pursuit to modernisation and its ideological approach called the 'Third way'. It is important to note early on what the term Thatcherism, a neologism created by Stuart Hall, actually means regarding its use in the essay. As stated by Heffernan, Thatcherism can be defined as “1. A policy and programme of government led by Margaret Thatcher, 2. An ideological phenomenon with the roots of the New Right, 3. A political style or ideological outlook, 4. A style of leadership, 5. A post social democratic neo-liberal political agenda' ergo, Thatcherism was a complex concept consisting of Margaret Thatcher’s leadership skills and the policies she …show more content…
Nigel Lawson, a conservative politician who served the Thatcher Cabinet from 1981-1989 sums up Thatcherism quite simply as "a mixture of free markets, financial discipline, firm control over public