Skip to content
November 6, 2026
  • The late 1980s love affair with French movies
  • Demonising people with ‘Yuppie Flu’
  • Teaching adult literacy in the 1980s
  • Was TV better in the 1970s and 1980s?

The 70s 80s 90s Blog

Three Decades of History with TV historian Tony McMahon

  • Home
  • About the blog
  • My published books
  • Contact for interviews
Headlines
  • French movies 1980s

    The late 1980s love affair with French movies

    3 days ago3 days ago
  • yuppie flu

    Demonising people with ‘Yuppie Flu’

    5 days ago5 days ago
  • 1980s illiteracy

    Teaching adult literacy in the 1980s

    5 days ago5 days ago
  • TV 1970s 1980s

    Was TV better in the 1970s and 1980s?

    2 months ago2 months ago
  • 1976 drought summer heat climate change

    Summer of 1976 and Climate Change

    5 months ago5 months ago
  • 1986 Britain

    1986 – 40 years ago in Britain

    10 months ago9 months ago
  • Home
  • 2013
  • April

April 2013

Callaghan Scotland
  • Politics

SNP topples Labour PM Callaghan in 1979

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago08 mins

In 1979, SNP MPs toppled the Labour government of James Callaghan opening the door to over a decade of Margaret Thatcher as Tony McMahon discovers

Read More
peter tatchell
  • Politics

Peter Tatchell runs for Labour in 1983

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago516 mins

In 1983 Peter Tatchell ran as the Labour candidate in the Bermondsey by-election facing a barrage of homophobia

Read More
  • Music

David Bowie – it wasn’t always adulation

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago01 mins

David Bowie – it wasn’t always adulation. Critics of Bowie could often be very harsh and bitter.

Read More
  • 1981 riots
  • Politics

Liverpool student demo ends in tragedy

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago28 mins

1982 – what issues gripped the left?

Read More
  • Politics

Observing the 80s – Sussex Uni looks back at AIDS, the Falklands, etc

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago01 mins

Sussex University is compiling an online archive of news and ephemera from the 1980s called ‘Observing the 80s’ – a joint project between the Mass Observation Project, the British Library Oral History Collections and the University of Sussex Library.  Click HERE for the related blog.

Read More
  • Politics

Video of Thatcher’s hearse going past

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago01 mins

Video of Thatcher’s hearse going past on the Strand in London – at the funeral of Margaret Thatcher

Read More
  • Politics

Thatcher funeral – my photos taken today

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago02 mins

My photos from Thatcher’s funeral today

Read More
  • Politics

London reacts to Maggie in 1979

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago02 mins

London and the south east had a swing to the Tories in 1979 that was 50% higher than the rest of the country. The GLC was already in Tory hands under the leadership of Horace Cutler. He was looking forward to a close working relationship with Thatcher around issues that would eventually move in his…

Read More
  • Uncategorized

Pete Wylie on Margaret Thatcher – in music

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago01 mins
Read More
  • Uncategorized

Elvis Costello on Margaret Thatcher – interview in 1989 plus song

The 70s 80s 90s Blog14 years ago4 years ago01 mins
Read More
  • 1
  • 2

Buy Original Rude Boy – biography of Neville Staple, The Specials

Boxing and racism in the 80s

Keep updated on my new posts

tonymcmahon@rostraconsulting.com

Join 1,164 other subscribers

Categories

Tony McMahon – your blogger – circa 1982

TV historian Tony McMahon journeys through the politics, culture, and history of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s

Are you looking for something?

Newsmatic - News WordPress Theme 2026. Powered By BlazeThemes.
Loading Comments...