2.3 emerging and minor parties Flashcards
welfare - snp
SNP Government has now offered our 154,000 NHS Scotland Agenda for Change staff a substantial pay rise, rejecting the 1% proposal made by the Tories – and offering a proper pay rise of at least 4%, We will always keep Scotland’s NHS safe in public hands and improve mental health
law and order - snp
→ working together to get rid of terrorism , helping to tackle the assault of women , SNP calls for the end to VAT charges on our police and fire services, the UK Government finally relented.
→ UK Government refunds the £175 million in VAT owed to Scotland’s emergency services.
→ A 5.6% increase to Police Scotland’s day-to-day budget
economy - snp
→ ‘The SNP believe that the tax burden should be proportionate to the ability to pay.’ - taken from the SNP website!
→ investment of up to £372 million in the scottish freeport and investment zones programmes
→ £1.15 billion-worth investment into growth deals
welfare - Green Party
Replace Personal Independence Payments (PIP) cash payments with ‘vouchers’, introduce a Universal Basic Income
law and order - Green Party
Legalisation of cannabis, promote community policing and de-prioritising stop-and-searches of young people
economy - Green Party
Wealth tax on top 1%, special tax on large banks, living wage of £10/hr.
welfare - reform uk
Belief that reducing illegal migration will reduce pressure on the welfare system
law and order - reform uk
Increase funding towards policing and increase funding for better police technology. Against illegal migration and support points-based systems for skilled migrants.
economy - reform uk
Lower tax, lift threshold for 40% income tax bracket to £70,000
other reform uk policies
Reform Voting system: Abolish FPTP and introduce Proportional Representation
Reform HoL by introducing a representative, elected second chamber.
On an LBC podcast, Sunak was talking to a conservative voter who has decided he wants to vote for reform in the upcoming election, Sunak responded with “A vote for Reform is a vote for Starmer”, and “There will be one of two PMs, me or Keir Starmer” (could be used when referring to evidence for a two-party system in the UK and the influence of minor parties)
polling trends may 2024 Labour
44%
polling trends may 2024 cons
24%
polling trends may 2024 reform
11%
polling trends may 2024 lib dem
10%
polling trends may 2024 greens
6%
polling trends may 2024 snp
3%
polling trends may 2024 Plaid Cymru
1%
party leaders
Neil Kinnock: negative media coverage due to the Left wing manifesto - The Sun “Will the last person to leave Britain please turn out the lights” showed the incompetence of Neil Kinnock to become the Prime Minister (valence)
Tony Blair: good media presence (‘The Sun Bagged Johnson’s record in office - poor valence led to changes in PM - Sunak’s weak valence also causes massive loss in 2024 local elections Blair’), tight control over his party’s messaging — New Labour, moderate, reform of Clause IV (commitment to nationalisation).
But his image was destroyed by contentious decisions i.e. Iraq war, increase in tuition fees.
Boris Johnson: clear party’s messaging “Get Brexit Done” on the 2019 Conservatives manifesto — announced Hard Brexit as the main goal of the Conservatives which brought the party
together. (after May’s infamous soft Brexit approach in 2017-19) Helped the Conservatives to gain 80 majority seats
Partygate dam
The D-Day incident with PM Sunak leaving D-Day early to attend an Channel 4 Interview that was airing 9 days later caused massive controversy in the beginning of the Conservative campaign for the 2024 General Election.
economy policy similarities lab/con
Labour and Conservatives do not want to have further tax raise: Labour’s first duty is economic stability; Conservatives pledged to deliver tax cuts if they win the general election (Jeremy Hunt)
welfare policy similarities lab/con
Labour aligns with Conservatives to keep the Universal Credit (but seek to reform it)
Cutting NHS waiting lists: Labour pledged to provide 40K appointments in NHS each week by using the money collected from the “non-dom loopholes” and tax avoidance; Tories: will cut waiting lists (no clear plan yet)
education policy similarities ???
Labour: no plan to abolish tuition fees as the country cannot afford it (2023)
fp policy similarities lab/con
Both Labour and the Conservatives have adamantly backed Israel (bipartisan)
Labour response has been broadly unified; contrast deep divisions over Israel-Palestine (and foreign policy in general) under Jeremy Corbyn (labelled as antisemitic)
Starmer: “Israel has the right to self defence”; arguably mirroring government due to upcoming election = consensus
In October 2023, Starmer defended the Israeli “right to withhold water” from Palestines in an interview on LBC with Nick Ferrari (aware it is a breach due experience as human rights; values election victory smore)
Shadow Cabinet Member David Lammy emphasised that Labour supported Israel and its “right to defend itself”; response must be proportionate and within the bounds of international law
In November 2023, 56 Labour MPs rebelled in favour of a ceasefire; resulted in 10 front bench resignations (e.g. Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding Jess Phillips)
Over 70 councillors across the country that have resigned over disapproval on the Labour stance on Gaza; 9 in Oxford (no longer in Labour control)
Regional Mayors Sadiq Khan (London) and Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester) called for an immediate ceasefire; did not receive sacking due to their importance to the party in these areas
Both parties support Ukraine in the ongoing conflict with Russia
eu policy similarities lab/con
Both Sunak and Starmer turned down a free movement deal around the EU for 18-30 year olds
The parties can be aligning together to show the US support for their approach to foreign policy. Countries against US foreign policy are usually considered as an enemy to America. (comparable to Blair supporting Bush’s “war on terror” despite protests against the Iraq War); too much at stake for the British economy if they deviate from the US in foreign policy.
small minor parties in European parliament elections
In 2019, the Brexit Party won the seat for the UK European Parliament election
In 2019 European Parliament elections Green party won 12% of the vote electing 7 MEPs
small minor parties influence in policy absorption
Conservative manifesto 2019 promises to reach net zero by 2050 , may have been due to rising popularity of the Green party.
small minor parties influence in local elections and by elections
2024 local elections: Lib Dem (+104 = 522), Green (+74 = 181), Independent (+ 93 = 228)
By-election in Rochdale: George Galloway from Workers Party of Britain won the by-election
