Consensus and Adversary Politics

This lesson examines the concepts of consensus politics and adversary politics in the UK, exploring how the relationship between the major parties has shifted over time.

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What is Consensus Politics?

Consensus politics exists when the major parties broadly agree on key policy areas, meaning that a change of government does not produce dramatic shifts in policy direction.

The Post-War Consensus (1945–1979)

The period from 1945 to 1979 is often described as an era of consensus between Labour and the Conservatives:

Policy Area	Consensus Position
Economy	Keynesian demand management; government intervention to maintain full employment
Welfare state	Broad acceptance of the NHS, state pensions, social security, and council housing
Nationalisation	Acceptance of key industries in public ownership (although the Conservatives were less enthusiastic)
Trade unions	Recognition of trade unions as legitimate partners in economic management
Foreign policy	Cold War alliances (NATO, nuclear deterrent); decolonisation
Education	Expansion of comprehensive education and university access

This consensus is sometimes called "Butskellism" — a combination of the names of Conservative Chancellor R.A. Butler and Labour Chancellor Hugh Gaitskell, whose economic policies were seen as virtually interchangeable.

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What is Adversary Politics?

Adversary politics exists when the major parties fundamentally disagree on key policy areas, and a change of government produces significant shifts in direction.

The Thatcher Revolution (1979–1990)

Margaret Thatcher's election in 1979 broke the post-war consensus:

Policy Area	Thatcher's Approach
Economy	Monetarism; supply-side economics; reduced state intervention
Nationalisation	Privatisation of state-owned industries
Trade unions	Confrontation and legislation to reduce union power
Welfare	Reduction of welfare dependency; emphasis on personal responsibility
Taxation	Lower income tax (from 83% top rate to 40%); shift towards indirect taxation (VAT)
Foreign policy	Strong Cold War stance; Falklands War; euroscepticism

Thatcher's government represented a clear adversary approach — deliberately rejecting the policies of previous Labour and Conservative governments.

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New Labour and a New Consensus? (1997–2010)

Tony Blair's New Labour was sometimes accused of creating a new consensus:

• Blair accepted much of Thatcher's economic legacy (no renationalisation, flexible labour markets, low top-rate taxes initially)
• But he combined this with significant public investment (NHS, education, Sure Start) and social reforms (minimum wage, HRA, devolution)
• Critics on the left argued that New Labour was "Thatcherism with a human face"
• The "Third Way" sought to transcend the old left/right divide

Was there a Blair-Cameron consensus?

Some commentators identified a new consensus between New Labour and David Cameron's modernised Conservatives:

• Both accepted the market economy and globalisation
• Both supported the NHS as a publicly funded service
• Both supported same-sex rights and social liberalism
• Both accepted devolution

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Post-2010: A Return to Adversary Politics?

Since 2010, UK politics has become more adversarial: