query: Tony Blair was elected in the nineteen nineties.

pos: Tony Blair Anthony Charles Lynton Blair ( born 6 May 1953 ) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007 . He remains the most recent Labour Party leader to have won a general election .   From 1983 to 2007 , Blair was the Member of Parliament ( MP ) for Sedgefield . He was elected Labour Party leader in July 1994 , following the sudden death of his predecessor , John Smith , who together with his predecessor , Neil Kinnock , had started to move the party closer to the political centre , in the hope of winning power . Under Blair 's leadership , the party used the phrase `` New Labour '' , to distance it from previous Labour policies and the traditional conception of socialism . Blair declared support for a new conception that he referred to as `` social-ism '' , involving politics that recognised individuals as socially interdependent , and advocated social justice , cohesion , the equal worth of each citizen , and equal opportunity , also referred to as the Third Way . Critics of Blair denounced him for having the Labour Party abandon genuine socialism and accepting capitalism . Supporters , including the party 's public opinion pollster Philip Gould , stated that after four consecutive general election defeats , from 1979 to 1992 , the Labour Party had to demonstrate that it had made a decisive break from its left-wing past , in order to win an election again .   In May 1997 , the Labour Party won a landslide general election victory , the largest in its history , allowing Blair , at 43 years old , to become the youngest Prime Minister since 1812 . In September 1997 , Blair attained early personal popularity , receiving a 93 % public approval rating , after his public response to the death of Princess Diana . The Labour Party went on to win two more elections under his leadership : in 2001 , in which it won another landslide victory , and in 2005 , with a reduced majority . In the first years of the New Labour government , Blair 's government introduced the National Minimum Wage Act , Human Rights Act , and Freedom of Information Act . Blair 's government also devolved power , establishing the Scottish Parliament , the National Assembly for Wales , and the Northern Ireland Assembly . In Northern Ireland , Blair was involved in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement .   Blair strongly supported the foreign policy of the Bush administration , and ensured that the British Armed Forces participated in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and , more controversially , the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Blair has faced strong criticism for his role in the invasion of Iraq , including calls for having him tried for war crimes and waging a war of aggression . In 2016 , the Iraq Inquiry strongly criticised his actions and described the invasion of Iraq as unjustified and unnecessary . Blair also intervened militarily in Kosovo and Sierra Leone .   Blair was succeeded as the leader of the Labour Party and as Prime Minister by Gordon Brown in June 2007 . On the day that Blair resigned as Prime Minister , he was appointed the official Special Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East , an office which he held until May 2015 . He now runs a consultancy business and has set up various foundations in his own name , including the Tony Blair Faith Foundation .

neg: Geoffrey Johnson-Smith Sir Geoffrey Johnson-Smith , Kt , DL , PC ( 16 April 1924 in Glasgow -- 11 August 2010 ) was a Scottish Conservative politician in the United Kingdom . He was a Member of Parliament ( MP ) from 1959 to 2001 , with only a brief interruption in the 1960s . He was also a television presenter .   The son of an electrical engineer , he joined the Royal Artillery straight from Charterhouse School in 1942 and after the war was demobilised as a captain .   At Lincoln College , Oxford , he read PPE . Contemporaries remembered him as Oxford 's best-dressed socialist , though he always insisted he never joined the Labour Party . In his final year he and Robin Day took part in a debating tour of United States run by the English-Speaking Union . From Oxford he joined the British Information Services , serving in San Francisco , where he met his wife , Jeanne , an American doctor whom he married in 1951 .   He was later a presenter of the BBC magazine programme Tonight in the late 1950s .   Shortly before the 1959 general election , Cliff Michelmore , Tonight 's presenter , had a hernia operation and Johnson-Smith was promoted to co-host the show for six weeks . His profile was thus at its highest when the election was called , and on 8 October 1959 he ousted the Labour member for Holborn and St Pancras South , Lena Jeger , by 656 votes .   He successfully promoted a bill authorising councils to operate a meals-on-wheels service for the elderly and was soon on the fast track , within six months becoming PPS to ministers at the Board of Trade ; in 1962 he moved to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance .   His parliamentary career was interrupted in October 1964 when Lena Jeger had her revenge by 2,756 votes as Labour came to power . He briefly returned to television , freelancing for the BBC and Rediffusion 's religious programmes .   However , he returned to the House of Commons the following year at a by-election in the safe Conservative seat of East Grinstead . When that constituency was abolished for the 1983 election , he was returned for the new Wealden constituency , and held that seat until he retired at the 2001 general election .   Sir Alec Douglas-Home quickly appointed him an Opposition whip , and when Edward Heath became leader that summer he made Johnson-Smith a party vice-chairman .   When Heath came to power in 1970 he kept Johnson-Smith at Central Office . Soon afterwards Iain Macleod died suddenly , the party Chairman Anthony Barber taking his place and Johnson-Smith becoming acting chairman . He was never in the running for the top job , despite his popularity among Conservative ladies , and in April 1971 he instead became Under-Secretary for Defence for the Army .   Johnson-Smith , who was later to launch a successful campaign on behalf of haemophiliacs who had been given infected blood , fought a long battle to curb the Church of Scientology . The Church had its headquarters near East Grinstead and in 1970 he endured a six-week libel case before a jury vindicated his stance .   After the Bloody Sunday killings of January 1972 , he mounted an uncompromising defence of the Parachute Regiment : `` It is bad enough for our troops to have to run all the perils and be shot at by gunmen without having their pain increased by smears in this House . ''   In November 1972 Heath moved him sideways to the Civil Service Department , with the remit of sharpening presentation of government policy . His time there was dominated by the Kenneth Littlejohn affair , which was still rumbling on when Heath called a snap election in February 1974 . Johnson-Smith fought a skilful media campaign , but could not prevent Heath losing .   When Margaret Thatcher took the leadership , she asked him to oversee media activities at Central Office alongside a fellow television professional , Gordon Reece . After her 1979 election victory he joined the 1922 executive and chaired the party 's backbench media committee .   From 1980 to 1996 he chaired the select committee on Member 's Interests , having to field embarrassing questions about the business activities of Mrs Thatcher 's son Mark .   Johnson-Smith specialised increasingly in defence . From 1985 he chaired the military committee of the North Atlantic Assembly , and from 1987 to 1997 he led the British delegation . For six years he chaired the Conservative backbench defence committee .   He was knighted in 1982 and sworn of the Privy Council in 1996 .

neg: United Kingdom general election, 1900 The United Kingdom general election of 1900 was held between 26 September and 24 October 1900 , following the dissolution of Parliament on 25 September . Also known as the khaki election ( the first of several elections to bear this sobriquet ) , it was held at a time when it was widely believed that the Second Boer War had effectively been won ( though in fact it was to continue for a further two years ) . The Conservatives , led by Lord Salisbury with their Liberal Unionist allies , secured a large majority of 130 , despite securing only 5.6 % more votes than Henry Campbell-Bannerman 's Liberals . This was largely due to the Conservatives winning 163 uncontested seats . The Labour Representation Committee , later to become the Labour Party , participated in a general election for the first time even though they had only been in existence for a few months . As a result , Keir Hardie and Richard Bell were the only LRC members of parliament in 1900 .   This was the first time that Winston Churchill was elected to the House of Commons . He had stood in the same seat , Oldham , in a by-election the previous year , but had lost . It was also the final general election of the Victorian era and the 19th century .

neg: Campaign for Social Democracy The Campaign for Social Democracy was a minor political party operating in the United Kingdom in the 1970s .   They were formed in September , 1973 by Dick Taverne , who had resigned from the Labour Party , after falling out with his Constituency Labour Party over the European Economic Community .   He had formed the Democratic Labour Association in Lincoln and had been elected as an MP for Lincoln under that banner in a by-election in March , 1973 . He formed the Campaign for Social Democracy as an attempt to build a radical non-doctrinaire social democratic movement , and at the February 1974 general election they stood four candidates against leading Labour left-wingers ( including Tony Benn ) .   All were unsuccessful ( the highest polling only 2.4 % of the vote in their constituency ) , and the campaign was wound up when the Labour Party won the October general election , making a split in the Labour Party less likely .   Such a split did occur in the early 1980s , when leading Labour moderates formed the Social Democratic Party .   Category : Defunct political parties in the United Kingdom  Category : Political parties established in 1973  Category : Political parties disestablished in 1974

neg: New Labour (disambiguation) New Labour was the campaigning label for the British Labour Party under Tony Blair 's leadership .   New Labour may also refer to :  NewLabour Party ( New Zealand ) , formed by Jim Anderton after he left the New Zealand Labour Party  New Labour Party ( South Africa ) , a minor political party in South Africa  New Labour Party ( Egypt ) , a Salafist political party in Egypt  New Labour Unity Party , a Fijian political party , which broke away from the Fiji Labour Party

neg: Richard Holme, Baron Holme of Cheltenham Richard Gordon Holme , Baron Holme of Cheltenham CBE , PC ( 27 May 1936 -- 4 May 2008 ) was a British Liberal Democrat politician .   Educated at University of Oxford ( BA Jurisprudence ; St John 's College ) and Harvard Business School , Holme joined the Liberal Party in 1959 , and was elected as the party 's President in 1980 and 1981 . He stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal candidate in East Grinstead , West Sussex , in 1964 , and in a 1965 by-election . He then stood in Braintree , Essex , in October 1974 . He later sought election at the more promising Cheltenham at the 1983 general election and at the 1987 general election . He was awarded a CBE in the 1983 New Year 's Honours .   After the Liberal Party 's merger with SDP in 1988 , he joined the newly formed Liberal Democrats . He later said that he believed that had the merger happened before the 1987 general election , then the party could have attracted more votes and seats at that election and displaced Labour in the opposition . However , the merger did not happen sooner because of objections from SDP leader David Owen , who resigned later in 1987 .   Holme was a close advisor to David Steel when he was leader of the Liberal Party , and to his successor , the first Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown . He was made a life peer on 29 May 1990 , as Baron Holme of Cheltenham , of Cheltenham in the County of Gloucestershire . In 2000 , he was appointed as a Privy Counsellor . His 1999 appointment as chairman of the Broadcasting Standards Commission was cut short when he was forced to resign after News of the World allegations of multiple adultery and ` bizarre sex games ' .   He was a fellow of the British-American Project and chair of the Hansard Society from 2001 to 2007 . Holme also served as a Member of the Board of Advisors for the Global Panel Foundation , a respected NGO that works behind the scenes in crisis areas around the world .   Holme died from cancer on 4 May 2008 .

neg: Eastbourne by-election, 1990 The Eastbourne by-election , 1990 was a by-election held on 18 October 1990 for the British House of Commons constituency of Eastbourne in East Sussex .   The by-election was caused by the death of the town 's Conservative Party Member of Parliament ( MP ) Ian Gow , who was killed on 30 July 1990 by a bomb placed under his car by the Provisional IRA .   The result was a victory for the Liberal Democrat candidate David Bellotti , who defeated the former Conservative MP Richard Hickmet by a majority of 4,550 votes and with more than half the votes cast . The loss came as a shock to many Conservatives who had expected ( not least given the circumstances under which the by-election was held , as well as the fact that it had been retained by a majority of more than 16,000 votes in 1987 ) that they would easily retain the seat . Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe sent a message to voters saying that the IRA would be `` toasting their success '' .   It was a welcome success for the Liberal Democrats , formed in March 1988 , after some disastrous early local and European election showings , as well as dismal showings in opinion polls . It came at a time when Conservative support was slumping and Labour was enjoying a comfortable lead in the opinion polls , largely due to the unpopular introduction of poll tax by the Conservative government .   However , at the next general election just 18 months later , Bellotti was defeated by over 5,000 votes . The outcome of was symbolic of how the fortunes of the main three political parties had altered in that short time . The Liberal Democrats , who at the time of the Eastbourne success were looking set for a big rise in votes and seats , were left with a reduced number of seats , while the Conservatives were re-elected under new leader John Major ( who had succeeded Margaret Thatcher in November 1990 ) , leaving Labour in opposition for a fourth successive term of parliament - meaning that Neil Kinnock never made it into government as the opinion polls throughout 1990 had all suggested would happen .   This remains , as of 2016 , the last by-election resulting from the assassination of a sitting MP that was contested by all of the major parties . Following the next such killing , which occurred in 2016 when Labour MP Jo Cox was attacked and murdered in her constituency , Labour 's major political rivals quickly announced they would not contest the ensuing by-election .

neg: Ian Paisley Ian Richard Kyle Paisley , Baron Bannside , PC ( 6 April 1926 -- 12 September 2014 ) was a loyalist politician and Protestant religious leader from Northern Ireland .   He became a Protestant evangelical minister in 1946 and remained one for the rest of his life . In 1951 he co-founded the fundamentalist Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster and was its leader until 2008 . Paisley became known for his fiery sermons and regularly preached and protested against Catholicism , ecumenism and homosexuality . He gained a large group of followers who were referred to as Paisleyites .   Paisley became involved in Ulster unionist/loyalist politics in the late 1950s . In the mid-late 1960s , he led and instigated loyalist opposition to the Catholic civil rights movement in Northern Ireland . This led to the outbreak of the Troubles in the late 1960s , a conflict that would engulf Northern Ireland for the next thirty years . In 1970 he became Member of Parliament for North Antrim and the following year he founded the Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP ) , which he would lead for almost forty years . In 1979 he became a Member of the European Parliament .   Throughout the Troubles , Paisley was seen as a firebrand and the face of hardline unionism . He opposed all attempts to resolve the conflict through power-sharing between unionists and Irish nationalists/republicans , and all attempts to involve the Republic of Ireland in Northern affairs . His efforts helped bring down the Sunningdale Agreement of 1974 . He also opposed the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985 , with less success . His attempts to create a paramilitary movement culminated in Ulster Resistance . Paisley and his party also opposed the Northern Ireland peace process and Good Friday Agreement of 1998 .   In 2005 , Paisley 's DUP became the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland , displacing the Ulster Unionist Party ( UUP ) , which had dominated unionist politics since 1905 . In 2007 , following the St Andrews Agreement , the DUP finally agreed to share power with republican party Sinn Féin and consent to all-Ireland governance in certain matters . Paisley and Sinn Féin 's Martin McGuinness became First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively in May 2007 . He stepped down as First Minister and DUP leader in mid-2008 , and left politics in 2011 . Paisley was made a life peer in 2010 as Baron Bannside .

neg: A Journey A Journey is a memoir by Tony Blair of his tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom . Published in the UK on 1 September 2010 , it covers events from when he became leader of the Labour Party in 1994 and transformed it into `` New Labour '' , holding power for a party record three successive terms , to his resignation and replacement as Prime Minister by his Chancellor of the Exchequer , Gordon Brown . Blair donated his # 4.6 million advance , and all subsequent royalties , to the British Armed Forces charity The Royal British Legion . It became the fastest-selling autobiography of all time at the bookstore chain Waterstones . Promotional events were marked by antiwar protests .   Two of the book 's major topics are the strains in Blair 's relationship with Brown after Blair allegedly reneged on the pair 's 1994 agreement to step down as Prime Minister much earlier , and his controversial decision to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Blair discusses Labour 's future after the 2010 general election , his relations with the Royal Family , and how he came to respect President George W. Bush . Reviews were mixed ; some criticised Blair 's writing style , but others called it candid .   Gordon Brown was reportedly unhappy over Blair 's comments about him , while David Runciman of The London Review of Books suggested there were episodes from Blair 's troubled relationship with his Chancellor that were absent from A Journey . Labour politician Alistair Darling said the book demonstrates how the country can be changed for the better when a government has a clear purpose , while the New Zealand Listener suggested Blair and his contemporaries had helped to write New Labour 's epitaph . Some families of servicemen and women who were killed in Iraq reacted angrily , with one antiwar commentator dismissing Blair 's regrets over the loss of life . Shortly after the release of A Journey , the screenwriter of the 2006 film The Queen , which depicts Blair 's first months in office , accused Blair of plagiarising a conversation with Elizabeth II from him .

neg: New Labour New Labour refers to a period in the history of the British Labour Party from the mid-1990s until 2010 , under the leadership of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown . The name dates from a conference slogan first used by the party in 1994 ; which was later seen in a draft manifesto published in 1996 , called New Labour , New Life for Britain . It was presented as the brand of a newly reformed party that had altered Clause IV and endorsed market economics . The branding was extensively used while the party was in government , between 1997 and 2010 .   The `` New Labour '' brand was developed to regain trust from the electorate and to portray a departure from their traditional democratic socialist policies , which was criticised for its breaking of election promises and its links between trade unions and the state . The `` New Labour '' brand was used to communicate the party 's modernisation to the public . It was coordinated by Alastair Campbell , who centralised the party 's communications and used his experience in journalism to achieve positive media relations . In 2002 , following criticism from Philip Gould , Blair announced the need to reinvent the brand based on a unified domestic policy and greater assertion in foreign affairs . Following the leadership of Neil Kinnock and John Smith , the party under the New Labour brand attempted to widen its electoral appeal , and by the 1997 general election it had made significant gains in the upper and middle-classes . Labour maintained this wider support at the 2001 general election , and won a third consecutive victory in 2005 , for the first time ever in the history of the Labour Party .   In 2007 , Blair resigned from the party leadership after thirteen years , and was succeeded by his Chancellor of the Exchequer , Gordon Brown . Labour lost the 2010 general election , which resulted in the first hung parliament in thirty-six years and led to the creation of a Conservative -- Liberal Democrat coalition government ; Brown resigned as Prime Minister , and as Labour Party leader shortly thereafter . He was succeeded as party leader by Ed Miliband , who abandoned the New Labour branding and moved the Labour Party 's political stance slightly further to the left .   New Labour was influenced by the political thinking of Anthony Crosland , the leadership of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown , and Peter Mandelson and Alastair Campbell 's media campaigning . The political philosophy of New Labour was influenced by the party 's development of Anthony Giddens ' `` Third Way '' , which attempted to provide a synthesis between capitalism and socialism . The party emphasised the importance of social justice , rather than equality , emphasising the need for equality of opportunity , and believed in the use of free markets to deliver economic efficiency and social justice . In 2002 , Giddens named spin as New Labour 's biggest failure , but commended the party 's success in certain policy areas and at marginalising the Conservative Party .

neg: Shadow Cabinet of Michael Foot Michael Foot was Leader of the Opposition from 4 November 1980 , following his victory in the 1980 leadership election , to 2 October 1983 , when he was replaced by Neil Kinnock at the 1983 leadership election . The 1980 election was triggered by James Callaghan 's loss at the 1979 general election , and Foot 's own disastrous defeat in the 1983 general election .   Until 2011 , the Labour MPs elected the bulk of the membership of the Shadow Cabinet . The leader was expected to assign portfolios to those elected , but was able to assign portfolios to MPs not elected to the Shadow Cabinet and to refuse to assign portfolios to elected members . For example , William Rodgers was not given a portfolio despite winning in the 1980 Shadow Cabinet elections . When he left the party months later to help create the Social Democratic Party , Tony Benn automatically joined the Shadow Cabinet . Foot also chose not to give the more radical Benn a portfolio . When Benn lost in the 1981 Shadow Cabinet elections , all the new members received portfolios ( Shadow Minister for Europe became a Shadow Cabinet post for the rest of Foot 's tenure as leader ) .

neg: Alan Lee Williams Alan Lee Williams OBE ( born 29 November 1930 ) is a former president of the Atlantic Treaty Association , a British Labour Party politician , writer and visiting professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London .   Williams was educated at John Roan School , Greenwich and worked as a journeyman freeman and craft-owning freeman of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen , between 1945 and 1952 , before attending Ruskin College , Oxford . He was elected a borough councillor in Greenwich in 1952 , at the age of twenty-one , serving until 1955 . He worked as the national youth officer of the Labour Party between 1955 and 1962 and then as the National Youth Officer of the United Nations Association between 1962 and 1966 . He was chairman of the British National Committee of the World Assembly of Youth for four years .   He first contested Epsom in 1964 . He was three times elected Member of Parliament ( MP ) for the marginal seat of Hornchurch , being elected in 1966 . He lost to the Conservative John Loveridge in 1970 , but regained the seat in February and was re-elected in October 1974 . He was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt Hon Denis Healey MP in his role as Defence Secretary from 1967 to 1970 . In 1974 he was again appointed as a PPS to the Rt Hon Roy Mason , Defence Secretary , remaining his PPS when Mason was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland .   In 1979 he lost again to the Conservative Robin Squire , and has not been an MP since . In 1979 , he was appointed Director-General of the English Speaking Union . In the 1980s , he joined the Social Democratic Party and became Chairman of the SDP 's Defence Committee for four years , later rejoining the Labour Party . He was a long serving member of the Trilateral Commission and served on the Foreign Office 's Advisory Board on Arms Control , and on the Lord Chancellor 's Advisory Board on Public Records .   Williams first served with the European Movement as Deputy Director from 1970 until 1972 , and as Director of the British Atlantic Committee between 1972 and 1974 . From 1972 to 1973 , he was Director of the Labour Committee for Europe . During this time he was awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to Europe . In 1978 he was Chairman of Peace through NATO , during the question over the Pershing Cruise Missile Deployment . In 1986 he became Director of the Atlantic Council of the United Kingdom , a member of the Atlantic Treaty Association . He served in this capacity until 2007 . He was elected President of the Atlantic Treaty Association in 2000 , serving until 2003 , and from 2007 held the title of Honorary Vice-President for Life at the Atlantic Council .   In 1986 he was made Warden and Chief Executive of Toynbee Hall , the university settlement . He is Chairman of a number of major charities including Transport on Water Association and the Sir William Beveridge Foundation .   Alan Lee Williams has written and contributed to several books and articles , including A Radical Future ( 1966 ) , Europe and the Open Sea ( 1966 ) , Crisis in European Defence ( 1979 ) , and other works on defence with his brother , Prof. Geoffrey Lee Williams .

neg: William Beattie (politician) William Beattie ( born 21 September 1942 ) is a former minister of religion and Unionist politician in Northern Ireland .   Beattie grew up in Ballymena . In 1965 , he became a student minister at the Dunmurry Free Presbyterian Church , and in 1967 he became a full minister in the Church , led by Ian Paisley . He also joined Paisley 's Protestant Unionist Party ( PUP ) , and became the deputy leader .   In 1970 , Beattie was elected to the Northern Ireland House of Commons in a by-election in South Antrim . On the same day , Paisley was elected for Bannside , and the two became the PUP 's first Members of Parliament .   Beattie stood for Belfast North in the 1970 general election , but came a distant third , behind the Ulster Unionist and Labour candidates .   In 1971 , the PUP formed the Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP ) , and Beattie retained his post as deputy leader . The Parliament was prorogued in 1972 , but Beattie was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly of 1973 , and became deputy chief whip of the United Unionist Assembly Party . He was again elected , to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975 , to Lisburn District Council in 1977 , and to the Northern Ireland Assembly of 1982 .   Beattie stood in Lagan Valley in the 1983 general election , but again failed to win a seat in the British House of Commons . He resigned from the DUP in the mid-1990s , and retired as a minister on 31 December 2005 .

neg: Northern Ireland Unionist Party The Northern Ireland Unionist Party ( NIUP ) was a small political party in Northern Ireland . It was formed in January 1999 as a splinter party from the UK Unionist Party ( UKUP ) . This split was caused by disagreement between the five UKUP members of the Northern Ireland Assembly . Four of the members disagreed with UKUP leader Robert McCartney 's policy of resigning from the Assembly should Sinn Féin become part of the power-sharing executive . Cedric Wilson , Patrick Roche , Norman Boyd and Roger Hutchinson disagreed with McCartney , wanting to remain in the Assembly to challenge unionists in favour of the Belfast Agreement . McCartney disciplined these members in their absence and , in response , they left the UKUP and formed the NIUP . Led by Wilson , the new party argued that it had the support of the grassroots membership of the UKUP , but McCartney disputed this .   Subsequently , Hutchinson left the NIUP on 30 November 1999 , sitting as an independent Unionist for a period before joining the Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP ) . He then left the DUP and unsuccessfully contested the 2003 Assembly Election as an independent Unionist .   The NIUP opposed the Belfast Agreement and the reformation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the Police Service Northern Ireland . They described their position as `` principled unionism . ''   In its first electoral test , the party polled very poorly in the 2001 General Election and in local elections held on the same day , winning no Westminster or council seats . In the 2003 Assembly Election , the NIUP won no seats at all .   The NIUP consistently a low level of support and mainly contested the constituencies represented by its four Assembly members . In 2001 , it received 1,794 votes in the general election and 1,818 votes in the local elections . This fell to 1,350 in the 2003 Assembly election . Its share of the vote across Northern Ireland was around 0.2 % in each case .   The party 's submission of accounts for 2004 stated that the party was `` inactive '' during this period and there is no evidence of subsequent activity . Wilson stood as an independent candidate in the Strangford constituency at the 2007 Assembly Election where he polled 305 votes ( 0.8 % ) , thus finishing last out of the fifteen candidates .   The NIUP voluntarily deregistered as a political party on 10 March 2008 .

neg: List of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1980–99 This is a complete list of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the years 1980 -- 1999 . Note that the first parliament of the United Kingdom was held in 1801 ; parliaments between 1707 and 1800 were either parliaments of Great Britain or of Ireland ) . For Acts passed up until 1707 see List of Acts of the Parliament of England and List of Acts of the Parliament of Scotland . For Acts passed from 1707 to 1800 see List of Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain . See also the List of Acts of the Parliament of Ireland .   For Acts of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in the United Kingdom , see the List of Acts of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 , the List of Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly , and the List of Acts and Measures of the National Assembly for Wales ; see also the List of Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland .   The number shown after each Act 's title is its chapter number . Acts passed before 1963 are cited using this number , preceded by the year ( s ) of the reign during which the relevant parliamentary session was held ; thus the Union with Ireland Act 1800 is cited as `` 39 & 40 Geo . 3 c. 67 '' , meaning the 67th Act passed during the session that started in the 39th year of the reign of George III and which finished in the 40th year of that reign . Note that the modern convention is to use Arabic numerals in citations ( thus `` 41 Geo . 3 '' rather than `` 41 Geo . III '' ) . Note also that Acts of the last session of the Parliament of Great Britain and the first session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom are both cited as `` 41 Geo . 3 '' . Acts passed from 1963 onwards are simply cited by calendar year and chapter number .  __ NOTOC __

neg: Suffolk County Council election, 2009 Elections to Suffolk County Council were held on 4 June 2009 as part of the 2009 United Kingdom local elections on the same day as the elections to the European Parliament . 75 councillors were elected from 63 electoral divisions , which returned either one or two county councillors each by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office . The electoral divisions were the same as those used at the previous election in 2004 .   Labour and the Conservatives were the only parties with candidates standing in all sixty-three electoral divisions . The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party were the only other parties which fielded enough candidates to achieve a majority .   All locally registered electors ( British , Irish , Commonwealth and European Union citizens ) who were aged 18 or over on Thursday 4 June 2009 were entitled to vote in the local elections . Those who were temporarily away from their ordinary address ( for example , away working , on holiday , in student accommodation or in hospital ) were also entitled to vote in the local elections , although those who had moved abroad and registered as overseas electors can not vote in the local elections . It is possible to register to vote at more than one address ( such as a university student who had a term-time address and lives at home during holidays ) at the discretion of the local Electoral Register Office , but it remains an offence to vote more than once in the same local government election .

neg: History of the Labour Party (Ireland) The Labour Party has been part of the political scene in the Republic of Ireland throughout that state 's existence . Although never attracting majority support , it has repeatedly participated in coalition governments .   The party was established in 1912 by James Connolly and others as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress . It intended to participate in a Dublin Parliament that would follow passage of the Home Rule Act 1914 , which was suspended on the outbreak of World War I. Connolly was executed following the Easter Rising in 1916 , and was succeeded as leader by Thomas Johnson . The party stood aside from the elections of 1918 and 1921 , but despite divisions over acceptance of the Anglo-Irish Treaty it did well in the 1922 elections , initially forming the main opposition party in the Dáil Éireann ( parliament ) of the Irish Free State .   The subsequent years were marked by rivalry between factions led by William X. O'Brien and James Larkin , with William Norton becoming leader . Between 1932 and 1938 the Labour Party supported Éamon de Valera 's minority Fianna Fáil government . From 1948 -- 1951 and from 1954 -- 1957 the Labour Party entered government alongside Fine Gael and other parties , with Norton as deputy prime minister . During this period the party also stood for elections in Northern Ireland , after a split in the Northern Ireland Labour Party . In 1960 Brendan Corish became the new Labour leader . As leader he advocated and introduced more socialist policies to the party . Between 1973 and 1987 Labour three times more went into coalition governments with Fine Gael . Dick Spring became leader in 1982 , amid growing controversy within the party over these coalitions and the growth of parties to the left of Labour .   In 1990 Mary Robinson became President of Ireland with Labour support . After mergers with the Democratic Socialist Party and the Independent Socialist Party , Labour performed well in the 1992 general election and formed a coalition with Fianna Fáil , with Spring as deputy prime minister , then in 1994 without a further election joined a coalition with Fine Gael and Democratic Left ( the `` Rainbow Coalition '' ) . After defeat in the 1997 general election , Labour merged with Democratic Left , and the former Democratic Left member Pat Rabbitte became leader in 2002 . Rabbitte implemented the `` Mullingar Accord '' , a pre-election voting pact with Fine Gael , but this did not lead to greater election success for Labour in the 2007 elections , and Rabbitte resigned to be replaced by Eamon Gilmore . The 2011 general election saw one of Labour 's best results , with over 19 % of the first-preference votes . Labour once more entered a coalition government with Fine Gael , and the Irish presidential election later that year saw the Labour Party 's candidate , Michael D. Higgins , elected as President . However , Labour in government experienced a series of dismissals and resignations among its members in the Dáil . In 2014 , Gilmore resigned as party leader after Labour 's poor performance in the European and local elections , and Joan Burton was elected as the new leader .

neg: Blatcherism Blatcherism is a term formed as a portmanteau of the names of two British politicians , Tony Blair ( Labour Party ) and Margaret Thatcher ( Conservative Party ) . It has been used by critics of monetarism and neo-liberal economics to refer to the thesis that a policy model of the Thatcher government , distinct from One Nation Conservatism , was resurrected when Blair came to power . It echoed ` Butskellism ' , frequently used to describe the post-war consensus on a mixed economy with moderate state intervention to promote social goals , particularly in education and health .   Editorial comment by Red Pepper before the 1997 General Election that brought Blair to power may be the earliest usage .  Another early sighting of this term was in 2001 , used by Brian Lee Crowley , a Canadian commentator . The term has also been used , for example , by the journalist Alexander Cockburn , in preference to Blairism .

neg: Kingdom of Great Britain The United Kingdom of Great Britain , officially Great Britain , was a sovereign state in western Europe from 1 May 1707 to 31 December 1800 . The state came into being following the Treaty of Union in 1706 , ratified by the Acts of Union 1707 , which united the kingdoms of England and Scotland to form a single kingdom encompassing the whole island of Great Britain and its outlying islands . It did not include Ireland , which remained a separate realm . The unitary state was governed by a single parliament and government that was based in Westminster . The former kingdoms had been in personal union since James VI , King of Scots , became King of England and King of Ireland in 1603 following the death of Queen Elizabeth I , bringing about a `` Union of the Crowns '' . Also after the accession of George I to the throne of Great Britain in 1714 , the kingdom was in a personal union with the Electorate of Hanover .   The early years of the unified kingdom were marked by Jacobite risings which ended in defeat for the Stuart cause at Culloden in 1746 . Later on in 1763 , victory in the Seven Years ' War led to the dominance of the British Empire , which was to become the foremost global power for over a century and later grew to become the largest empire in history .   On 1 January 1801 , the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . In 1922 , five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom and the state was renamed the `` United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland '' -- a title it has retained to date .

neg: Free England Party The Free England Party was a right-wing political party in the United Kingdom , which campaigned for English independence . Founded in 2008 , and registered with the Electoral Commission in February of that year , it was at the time the largest English civic nationalist party in the United Kingdom . The Free England Party was formed in 2008 by Andrew Constantine and Richard Aitkins , both former members of the English Democrats . The party was formed due to the alleged `` appalling mismanagement of England by the British government '' , following the devolution legislation enacted in the 1990s by Tony Blair 's Labour government .   The party was disbanded in 2009 after some of the leadership tried to force the party into an ethnic nationalist direction .

neg: Heath ministry Edward Heath , of the Conservative Party , formed the Heath ministry and became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 19 June 1970 , following the 18 June general election . Heath 's ministry ended after the February 1974 general election , which produced a hung parliament , leading to the formation of a minority government by Harold Wilson of the Labour Party .   Heath had been elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1965 to succeed Alec Douglas Home , within a few months of the party 's election defeat after 13 years in government . His first general election as leader the following year ended in defeat as Wilson 's Labour government increased its majority . The Conservatives enjoyed a surge in support over the next two years as the British economy went through a period of fluctuation being growth and contraction , with unemployment rising significantly , but when Harold Wilson called a general election for June 1970 , the opinion polls all pointed towards a third successive Labour victory . It was a major surprise when the Conservatives won with a majority of 30 seats .   The government of Edward Heath initially enjoyed a strong economy and relatively low unemployment , and by 1973 Britain had entered the European Economic Community . But then came the 1973 oil crisis , and just before Christmas , Heath declared a `` three day week '' in which the use of offices , factories and most public buildings was reduced to three days a week . He also faced a battle with the unions over pay freezes and restraints , which sparked a rise in strikes . The economy also entered a recession .   Heath 's response in February 1974 was to call a general election , urging the voters to decide whether it was the government or the unions which ran Britain . The election on 28 February 1974 resulted in a hung parliament , in which the Tories had the most votes but Labour had the most seats . After talks with the Liberals about forming a coalition government failed , Labour formed a minority government on 4 March . A second general election was widely anticipated later in 1974 , and was called by Harold Wilson for 10 October , in which the Labour Party gained a three-seat majority . This meant that Wilson had now won four of the five general elections he had contested , while Heath had now lost three of his four general elections , and it seemed inevitable that his leadership would soon end .


query: Mariah Carey is referred to as the "bird supreme" by the Guinness World Records.

pos: Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( born March 27 , 1969 or 1970 ) is an American singer , songwriter , record producer , and actress . In 1990 , she rose to fame with the release of `` Vision of Love '' from her eponymous debut album . The album produced four chart-topping singles in the US and began what would become a string of commercially successful albums which solidified the singer as Columbias highest selling act . Carey and Boyz II Men spent a record sixteen weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995 -- 96 with `` One Sweet Day , '' which remains the longest-running number-one song in US chart history . Following a contentious divorce from Sony Music head Tommy Mottola , Carey adopted a new image and traversed towards hip hop with the release of Butterfly ( 1997 ) . In 1998 , she was honored as the world 's best-selling recording artist of the 1990s at the World Music Awards and subsequently named the best-selling female artist of the millennium in 2000 .   Carey parted with Columbia in 2000 , and signed a record-breaking $ 100 million recording contract with Virgin Records America . In the weeks prior to the release of her film Glitter and its accompanying soundtrack in 2001 , she suffered a physical and emotional breakdown and was hospitalized for severe exhaustion . The project was poorly received and led to a general decline in the singer 's career . Carey 's recording contract was bought out for $ 50 million by Virgin and she signed a multi-million dollar deal with Island Records the following year . After a relatively unsuccessful period , she returned to the top of music charts with The Emancipation of Mimi ( 2005 ) . The album became the best-selling album in the US and the second best-seller worldwide in 2005 and produced `` We Belong Together , '' which became her most successful single of the 2000s , and was later named `` Song of the Decade '' by Billboard . Carey once again ventured into film with a well-received supporting role in Precious ( 2009 ) , and was awarded the `` Breakthrough Performance Award '' at the Palm Springs International Film Festival .   Throughout her career , Carey has sold more than 200 million records worldwide , making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time . According to the RIAA , she is the third-best-selling female artist in the United States , with 63.5 million certified albums . With the release of `` Touch My Body '' ( 2008 ) , Carey gained her 18th number-one single in the United States , more than any other solo artist . In 2012 , the singer was ranked second on VH1 's list of the `` 100 Greatest Women in Music . '' Aside from her commercial accomplishments , Carey has won 5 Grammy Awards , 19 World Music Awards , 11 American Music Awards , and 14 Billboard Music Awards and has been consistently credited with inspiring a generation of singers . Referred to as the `` songbird supreme '' by the Guinness World Records , she has a five-octave vocal range , power , melismatic style and signature use of the whistle register .

neg: Number 1's (video) # 1 's is Mariah Carey 's sixth VHS/DVD release . A collection of the music videos of her U.S. number-one singles ( songs that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 ) up to that time , the home video was originally released on VHS in December 7 , 1999 , while the DVD was released on February 1 , 2000 . A year before this , Carey had released a greatest hits compilation , # 1 's , which included her thirteen U.S. number-one singles up to that point . The DVD of the same name is based on that album , but by the time of its release , Carey had already scored a fourteenth U.S. number one , `` Heartbreaker '' , from her latest studio release Rainbow . Its music video and the video of its remix ( as a bonus track ) were thus included on the DVD . During the month of the DVD 's release , Carey had also earned her fifteenth number one single , `` Thank God I Found You '' .   The DVD does not include the official music videos for `` Vision of Love '' , `` Love Takes Time '' , and `` Someday , '' as she admitted that she did not like some of her early music videos . They are replaced by live performances culled from previous DVD/video releases .   # 1 's was re-released in 2008 as part of Mariah Carey : DVD Collection , a 2DVD set including also Fantasy : Mariah Carey at Madison Square Garden . The video features a shortened version from the original , without the introductory sections per track .

neg: Superstar Superstar is a term used to refer to some one who has great popular appeal and is widely known , prominent , or successful in some field . Celebrities referred to as `` superstars '' may include individuals who work as actors , actresses , musicians , athletes , and other media-based professions .

neg: The World's Famous Supreme Team The World 's Famous Supreme Team was an American hip hop radio show crew and recording group from the early 1980s . Members included See Divine the Mastermind and Just Allah the Superstar ( now known as JazzyJust the Superstar ) , among others . Their pioneering radio show started in 1979 on WHBI-FM 105.9 broadcasting from Newark , New Jersey , and featured Mr. Magic before he went on to host the first rap show on a major radio station , The Rap Attack on WBLS . The group rose to international prominance when punk impresario Malcolm McLaren recruited See Devine and Just Allah and samples of their radio show for his surprise hip hop hit , 1982 's `` Buffalo Gals '' , and the full album follow-up , Duck Rock ( 1983 ) . They are credited as the first hip hop group to incorporate Five Percent teachings and slang into their music , and their appearances on Duck Rock contains the first instances on record - a trait that would become increasingly predominant in the late '80s and '90s . The World Famous Supreme Team released their own hit single `` Hey DJ '' in 1984 , which would appear on their only album , Rappin ' ( 1986 ) . The group reunited with McLaren for the 1990 album , Round the Outside ! Round the Outside ! .   `` Hey , DJ '' was later sampled on the Mariah Carey song `` Honey '' , popularising its use for a new generation .

neg: Duets (Linda Ronstadt album) Duets is a compilation album by Linda Ronstadt . It was released on the Rhino Records label in April 2014 , a few days before Ronstadt 's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame .   The album peaked at number 32 on the Billboard album chart - Ronstadt 's highest charting album in 24 years . The songs on the album were all previously released with the exception of `` Pretty Bird '' . In his review for AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that `` generally , this Duets emphasizes the sweeter , softer , and slower side of Ronstadt , a move that makes for pleasant listening '' .   As of December , 2016 , this release had sold a total of 81,316 copies per Nielsen SoundScan .

neg: List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom A million-selling single is regarded by the Official Charts Company ( OCC ) as one that has sold at least 1 million copies since the start of the UK Singles Chart in November 1952 . As well as a traditional purchase of a physical record , a sale can represent one permanent digital download of a track ( physical singles usually consist of two songs , although both are only included in sales figures for double A sides or where both receive a high level of interest and airplay ) . Both British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) - certified awards ( Silver , Gold and Platinum ) and the weekly charts now include audio streaming but these are not included in the sales figures published by the OCC . Certified awards can also include shipments ( sales to trade ) . The OCC and Music Week regularly announce when a record becomes a million seller .   , 167 singles have sold 1 million copies in the UK . Of these , 108 were originally released in the 20th century ( 70 of them selling 1 million before the year 2000 ) and the remainder were released between 2000 and 2014 . The most recently released single to become a million-seller is `` Uptown Funk '' by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars , which was released in December 2014 and passed a million sales ten weeks later in February 2015 . Bing Crosby 's `` White Christmas '' is the earliest release : originally 1942 , although only sales from 1952 onwards are counted . The year in which the most million-sellers were released is 2011 , with twelve ; while a record 36 releases from both the 1990s and the 2010s have sold a million copies . Only two million sellers have failed to reach the top 5 on the UK Singles Chart : Snow Patrol 's `` Chasing Cars '' and Journey 's `` Do n't Stop Believin ' '' , both of which peaked at number 6 .

neg: Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ( previously called Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance , Female ) was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards , a ceremony established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards , to female recording artists for quality R&B songs . Awards in several categories are distributed annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to `` honor artistic achievement , technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry , without regard to album sales or chart position . ''   According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards , the award was presented to artists that performed `` newly recorded solo R&B vocal performances '' . Solo numbers by members of an established group were not eligible for the award as `` separate entries from the duo or group performances . '' Albums were also considered for the accolade until 1992 .   As a part of the major overhaul of Grammy categories , the award was discontinued in 2011 . The Female R&B Vocal Performance category , Male R&B Vocal Performance category and all duo/group vocal performances in the R&B category shifted to the Best R&B Performance category in 2012 .   The award for the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was first presented to Aretha Franklin at the 10th Grammy Awards ceremony in 1968 for the song `` Respect '' . Franklin received the most wins with eleven , followed by Anita Baker with five . Franklin also holds the record for the most nominations with twenty-three , while Chaka Khan is second with eight nominations . Fantasia Barrino became the final recipient of the award , when her song `` Bittersweet '' won the award in 2011 . The award was presented to artists from the United States each year .

neg: Country Music Association The Country Music Association ( CMA ) was founded in 1958 in Nashville , Tennessee . It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre . The objectives of the organization are to guide and enhance the development of Country Music throughout the world ; to demonstrate it as a viable medium to advertisers , consumers , and media ; and to provide a unity of purpose for the Country Music industry . However the CMA may be best known to most country music fans for its annual Country Music Association Awards broadcast live on network television each fall ( usually October or November ) .   Initially , CMA 's Board of Directors included nine directors and five officers . Wesley Rose , president of Acuff-Rose Publishing , Inc. , served as CMA 's first chairman of the board . Broadcasting entrepreneur and executive Connie B. Gay was the founding president .   Originally there were nine individual membership categories . The current 15 categories represent all facets of the music industry . Organizational memberships are also available . CMA membership is composed of those persons or organizations that are involved in Country Music , directly and substantially .   The first CMA Awards ceremony was held in 1967 in Nashville . Sonny James and Bobbie Gentry hosted the event , which was not televised . The winner of the first `` Entertainer of the Year '' award was singer Eddy Arnold . `` Male Vocalist of the Year '' went to Jack Greene and `` Female Vocalist of the Year '' to Loretta Lynn .   In 1968 , Roy Rogers and Dale Evans hosted the awards , which were presented at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville . ( The ceremony was filmed and televised on NBC a few weeks later . ) The first live telecast of the show was in 1969 .   Annual awards are given in the following twelve categories : Entertainer of the Year , Male Vocalist , Female Vocalist , New Artist of the Year ( formerly the Horizon Award ) , Vocal Group , Vocal Duo , Single , Album , Song , Music Event , Music Video , and Musician .   The CMA also gives a `` CMA Broadcast Award '' to country-formatted radio stations each year . Broadcast Awards are segmented based on market size , major market ( Arbitron Ranking 1 -- 25 ) , large market ( Arbitron Ranking 26 -- 50 ) , medium market ( Arbitron Ranking 51 -- 100 ) , and small market ( All other Markets ) . A single station can not win the award in consecutive years .   In honor of the association 's 50th anniversary , MCA Nashville released a song called `` Forever Country '' .

neg: Big year A big year is an informal competition among birders to see who can identify by sight or sound the largest number of species of birds within a single calendar year and within a specific geographical area . Popularized in North America , big years are commonly done within single US states and Canadian provinces , as well as within larger areas such as the entire world , the lower 48 continental U.S. states , or within the official American Birding Association Area . The ABA big year record of 783 species ( including provisional ABA records ) was set by John Weigel of Australia in 2016 . The world big year record of 6,833 species was set in 2016 by Arjan Dwarshuis of the Netherlands .

neg: Yeh, Yeh `` Yeh Yeh '' is a Latin soul tune that was written as an instrumental by Rodgers Grant and Pat Patrick , and first recorded by Mongo Santamaría on his 1963 album Watermelon Man . Lyrics were written for it shortly thereafter by Jon Hendricks of the vocal group Lambert , Hendricks & Ross . This version of the song was taken to the top of the UK Singles Chart in January 1965 by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames ( b/w `` Preach and Teach '' , Columbia DB 7428 ) , breaking The Beatles ' long-term hold on the number one spot ( of five weeks with `` I Feel Fine '' ) , and a month later appeared on the US Billboard pop singles chart to peak at # 21 . ( The US single edited out the saxophone solo break . )   Interviewed after the 2003 Jools Holland Spring Hootennany , where he had played a `` dynamite version '' of the song , Fame explained that the arrangement had been written by Tubby Hayes .   Other notable covers include those by pop/rock duo They Might Be Giants on their Mink Car album , and Matt Bianco , who covered the song in 1985 , reaching number 13 in the UK Singles Chart ( the single version was then included in their second eponymous album in 1986 , while the respective CD edition of the album only contained its 12 '' Dance Mix -- both versions featured on the MC edition of the long playing work , depending upon the various countries ) . British actor and musician Hugh Laurie also included a live cover version of Yeh , Yeh on his album Did n't It Rain .   In 1986 , Australian recording artist Kate Ceberano recorded a version for her album , Kate Ceberano and her Septet .  In 2001 , They Might Be Giants recorded a cover of the song for their Mink Car album .  In 2015 Canadian jazz singer-songwriter and pianist Diana Krall covered the song for her 12th studio album , Wallflower , together with Georgie Fame .

neg: Christmas Time Is in the Air Again `` Christmas Time is in the Air Again '' is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her second Christmas album and thirteenth studio album , Merry Christmas II You ( 2010 ) . It was written and produced by Carey in collaboration with Broadway composer Marc Shaiman . Lyrically , it is about finding love during the Christmas season . The track garnered positive reviews from critics , with one describing it as an outstanding performance and the only song on the album that could compare to one of Carey 's previous Christmas singles , `` All I Want for Christmas Is You '' . It was released as a single in December 2012 . An accompanying lyric video was released , and Carey has performed `` Christmas Time Is in the Air Again '' live on NBC 's Christmas in Rockefeller Centre event and during her December 2014 Beacon Theatre residency called All I Want For Christmas Is You , A Night of Joy & Festivity .

neg: List of best-selling singles According to Guinness World Records , `` White Christmas '' ( 1942 ) by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide , with estimated sales of over 50 million copies . The song recognized as `` the best-selling single of all time '' was released before the pop/rock singles-chart era and `` was listed as the world 's best-selling single in the first-ever Guinness Book of Records ( published in 1955 ) and -- remarkably -- still retains the title more than 50 years later . '' Guinness World Records states that double A-side charity single `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' / `` Something About the Way You Look Tonight '' ( 1997 ) by Elton John , a tribute to the late Diana , Princess of Wales , is `` the biggest-selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s , having accumulated worldwide sales of 33 million copies , '' making it the second-best-selling single of all time .   The list is split between physical ( mainly CD and vinyl ) singles and digitally downloaded tracks which first became available to purchase in the early 2000s .   The sales of singles that are italicized are the compilation of sales in available markets instead of a worldwide sales figure . These sales figures are therefore neither complete nor definitive .

neg: E=MC² (Mariah Carey album) E = MC ² is the eleventh studio album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey . It was released in the United States on April 15 , 2008 by Island Records . The singer began recording the album in 2007 in Anguilla , after writing and composing most of its material during and after her 2006 Adventures of Mimi Tour . Carey worked with several notable songwriters and producers during the course of the project , including Jermaine Dupri , Bryan-Michael Cox , Stargate , The-Dream , Tricky Stewart , Scott Storch and Danja .   The album revealed a more personal side of the singer , illustrated in its declarative theme of emancipation from her previous marriage , and from her personal and professional setbacks . Although it shared similar vocal production as well as an inclination to her signature pop and R&B ballads , the album also encompassed a variety of dance-oriented and uptempo styles . It was meant to be a continuation , or a second part of her tenth studio album , The Emancipation of Mimi ( 2005 ) . Carey collaborated with a number of artists on the album , including T-Pain , Damian Marley and Young Jeezy . Though considered by critics very similar to the formula its predecessor had been built on , E = MC ² included other genres she had never explored , such as reggae , and her continued recording of gospel-influenced hymns .   E = MC ² was generally well received by music critics , with many complimenting the record 's broad genre influences , and musical and production styles . Some critics , however , felt that the album was too similar to The Emancipation of Mimi , and did n't offer anything new from the formula . The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 463,000 copies ; the highest first-week sales of Carey 's career . It opened inside the top-five on the albums chart in Australia , Canada , Switzerland and the United Kingdom . The album achieved worldwide sales of over 2.5 million copies .   Four singles were commission in promotion of the album . The album 's lead single , `` Touch My Body '' , became Carey 's eighteenth chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100 , making her the solo artist with the most number one singles in United States history , surpassing the record held by Elvis Presley . Additionally , it gave Carey her 79th week atop the chart , tying Presley for most weeks at number one . It achieved strong worldwide charting , peaking within the top five of the singles charts in Italy , Japan , New Zealand , Switzerland and the United Kingdom . `` Bye Bye '' served as the album 's second release . Although hailed by critics , and expected to have achieved large commercial success , the song stalled at number nineteen on the Hot 100 , and managed to chart weakly internationally . Both the third and fourth singles , `` I 'll Be Lovin ' U Long Time '' and `` I Stay in Love '' failed to garner success in any prominent music market .

neg: Always Be My Baby `` Always Be My Baby '' is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her fifth studio album Daydream ( 1995 ) . It was released by Columbia Records in March 9 , 1996 as the third US single and fourth overall . The song was written by Carey , Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal . A mid-tempo song , its lyrics describe the feeling of attachment and unity the singer feels towards her estranged lover , even though they are no longer together , she says he will always be a part of her and will `` always be her baby '' even after they move on .   Music critics praised `` Always Be My Baby '' and it was a commercial success , becoming Carey 's 11th chart topper on the US Billboard Hot 100 , tying her with Madonna and Whitney Houston for most number-one singles for a female artist at the time . It spent two weeks atop the chart and became Carey 's eighth chart topper on the Canadian Singles Chart . In other regions , the song performed well , peaking at number three in the United Kingdom , number five in New Zealand , number 17 in Australia and in the top 20 in most music markets where it charted .   The song 's music video features scenes of Carey frolicking by a campsite in upstate New York , as well as swinging on a large swing over a lake . Additional inter-cuts include scenes of two children , one male and female , sneaking out at night and spending time together by a campfire similar to Carey 's location . Most scenes from the video were filmed at The Fresh Air Fund 's Camp Mariah , named after Mariah Carey for her generous support and dedication to Fresh Air Fund children . The song was performed live during her Daydream World Tour ( 1996 ) and many of her future tours and concerts . `` Always Be My Baby '' was also featured in Carey 's compilation albums : Number 1 's ( 1998 ) , Greatest Hits ( 2001 ) , The Ballads ( 2008 ) and Number 1 to Infinity ( 2015 ) .

neg: The Art of Letting Go `` The Art of Letting Go '' is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey for her fourteenth studio album , Me . I Am Mariah ... The Elusive Chanteuse ( 2014 ) . It was written and produced by Carey and Rodney `` Darkchild '' Jerkins , and premiered via Facebook on November 11 , 2013 , as the second single from the album , following a digital release the same day worldwide . Jermaine Dupri , Carey 's longtime collaborator and her then-manager , had the idea to premiere the song via Facebook to attract her die hard fans , however , Carey faced problems when an unmastered version of the song was uploaded in place of its final mix , leading the singer to premiere the intended version hours later with an apology and explanation .   `` The Art of Letting Go '' is an orchestral old-school R&B song , with influences of gospel music , having piano , strings and guitar as its main instrumentation . Lyrically , the song talks about the art and the power of letting go of people and things that are not good in our lives , which can be hurtful and difficult , but extremely necessary . The song received largely positive reviews from music critics , who compared the song to her debut single , `` Vision of Love '' ( 1990 ) , while also praising its minimalistic production and her vocals towards the end of the song . Despite the positive response , the song failed to impact the charts elsewhere , reaching the low regions of the countries it charted .

neg: American Music Award for Favorite Country Female Artist The American Music Award for Favorite Country Female Artist ( now titled Favorite Female Artist - Country ) has been awarded since 1974 .   Years reflect the year in which the American Music Awards were presented , for works released in the previous year ( until 2003 onward when awards were handed out on November of the same year ) .   The all-time winner in this category is Reba McEntire with ten ( ' 88 ' , ' 89 , ' 90 , ' 91 , ' 92 , ' 93 , ' 94 , ' 95 , ' 98 , ' 04 ) wins stretching across three decades . McEntire was also the first woman to win the award 8 years in a row .   Second place belongs to Barbara Mandrell ( ' 81 , ' 82 , ' 83 , ' 84 , ' 85 , ' 87 ) and Taylor Swift ( ' 08 , ' 09 , ' 10 , ' 11 , ' 12 , ' 13 ) , who both won the award six times .   Tied in third place are Faith Hill ( ' 01 , ' 02 , ' 03 , and ' 06 ) , Shania Twain ( ' 96 , ' 97 , ' 99 , and ' 00 ) , and Carrie Underwood ( ' 07 , ' 14 , ' 15 , and ' 16 ) , who have each won 4 times , respectively .   Crystal Gayle ( ' 79 , ' 80 , and ' 86 ) has won three times .

neg: Billboard Top Rock'n'Roll Hits: 1955 Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits : 1955 is a compilation album released by Rhino Records in 1988 , featuring 10 hit recordings from 1955 . The volume is the first in a series of albums by Rhino Records that chronicled years in music , starting from 1955 and continuing through 1995 .   Each of the albums issued in the series included a `` Time Capsule '' in its liner notes . These notes served as a synopsis for the year featured on the album , including the top news headlines , sports events , television programs and trends in fashion and popular culture .   The track lineups tended to feature most of the year 's top 10 hits , although some of the year 's most popular songs on a given album were not included for various reasons -- most commonly , licensing restrictions . This would be most evident for several of Rhino 's Billboard volumes covering the 1960s , where songs by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were not included . In such cases , other songs that were among the most popular of the year were substituted .   For the 1955 track lineup , just one song topped the Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart : `` Rock Around the Clock '' by Bill Haley & His Comets . Also included was `` Sincerely '' by The Moonglows , whose version -- which topped the Top Rhythm & Blues Songs chart -- was used in place of The McGuire Sisters ' version , which reached No. 1 on the Best Sellers in Stores mainstream chart . Most of the other songs reached the top 10 of one of the three charts Billboard had in place at the time -- the Best Sellers in Stores , Most Played by Jockeys and Most Played in Jukeboxes .   Rhino 's mainstream pop top hits volumes for the years 1955 through 1974 were titled `` Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits . '' Starting with the 1975 volume and continuing through the 1995 entry , the series became known as `` Billboard Top Hits . ''

neg: Entertainer of the Year Entertainer of the Year is the twenty-first studio album by American country music singer-songwriter , Loretta Lynn . It was released on February 26 , 1973 , by MCA Records .   Entertainer of the Year was titled after Lynn received the `` Entertainer of the Year '' award from the Country Music Association the previous year , becoming the first woman to win that award . The one and only single from the album was released in late 1972 , `` Rated X '' . The song was a self-penned song by Lynn and peaked at # 1 on the Billboard country chart in 1973 , her first # 1 hit since 1971 , and became also one of her more controversial songs , describing the double-standard frequently endured by divorced women at the time . The album was Lynn 's first studio album of 1973 , and Lynn would end up releasing an additional two for the year .   The album was very successful on the Billboard album charts , peaking at # 1 on the Top Country Albums chart , and did not chart on the Billboard 200 . The album became Lynn 's fourth album to top the Top Country Albums chart . The album was Lynn 's first released on the MCA Records label , after the Decca label was retired by the company .

neg: Chicken Dance The `` Chicken Dance '' , also known as the Birdie Song or the Chicken Song , is an oom-pah song and its associated fad dance is now a contemporary dance throughout the Western world . The song was composed by accordion ( Handharmonika ) player Werner Thomas from Davos , Switzerland , in the 1950s .

neg: Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion , ( -LSB- ˈdiːɒn -RSB- -LSB- seˈlɪn dziˈjɔ̃ -RSB- ; born 30 March 1968 ) is a Canadian singer and businesswoman . Born into a large family from Charlemagne , Quebec , Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record . Dion first gained international recognition in the 1980s by winning both the 1982 Yamaha World Popular Song Festival and the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest where she represented Switzerland . Following a series of French albums during the 1980s , she signed on to Epic Records in the United States . In 1990 , Dion released her debut English-language album , Unison , establishing herself as a viable pop artist in North America and other English-speaking areas of the world .   During the 1990s , with the help of Angélil , she achieved worldwide fame after releasing several English albums along with additional French albums . Her albums , Falling into You ( 1996 ) and Let 's Talk About Love ( 1997 ) , were both certified diamond in the US while D'eux ( 1995 ) became the best-selling French-language album of all time . She also scored a series of international number-one hits , including `` Nothing Broken but My Heart '' , `` The Power of Love '' , `` Think Twice '' , `` Because You Loved Me '' , `` It 's All Coming Back to Me Now '' , `` My Heart Will Go On '' , and `` I 'm Your Angel . '' However , in 1999 at the height of her success , Dion announced a hiatus from entertainment to start a family and spend time with her husband , who had been diagnosed with cancer . She returned to the top of pop music in 2002 and signed to perform nightly in A New Day ... ( 2003 -- 07 ) , a five-star theatrical show at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace , on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise , Nevada . It became the most successful residency show of all time , grossing US $ 385 million .   Dion 's music has been influenced by genres ranging from rock and R&B to gospel and classical . Her recordings are mainly in French and English , although she also sings in Spanish , Italian , German , Latin , Japanese , and Mandarin Chinese . While her releases have often received mixed critical reception , she is regarded as one of pop music 's most influential voices . Dion has won five Grammy Awards , including Album of the Year and Record of the Year . She is the second best-selling female artist in the US during the Nielsen SoundScan era . In 2003 , Dion was honoured by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry ( IFPI ) for selling over 50 million albums in Europe . Dion remains the best-selling Canadian artist and one of the best-selling artists of all time with record sales of over 200 million copies worldwide .

neg: Mina (singer) Anna Maria Quaini ( born 25 March 1940 ) , known as Mina Mazzini or simply Mina , is an Italian singer . She was a staple of television variety shows and a dominant figure in Italian pop music from the 1960s to the mid-1970s , known for her three-octave vocal range , the agility of her soprano voice , and her image as an emancipated woman .   In performance , Mina combined several modern styles with traditional Italian melodies and swing music , which made her the most versatile pop singer in Italian music . Mina dominated the country 's charts for fifteen years and reached an unsurpassed level of popularity . She has scored 79 albums and 71 singles on the Italian charts .   Mina 's TV appearances in 1959 were the first for a female rock and roll singer in Italy . Her loud syncopated singing earned her the nickname Queen of Screamers . The public also labeled her the Tiger of Cremona for her wild gestures and body shakes . When she turned to light pop tunes , Mina 's chart-toppers in West Germany in 1962 and Japan in 1964 earned her the title of the best international artist in these countries . Mina 's more refined sensual manner was introduced in 1960 with Gino Paoli 's ballad `` This World We Love In '' , which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961 .   Mina was banned from TV and radio in 1963 because her pregnancy and relationship with a married actor did not accord with the dominant Catholic and bourgeois morals . After the ban , the public broadcasting service RAI tried to continue to prohibit her songs , which were forthright in dealing with subjects such as religion , smoking and sex . Mina 's cool act combined sex appeal with public smoking , dyed blonde hair , and shaved eyebrows to create a `` bad girl '' image .   Mina 's voice has distinctive timbre and great power . Her main themes are anguished love stories performed in high dramatic tones . The singer combined classic Italian pop with elements of blues , R&B and soul music during the late 1960s , especially when she worked in collaboration with the singer-songwriter Lucio Battisti . Top Italian songwriters created material with large vocal ranges and unusual chord progressions to showcase her singing skills , particularly `` Brava '' by Bruno Canfora ( 1965 ) and the pseudo-serial `` Se telefonando '' by Ennio Morricone ( 1966 ) . The latter song was covered by several performers abroad . Shirley Bassey carried Mina 's ballad `` Grande grande grande '' to charts in the U.S. , U.K. , and other English-speaking countries in 1973 . Mina 's easy listening duet `` Parole parole '' was turned into a worldwide hit by Dalida and Alain Delon in 1974 . Mina gave up public appearances in 1978 but has continued to release popular albums on a yearly basis to the present day .