2024 election info Flashcards
What did Labour focus their attention on and what was the central theme?
Attention on critical marginal seats.
- The central theme was that of change – time to make a freshstart after the confusion and missed opportunities of the Conservative years.
How did Starmer present his party compared to the Conservatives?
Between ‘decline and chaos continuing under the Tories, or rebuilding our country under Labour’.
What issue did Keir Starmer hesitate over during the campaign?
Whether veteran left-winger Diane Abbott would be allowed to stand as a Labour candidate.
What was the main emphasis of Labour’s campaign?
Reassuring voters that Labour could be trusted with power.
How did Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves address concerns about the economy?
They constantly stressed the importance of economic stability.
What claim by Rishi Sunak did Labour shut down?
That a Labour government would increase tax by £2,000 per household.
How did Labour demonstrate it had moved on from the Corbyn era?
By showing strength on defence and committing to the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
What did Keir Starmer do to emphasise Labour’s commitment to defence?
He appeared alongside Labour candidates who had served in the armed forces.
What was a key characteristic of Labour’s campaign strategy?
Discipline and avoiding complacency about winning.
Why did Labour avoid dramatic policy announcements?
To focus on practical measures that would make a real difference in people’s lives.
What were some key policy focuses of Labour’s campaign?
Reducing NHS waiting times, investing in skills, reforming planning laws, and building homes/infrastructure.
How did the 2024 Conservative and Labour manifestos compare to their 2019 versions?
Labour, under Starmer, moved away from Corbyn’s ‘tax and spend’ socialist agenda, while the Conservatives focused on tax cuts and spending promises without clear funding details.
How did Labour limit its tax increase proposals in 2024?
Labour restricted tax increases to a few measures that would not directly impact most people, such as adding VAT to private school fees.
What was the Conservatives’ approach to taxes and spending?
The Conservatives proposed significant tax cuts and spending promises but did not clearly explain how they would be funded.
Which party had the most ambitious public spending plans?
The Liberal Democrats, proposing to raise £27 billion in taxes.
How did Labour’s 2024 nationalisation plans compare to their 2019 programme?
Labour’s 2024 plan was less ambitious, as it only proposed renationalising the railways, whereas in 2019, they also promised to renationalise Royal Mail and energy companies.
What was Labour’s plan to decarbonise the economy?
Labour pledged to decarbonise the economy by establishing a state-owned electricity generation company called Great British Energy.
What was Labour’s stance on North Sea oil and gas extraction?
Labour opposed the Conservatives’ plan to continue issuing licences for North Sea oil and gas extraction.
What was Labour’s position on the railway system?
Labour wanted to return the railways to the public sector.
What were the Conservatives’ key economic policies?
- No increases in income tax, VAT, or corporation tax
- Scrap the main National Insurance rate for the self-employed
- Simplify planning laws to speed up infrastructure and housebuilding.
What were Labour’s key economic policies?
- No increases in income tax, VAT, or National Insurance
- Reform planning laws to allow more infrastructure and housebuilding
- Establish a state-owned Great British Energy company
- Gradual renationalisation of railways.
What were the Liberal Democrats’ key economic policies?
- Invest in green infrastructure and build more home
- reverse tax cuts for banks; reform capital gains tax to fund the NHS and social care.
How did the Conservatives propose to handle welfare?
- Cut the benefits bill by £12 billion
- Protect the state pension triple lock.
What were Labour’s welfare policies?
- Remove age bands on the national minimum wage
- Protect the state pension triple lock; introduce 3,000 new nurseries and breakfast clubs at primary schools
- Ban ‘exploitative’ zero-hours contracts and increase employment rights.
What welfare policies did the Liberal Democrats propose?
- Protect the state pension triple lock
- Remove the two-child limit on child benefit.
What were the Conservatives’ health policies?
- Increase NHS spending above inflation; continue hospital building
- Recruit more doctors and nurses
- Introduce a lifetime cap on social care costs.
What were Labour’s health policies?
- Cut NHS waiting lists with evening and weekend appointments
- Train more doctors and provide more NHS dentist appointments.
What were the Liberal Democrats’ health policies?
- Guarantee timely GP appointments and improved dental care
- Provide free adult personal care at home
- Increase support for carers.
How did the Conservatives approach law and order?
- Recruit 8,000 police officers
- Increase sentences for serious crimes
- Build four new prisons.
What were Labour’s law and order policies?
- Recruit 13,000 police and community support officers
- Build new prisons to tackle overcrowding; introduce Respect Orders to ban antisocial individuals from town centres
- Crack down on knife crime with ‘youth hubs.’
What were the Liberal Democrats’ law and order policies?
- Improve community policing and supervision of offenders
- Allocate more resources to prosecute ‘hate crimes.’
What were the Conservatives’ foreign policy priorities?
- Raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030
- Support Ukraine against the Russian invasion
- Recognize Israel’s right to self-defense and push for a two-state solution.
What were Labour’s foreign policy priorities?
- Aim to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP
- Improve trade relations with the EU while staying outside the single market and customs union
- Support Ukraine
- Push for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire and a two-state solution.
What were the Liberal Democrats’ foreign policy priorities?
- Reverse defence cuts
- Improve trade relations with the EU and work towards rejoining the single market
- Support Ukraine
- Push for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire and a two-state solution.
Why was Rishi Sunak’s decision to call an early election controversial?
Many Conservative advisers expected an autumn election to allow time for economic recovery.
- Sunak feared conditions might worsen and called an early election after inflation fell to 2.3%.
- This dismayed Conservative activists, who lacked funding and candidates.
What is prerogative power, and how did Sunak use it?
Prerogative power is a traditional royal power now exercised by the prime minister or cabinet.
- Sunak used it to request a dissolution of Parliament and call an early election.
Why was Sunak’s campaign widely criticised?
It was poorly managed, starting with Sunak announcing the election in heavy rain without an umbrella.
- His major policy, national service for 18-year-olds, failed to attract public support.
How did Nigel Farage’s return impact the campaign?
Farage - Clacton.
- Unlike in 2019, Reform UK ran candidates nationwide, increasing its poll ratings from 11% to 15% and weakening Conservative support.
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What controversy arose around Sunak’s D-Day commemoration visit?
Sunak left early for an ITV interview, offending patriotic voters. In contrast, Starmer stayed with other world leaders, making Sunak’s departure a damaging gaffe.
What was the election betting scandal?
Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary, Craig Williams, bet on the election date before it was announced.
- Other MPs and officials were also involved, leading to a Gambling Commission investigation.
- The scandal reinforced perceptions of Conservative greed.
How did the Conservative campaign approach change in the final weeks?
Acknowledging likely defeat, they warned against giving Labour a “super-majority.” However, this negative messaging backfired, pushing voters toward Labour and Reform UK.
Why were the Conservatives unable to defend key seats effectively?
Their focus was on holding previously safe seats rather than marginal ones, limiting their ability to counter Labour and Reform UK gains.
What unusual campaign tactics did Ed Davey use?
Stunts like paddle-boarding, taking a theme park ride, and bungee jumping.
Why did Ed Davey defend his lighthearted campaign style?
He wanted to raise his party’s profile and highlight issues like water pollution.
What serious issue did Ed Davey gain support for during the campaign?
His policy on carers, particularly when discussing his experience caring for his disabled son.
What was one challenge the Liberal Democrats faced in the media?
The party was often ignored by the media.
How might Davey’s campaign methods have benefited the Liberal Democrats?
They may have contributed to an increase in the party’s seat tally.
What significant endorsement did The Sun make on the eve of the 2024 election?
It backed Labour with the headline, “Time for a new manager.”
How was media coverage of the 2024 general election different from previous elections?
The newspaper press was no longer heavily pro-Conservative.
How did The Times differ from its usual approach in the 2024 election?
It did not endorse any party.
Which newspapers remained loyal to the Conservatives in 2024?
Daily Mail, Daily Express, and Daily Telegraph.
Which newspapers supported Labour in the 2024 election?
Sunday Times, Financial Times, Independent, Guardian, and Daily Mirror.
What pattern does The Sun follow in its political endorsements?
It tends to support the party most likely to win rather than shaping voter opinion.
How did Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves address concerns about the economy?
They constantly stressed the importance of economic stability.
