1.2 Political Parties Flashcards
What are the functions and features of political parties?
- Representation of views
- To educate the electorate
- Recruiting office holders (candidates for public office)
- Formulating policy and a manifesto
- Providing a strong and stable government
How are MPs paid?
Through general taxation
Are political parties state funded
No
When is the only time the state funds parties and what is it called?
When the state funds the opposition in parliament.
It is called ‘Short Money’
What act did the Blair government introduce and why?
2000 Political Parties, Elections and Referendums act to overcome the perception that party funding was undemocratic
Why was party funding considered undemocratic?
Parties receive donations from businesses and unions meaning more successful/ bigger parties will gain more funding and therefore, grow bigger leaving smaller parties behind
As a result of the 2000 Political Parties, Elections and Referendums act, what was set up to control party spending on election campaigns?
Independent electoral commission
As a result of the 2000 Political Parties, Elections and Referendums act, what was the amount that a party could spend per constituency capped at?
£30,000
As a result of the 2000 Political Parties, Elections and Referendums act, what happened to donations from people not on the electoral register?
They were banned
What scandal showed Labour giving honours to donators and in what year?
‘Cash for peerages’ - 2006
In 2007, what was a potential reform to stop private donations?
State funding parties
Why should parties be state funded?
- Parties play an important role in rep dem so deserve funding
- Public funding would remove the great disparity in resources available to different sized parties
- It would curb the potentially corrupt influence of private backers
- Public funding would remove the inequality of resources within parties
Why shouldn’t parties be state funded?
- Could lead for greater state regulations decreasing party independence
- It is hard to decide how much following a party should have to be eligible for state funding
- Would be resented by tax payers as there would be higher tax rates or less money into other services
- Could isolate parties from the wishes of the voters
What are the 3 main established parties?
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
What elements did Thatcherism comprise?
- Control of public spending + tax cuts
- Privatisation of industries
- Legal limits on trade union power
- Tough approach to law and order
- Strong foreign policy on assertion of British interests abroad
- A desire to protect national sovereignty over the EU
