2.2 old Flashcards
7
Describe the history of the conservative party
fill in later
- Oldest political party
- Long periods in office
- Electorally successful - ‘adapt or die’ mantra
- Formed in 1834 from Tory party
- Grew from parliament
- One of major two parties, along with Liberals, in 19th century
- Tory party supportive of Ireland being part of UK
5
To what extent is the Conservative Party still a Thatcherite party?
P1: ON influence on Europe - wide support of Windsor Framework: closer co-operation vs Thatcherite - hard brexit (no freedom of movement, CPTPP shift)
P2: ON influence on Econ - stealth tax raids vs Thatcherite - mini-budget
P3: On influence on welfare - inflation-linked rises in pensions/benefits amid shrinking fiscal headroom vs Thatcherite - introduction of £26k per annum family benefits cap in 2013
P4: ON influence on law and order - May warned of excessive use of ‘stop and search’ vs Thatcherite - Rwanda plan
P5: ON influence on FA - 2015 Xi Jinping state visit vs Thatcherite - Ukraine (£50m Nov 2022, Sea King Helicopters)
P1-3 is dufficient
10
Labour party: history
don’t need to know about in huge detail
- Early 1900s
- Born out of trade union movements and socialist societies
- Born from Parliament
- won votes of WC
- Atlee 1945 win: NHS, welfare state - established post-war consensus
- SDP
- 1983 defeat - manifesto longest suicide note in history e.g. unilateral nuclear disarmament
- New Lab 97-10 - centrist, capitalist economy with social justice
- 2019 Corbyn - high tax, higher spending, nationalisation
- Factions: centrist New Labour/Third Way (social democracy), left-wing Old Labour (democratic socialism)
3
Labour party: ideological foundations
- Equality, class politics, common ownership
- equality of opportunity now preferable to equality of income
- moderate socialism rather than marxism
3
Labour party: factions
Centrist New Labour/Third Way
Social democrats
Left-wing Old Labour (democratic socialism)
4
To what extent is the Lab party still a socialist party?
P1: Old Lab influence on economy - remove charitable status of private schools (£1.7bn) - eq of opportunity, Corbyn manifesto (10% of shares to workers for 10 years), scrap non-dom status vs New Lab - Thatcher privatisation not reversed (mixed economy), less immigration-dependent economy, 2022/23 strike position (Sam Tarry)
P2: Old Lab influence on welfare - reduce universal credit taper rate (rate at which universal credit is cut for every £1 earned above claimant’s work allowance), introduce universal sick pay, opp cuts to universal credit vs New Lab- no radical change, last govt contracted out cleaning NHS, private-public partnerships in welfare state
P3: Old Lab influence on law and order - end ‘immoral’ Rwanda plan, ‘presumption against prison sentences’ (2019), rehabilitation focus vs New Lab - 13k more neighbourhood police officers, 2019 manif restore prison police officer levels to 2010
P4: Old Lab influence on FP - 2013 Miliband Syria, socialist ideas of internationalism vs New Lab - softer brexit deal (e.g. eliminate border checks for low-risk goods at NI border), Ukraine support, so humanitarian intervention sometimes necessary
P4 is hard, so just do P1-3
7
Lib Dems: History
again don’t need to know in huge detail
- Formed in 1988 from merger of Old Liberal party and SDP
- mixture of liberalism and social democracy
- centre-to-left
- 2003 - did not support Iraq war
- 2010 - entered Coalition
- 2015 - electoral annihilation
- 15 MPs through by-election victories
3
Lib Dems: factions
Orange Book liberals (closer to right - support for free markets, more eurosceptic, strong local govt e.g. Clegg, Cable, Davey)
Social Liberals (left, sceptical of free markets e.g. Farron)
Liberal left (opp to coalition, keynes-style borrowing for econ growth)
Classical liberals (Orange Book) vs Modern liberals (social liberals)
Con, Lab, LD
Major party ideas: Economy
- Con - low taxation (support non-dom status), fiscal responsibility (£55bn hole), supportive of private enterprise and private property ownership
- Lab - reduce inequality in society through progressive taxation, equality of opportunity, nationalisation of some industries (e.g. rail, energy)
- LD - supported free markets and private property ownership, abolition of inherited privilege
Con, Lab, LD
Major party ideas: Law and Order
- Con - stress on national security, law and order, strong police force is necessary, preference of collective rights over individual ones when it comes to terrorism, anti-drugs
- Lab - promotion of equal rights, rehabilitation, but strong on criminal justice system (e.g. ‘creeping authoritarianism’)
- LD - promote equal rights, rule of law
Con, Lab, LD
Major party ideas: Welfare
- Con - individualism not dependancy (NR), noblesse oblige (ON)
- Lab - well-funded welfare state with free healthcare and comprehensive education, measures to reduce child poverty, belief in state to promote social and economic change
- LD - state welfare to provide equal opportunities and greater freedom of choice, well-supported education system, Orange Book - smaller state, Modern - enabling state
3
Major party ideas: Foreign Policy
- Con - euroscepticism debates, special relationship/NATO support
- Lab - diplomacy preferred, humanitarian intervention if necessary, middle ground EU
- LD - close relationship with EU
3
Conservative Party: factions
- One Nation - moderate, noblesse oblige
- New Right (Thatcherite) - right-wing, Thatcher
- further split within new right between neoliberalism (econ focus) and neo-conservatives (social focus)
2
Describe Conservative Party policy on the economy
- Fiscal Responsibility - debt falling as share of GDP in 5yrs, creation of OBR
- Autumn Statement 2022
4
Describe the autumn statement 2022
- £55bn black hole in public finances
- stealth tax rises, cut tax thresholds (45p rate cut from £150k to £125k) and public spending cuts
- windfall taxes raised to 35% from 25%, despite pressure
- minimum wage increased to £10.40 (now £11.44)
4
Describe Conservative Party policy on law and order
- Police - Police, crime and sentencing bill 2022, Public Order Act 2023
- Immigration - Rwanda plan continued + Anglo-French plan to curb channel crossings (French given £480m)
- Smoking/disposable vape ban; nitrous oxide ban
- Sunak suggested leaving ECHR - weakening of human rights
4
Describe Conservative Party policy on welfare
- March 2023 Budget - extension of free childcare to (1+2 yos)
- AS22 - Benefits and pensions raised in line with inflation despite financial pressures
- Energy price guarantee of £3000 a year
- mid-life MOTs
5
Describe Conservative Party policy on FP
- Windsor Framework
- UK set to host 4th summit of European Political Community
- Support for Ukraine
- Eased Visa applications from Hong Kong
- AUKUS deal
3
List examples of support for Ukraine
- Condemned Russia - sanctions
- £50m extra funding announced in (Nov 22)
- British sent Sea King helicopters to Ukraine (Nov 22)
6
Describe labour policy on the economy
- Less dependent on cheap immigrant labour
- VAT on private schools
- £28bn annual green spending pledge (reduced to £5bn)
- Stick to conservative tax and spending plans until growth returns
- Highest growth in G7
- Called some pay demands ‘unaffordable’ in winter 2022-23 strikes
3
Describe labour policy on law and order
- 13k more neighbourhood police officers
- end Rwanda plan
- Reduce gap between rape being reported and court case
3
Describe labour policy on welfare
- Wes Streeting announced that NHS must ‘modernise’ and accussed service of exploiting Winter Crisis to demand pay increases
- Patients can refer themselves to specialists, bypassing GPs
- New Lab govt contracted out cleaning services in the NHS to private companies
4
Describe labour policy on FP
- closer regulation with EU
- All major defence projects subject to ‘NATO test’ within first 100 days of Lab govt
- No further cuts to army
- Previous pledge to 0.7% GNI spending on foreign aid when fiscal situation allows
3
Describe lib dem policy on the economy
- Ensure fiscal events are accompanied by OBR report
- GIve HMRC more power to tackle tax avoidance
- one-off windfall tax on profits of oil and gas producers and traders
4
Describe lib dem policy on law and order
- Improve rehabilitation of prisoners inside and outside prison
- Investment to clear up court backlog
- Make misogyny a prosecutable hate crime
- Champion HRA
4
Describe lib dem policy on welfare
- give right to see GP within 7 days, or 24 hours if urgent
- Protect triple-lock
- Reverse £20 weekly cut to Universal Credit
- Build 150k new social/council houses a year
3
Describe lib dem policy on FP
- Eventually seek to re-join Single Market
- Reinstate 0.7% of national income spending on foreign aid
- Maintain nuclear disarmament, whilst pursuing MDI
3 - unlikely to come up as full question
Evaluate the view that Orange Book (classical) liberals have greater influence over the LD party than modern liberals?
unlikely to be full question, but has relevant info for other Qs
P1: Classical influence on European policy - rejoin single market but not EU, previously voiced support for EU reform vs modern liberal influence - pro-EU sentiment, 2019 manifesto - revoke Article 50
P2: Classical influence on economy - tough borrowing rules and penny income tax rise at basic rate for NHS, tax frequent flyers for env vs modern liberal influence - 20% pay rise for zero-hour workers, supported corporation tax rise
P3: Classical liberal influence - legalise cannabis, indicative of liberalism/freedom and freedom vs Modern influence on law and order - restore community policing against cuts of Orange Book-Con coalition in austerity measures, supports strong welfare state to promote social change
