“Victory in the 1983 election has been interpreted, including by Thatcher at the time, as signifying popular support for her and her policies, and, particularly, enthusiasm for her victory in the Falklands War. Inspection of election statistics raises doubts. The Conservative vote was lower than in 1979, at 13,012,315 compared with 13,697,690. Turnout was down from 76 per cent to 72.7 per cent – then the second lowest since 1945 – not suggesting exceptional enthusiasm for Thatcher or the Falklands. Yet she won far more seats, up from 339 to 397, and her overall majority rose from 43 to 144.
Labour, led by left-winger Michael Foot, had supported the war and the Falklanders against invasion by a right-wing Argentinian dictatorship (that had a habit of dropping opponents out of aircraft…
