Politics 40 years on

Being a politics junkie I have been watching BBC Parliament's complete re-broadcast of the Oct 1974 election results, tonight. This is of special interest to me as I was born in the middle of the campaign (which, means, I only worked this out recently, I was conceived during the three day week). Of course, I stayed up late last night to watch the by-election results, which got me thinking about similarities and differences between then and now.


What has not changed:

• In 1974 as in 2014 there was no public enthusiasm for either Labour or Conservatives, who were neck and neck and also the Liberals were on the slide.
• The BBC coverage was helmed by former Economist editors Alistair Burnett and Andrew Neil respectively
• Arguments over Europe were to the fore and there were promises of a forthcoming referendum
• Esther Rantzen on the telly; in 1974 reporting from the count, today fronting adverts for Accident Advice Helpline

What has changed:

• Union leaders and historians being interviewed and taken seriously
• Northern Ireland mired in violence
• Just 27 women MPs elected

Also it was interesting to see mentions of some characters who would become notorious: Jeffrey Archer, who did not defend his Louth consituency; Robert Maxwell losing at Buckingham; Cyril Smith winning in Rochdale.

I look forward to all the whizzy graphics the BBC will wheel out next May, but surely we have lost something?: