2.3 emerging and minor parties

Question 1

welfare - snp

Answer 1

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

Question 2

law and order - snp

Answer 2

→ 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

Question 3

economy - snp

Answer 3

→ ‘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

Question 4

welfare - Green Party

Answer 4

Replace Personal Independence Payments (PIP) cash payments with ‘vouchers’, introduce a Universal Basic Income

Question 5

law and order - Green Party

Answer 5

Legalisation of cannabis, promote community policing and de-prioritising stop-and-searches of young people

Question 6

economy - Green Party

Answer 6

Wealth tax on top 1%, special tax on large banks, living wage of £10/hr.

Question 7

welfare - reform uk

Answer 7

Belief that reducing illegal migration will reduce pressure on the welfare system

Question 8

law and order - reform uk

Answer 8

Increase funding towards policing and increase funding for better police technology. Against illegal migration and support points-based systems for skilled migrants.

Question 9

economy - reform uk

Answer 9

Lower tax, lift threshold for 40% income tax bracket to £70,000

Question 10

other reform uk policies

Answer 10

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)

Question 11

polling trends may 2024 Labour

Answer 11

44%

Question 12

polling trends may 2024 cons

Answer 12

24%

Question 13

polling trends may 2024 reform

Answer 13

11%

Question 14

polling trends may 2024 lib dem

Answer 14

10%

Question 15

polling trends may 2024 greens

Answer 15

6%

Question 16

polling trends may 2024 snp

Answer 16

3%

Question 17

polling trends may 2024 Plaid Cymru

Answer 17

1%

Question 18

party leaders

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

economy policy similarities lab/con

Answer 19

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)

Question 20

welfare policy similarities lab/con

Answer 20

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)

Question 21

education policy similarities ???

Answer 21

Labour: no plan to abolish tuition fees as the country cannot afford it (2023)

Question 22

fp policy similarities lab/con

Answer 22

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

Question 23

eu policy similarities lab/con

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

small minor parties in European parliament elections

Answer 24

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

Question 25

small minor parties influence in policy absorption

Answer 25

Conservative manifesto 2019 promises to reach net zero by 2050 , may have been due to rising popularity of the Green party.

Question 26

small minor parties influence in local elections and by elections

Answer 26

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