Then right before the national vote, a special vote was held and the Labour Party defeated the Conservatives decisively. Even though Blair's opponent, John Major, said that his Conservatives still could win the national vote, it appeared imminent that the Labour Party would rise to power for the first time in 18 years.
Despite the fact that the economy was thriving in 1997, with the unemployment rate at 6.2 percent (well below France and Germany), millions of Britons accused the Conservatives of broken promises, arrogance and simply having been in power too long. A huge Labour victory was expected in the 1997 general election, and that is exactly what occurred. Labour won in a landslide, claiming 43.1 percent of the vote. The Conservatives, seeking an unprecedented fifth term, lost in more than half the districts they had previously held, taking 30.6 percent of the vote and only 165 seats. The Conservatives were wiped out in Scotland and Wales for the first time. In large cities outside of London, including Birmingham and Sheffield, Labour had almost complete control. Almost all of the Conservative members of Parliament came from rural areas. The swing from the Conservatives to Labour was 10% -- the largest figure ever and twice that of the previous highest.
One of the reasons for such a big victory was the younger voters. These voters were not old enough to remember the last time that the Labour Party had control, 18 years before. In the 5 years from 1992 to 1996, the Conservatives" support fell by 18% among this group while Labour support rose 19%. This group of 18- to 29-year-olds felt that a change in leadership was in the best interest of England, which is why many of their votes went from Conservative to Labour.
Another reason for Tony Blair's victory was his approach to issues. His approach to the economy was very simple. The economy was strong so he decided to keep the program that the Conservatives had implemented.
