What were the causes of poverty in England in the mid to late 80's?

Question

I am researching for a play I am in, Thanks!

Answer 1

The United States experienced a decline in this period as well. Under the rule of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher not very much money was going to the Labour Party or social and economic reform. There was no EU...rising fuel costs, the failed war with the Falkland Islands, and ongoing crisis and instability in Northern Ireland played a role as well. Some of the USA's economic instabilty had a ripple affect and not much surety about pound sterling in the global market. The demand for Brithish Steel shut down many factories that bread economic life into places like Sheffield were entire towns were unemployed and many fled to London to seek work but housing was expensive and when I left in 1995 during a summer tenure there people were still on a waiting list for a flat.

Many chose "sqautting" which meant people lived in old and abandoned buildings.

Answer 2

>There was no EU

There was its precursor the EEC or Common Market.

>the failed war with the Falkland Islands

Failed? With the Falkland Islands? This will come as news to the rest of the world, including Argentina.

>The demand for Brithish (sic) Steel shut down many factories

The fact that industries could not, under the rules of the EEC, be subsidised by governments caused the closure of many portions of nationalised industries including British Steel and the coal-mining industries resulting in huge job losses. The Conservatives, under Thatcher, presided over the privatisation of many national industries, the free-market economy so beloved of the Conservatives did not believe in protecting jobs at the expense of capitalism, so jobs were lost, millions were unemployed, child poverty exploded to obscene rates.

In the late 80s rates were replaced by the infamous Poll Tax, this in conjunction with the savage repression of unions, huge unemployment, failed policies in Northern Ireland, internal party disputes spelt the end for Thatcher. Rioting was common, Toxteth, Brixton, Handsworth and Bristol all witnessed riots, the NUM miners strike was followed by riots, and perhaps most tellingly the Poll Tax riots.