With the 20th anniversary of the 1992 defeat on April 9, Progress is looking back at memories of that election. Read Paul Richards‘ piece on ‘the worst loss of all’ here.

April 1992. How could we ever forget – ‘Deeply Dippy’ by Right Said Fred was  number  one in the charts, ‘Men Behaving Badly’ had just started  on TV, and Labour was set to win the general election called for the 9th of that month.

The memories of that election campaign are seared onto my soul. After six years of campaigning as the Delyn candidate and three lost elections behind me (that’s what happened in the 80s!) the dark clouds would lift.

For the Labour party, now was surely the time for that new start under Neil Kinnock as leader. For prime minister John Major, two years in post, the door to Downing Street would be closed for good.

It says a lot that most of my memories of the 1992 election tend to centre on the Tory party – that’s how much they dominated political life at that time. It’s even less surprising when we recall that the 1992 election not only saw a surprise Tory win but the most votes ever garnered by the Tories at any election before or since. It makes my small glimmer of hope in taking Delyn from the Tories seem even more of a miracle on this, the 20th anniversary of that depressing defeat.

When I think of 1992 I think of John Major on a soap box in an anonymous town centre, usually somewhere down south, shouting through a megaphone to keep taxes low and keep Labour out. I think of the Tory posters on billboards everywhere proclaiming on bright red boxing gloves to beware of Labour’s double whammy of tax and price rises. I see the Labour tax bombshell poster even now – the bombshell primed and waiting to go off and to cost us all £1250 extra each year. And I see the spikeless porcupine, symbolic of labours defence policy. Even now I wince in pain at the thought of those posters.

Labour posters and broadcasts focused on our strengths.  The so called ‘war of Jennifer’s ear’, highlights how private health care bought better health care for those that could afford it.

Labour had a good tale to tell – 13 years of a free market nightmare, Mrs Thatcher turfed out, the poll tax, riots, recession, and a new uncharismatic prime minister. We planned taxes on the rich; a 50p rate to help our economic woes. We would sign the social chapter, create regional government, and invest in health and schools – a progressive plan to restimulate our economy; create jobs and a fairer society. All drowned out by the Tory tax message in an effective campaign. I remember knocking on doors of families who earned less that £20,000 who were voting Tory because they thought the Labour top rate of tax would hit them. That’s how it was.

Elections tend to be fought on the same issues and 1992 was no different:  tax, the economy, jobs, health, and defence.

Battle commenced on March 11. For me the ground war fought street by street was relentless, but around me the noise of national campaign filled the TV and media.

When the boxes closed it was only left to wait. Early pain as Basildon and the south remained lost; my university pal, Greg Pope’s early gain in Hyndburn and, at around 1.30am, a glance at the piles on tables showed Delyn was Labour by 2000 votes, my only real cheer on a grim night of defeat which saw the Tories gaining their highest vote ever at a general election.

Proud of my leader  and proud to be a Labour MP, I was happy to be sent to the commons but sad that it was only to oppose and build for the next election rather than support a government under Neil Kinnock.

Twenty years on and we face the same old Tory-led government – cutting taxes on the richest, squeezing those on  middle incomes and the lowest paid, and set on wrecking the NHS. Once again my role is to oppose and build. Once again we have to work for victory and not take it for granted

Twenty years on. Well, we lost in 1992, I think, because ordinary people thought they would be worse off under Labour –credible economic arguments had not got through. A tax cut was worth the vote.

Our challenge now, and one we are rising to, is to show that basic fairness in taxation and a strong economy can and do go together; that economic growth needs strong government engagement; and that all of us stand stronger together than we do apart. But expect David Cameron to look to the past also- and our challenge now is not to fall into the bear traps he and Osborne will no doubt lay.

Oh, and lastly, my favourite moment of the campaign? The Delyn Tory candidate  at a public meeting  in the shadow of Flint castle, built by the English in 1198, saying that strong defence had meant we had  never been invaded since 1066, to be greeted by the heckle ‘who built Flint castle then?’

David Hanson is the Labour MP for Delyn

Photo: Groovyhalo