It was a painless victory, even if somewhat lacking in suspense, because the result had been so thoroughly predicted. But things could have gone wrong; a banana peel might have appeared suddenly under Mrs. Thatcher’s feet, delivering Britain into the hands of a quite horrendously left-wing Labour government. All elections are described by participants as crucial, this one really was. American electors have —happily for them—never been faced with so drastic a choice. Indeed, British electors have never seen the choice spelled out as clearly before.
This election was predominantly about two things—the personality of Margaret Thatcher and the nature of the modern Labour Party. The result certainly provides a mandate for the Conservative government to continue the general policies that Mrs. Thatcher and her colleagues have been pursuing over the past four years. Perhaps more important, however, the election constitutes a massive rejection of the policies and attitudes of the Marxist Left. The long-term consequence may be a complete restructuring of the British political field.
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