2.2- labour party Flashcards

1
Q

what was the ideological starting point of labour?

A

socialism, large state, welfare, nationalisation, progressive taxation, collectivism

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2
Q

what was a key feature of the initial labour party constitution and what did it say?

A

clause 4
commited to common ownership of the means of production

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3
Q

when did labour become significant?

A
  • the post war period
  • clement atlee 1945 government (labours first majority)
  • nationalised coal, railway, power, steel, created the NHS
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4
Q

what was the ideology of the 1945 atlee government? give an example of this in action.

A
  • social democracy (called themselves socialist)
  • wanted to emphasise redistrobution but did not persue abolition of capitalism
  • aimed to manage the economy to prevent exploitation of workers

example: creation of comprohensive schools

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5
Q

what was proposed in the 1983 labour manifeto? what was the manifesto nicknamed?

A
  • further nationalisation, tax and spending (very high)
  • abolition of nuclear weapons
  • withdrawl from the ‘capitalist’ EEC

nicknamed: “the longest suicide note in history”

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6
Q

how did tony blair change labour

A
  • engadged in traigulation to increase labours vote share
  • wanted to modernise the political system and labour through constitutional reform
  • he argued his policies were a modern application of the parties socialist roots
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7
Q

what did clause 4 change to?

A

“dynamic market economy”

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8
Q

what was the economic policy under new labour?

A
  • national minimum wage: £3.60/hour- a less generous level
  • revised clause 4
  • supported the use of private finance initiatives
  • limited increases in spending
  • reduced influence of trade unions
  • promise not to increase income tax
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9
Q

what were the law and order polcies under new labour?

A
  • “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”
  • brought in anti social benhavior orders
  • tough on terrorism: e.g increasing the ammount of time they can hold suspects without charge
  • liberal on immigration
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10
Q

what was new labours position on welfare?

A
  • “education, education, education”: core spend per pupil rose by 48% in his time in office
  • shortest waiting times in NHS history
  • means tested benifits
  • “welfare to work”
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11
Q

what was new labour foreign policy?

A
  • iraq war
  • doubled foreign aid spending while in power
  • pro european
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12
Q

explain the downfall of brown.

A
  • in response to the 2008 financial crash the government pushed money into the banking sector
  • brown broke his promise not to increase taxes - brown proposed large spending increases and opposed the austerity proposed by conservatives
  • lead to claims that he was going back to old labour
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13
Q

what was the effect of ed millerband on labour?

A
  • slight shift to the left- maintained some labour policies
  • called for the restoration of the 50% top tax rate and an energy freeze
  • “Red ed”- mail article, suggesting a shift back to old labour and socialism
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14
Q

how did labour change under corbyn?

A
  • for the many not the few
  • growth of the left e.g momentum (grass roots group)
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15
Q

what was the economic policy under corbyn?

A
  • scrap universal credit system
  • raising income and corrperation tax
  • pledges 6 big nationalisation: rail, mail, broadband, water, energy
  • ending private finance initiatives
  • ban zero hour contracts
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16
Q

what was the law and order policy under corbyn?

A
  • opposed cuts to police numbers (same as new labour)
  • move away from the tough stance on crime, focus on inequality and poverty
  • wanted to end minigration targets
  • accusations of crobyn being close to terrorist groups
17
Q

what was labours welfare policy under corbyn?

A
  • opposed benifit cuts and pledged to replace universal credit
  • wanted a wholey state run NHS
  • scrap tuition fees
  • end the charitable status of private schools
  • 30 hours of free child care for 2-4 year olds
18
Q

what was labours foreign policy under corby?

A
  • while corbyn wanted to leave NATO the labour party decided not to pull out of NATO
  • opposed a second referendum on brexit
  • party supported the renewal of tridant
19
Q

what was the labour grassroots group that supported corbyn?

A

momentum

20
Q

what was the result of the 2019 election for labour?

A
  • lost 18 seats that labour had held since the post war period
  • lead to the resingation of corbyn
21
Q

labour under kier stamer

A
  • ‘rooting out’ antisemitism: suspended corbyn from the party - distancing from JC
  • shift back to the center- attempts to emulate new labour
22
Q

what are current labours economic policy?

A
  • ABANDONED SOME NATIONALISATION- create a great british enegy and nationalise rail
  • Wes streeting said he would not accept the junior doctors pay increases in 2023
  • removed plan to increase taxes for the top 5%
  • windfall tax on energy
  • 15 bn in green investment (rowed back on on 28bn)
23
Q

what is current labours foreign policy

A
  • divides over gaza- 8 ministers resigned in 2023
  • called for a cease fire in gaza
  • continued support for Ukraine
  • “balanced” approach to china
  • ruled out the UK rejoining the EU
24
Q

what is current labours crime policy?

A
  • introducing ‘respect orders’ to crack down on antisocial behavior
  • increases size of the police force
  • yvette cooper repeated the rhetoric of tony blairs: “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”
  • opposed the rawanda policy
  • divisions between labour and scottish labour over gener recognition
25
Q

what is current labours welfare policy?

A
  • keep universal credit
  • keep the two child benifit cap
  • child health action plan: tackle child poverty and obesity
  • in 2021 starmer opposed the £20 cut to universal credit
26
Q

Give a recent example of labour seperating itself from its trade union affiliation.

A

sam tarry was removed as the shadow ministers after ignoring warnings not to join the picket line