2.4 Parties in context

Question 1

has 2 party dominance been eroded at westminister: yes

Answer 1

• Liberal Democrats won 23% of votes in 2010, they won 72 seats in 2024
• partisan dealignment, issue over class based voting means people vote for whats important to them, whatever the party
• SNP won 50% of the vote in Scotland in 2015 (but only 9 seats in 2024)
• Reform UK won 5 seats in 2024

Question 2

has 2 party dominance been eroded at Westminister: no

Answer 2

• 2017: 2 main parties held 82.4% of the vote and 87% of the seats in Westminister
• Liberal Democrats support plummeted since 2015
• SNP only used decisively to support the government.

Question 3

different types of party systems…

Answer 3

1. one party - authoritarian most likely
2. dominant party - only one is realistically going to win
3. two party system
4. multiparty system

Question 4

factors that contribute to a party’s success or failure

1. popularity of the leader

Answer 4

• ‘spatial leadership’ where a leader seperates themselves from the party to encourage faith in the leader
  eg. Margaret Thatcher won 3 general elections
  eg. Tony Blair supported by all age groups

Question 5

factors that contribute to a party’s success or failure

media relationship + examples

Answer 5

1. nick clegg was so popular in 2010 the term ‘cleggmania’ was commonly used.
   bad example:
2. jeremy corbyn had anti-semitism allegations against him

• isnt always relevant, Neil Kinnock and Peter Mandelson worked hard to remove bad relationship with the media, but still lost to Thatcher in 1987.

Question 6

factors that contribute to a party’s success or failure

record in government

Answer 6

• reputation for governing competence boosts likelihood for success

eg. Macmillan won 1959 General Election due to a period of economic prosperity

bad eg. Kwasi Kwarteng tax cutting September 2022 ruined his and Lizz Truss reputation

Question 7

factors that contribute to a party’s success or failure

record in opposition

Answer 7

if a party effectively exposes government policy, they are much more liked.
- eg. Tony Blair undermined divisions within John majors party over the EU
- bad eg. Michael Foot failed to do this with Thatcher

Question 8

factors that contribute to a party’s success or failure

Funding + Organisation

Answer 8

funding doesnt dictate success. Conservatives lost 3 times to New Labour despite having more funding
- organisation is more important. New Labour had a coherent political message.
- another eg. 2019 Conservatives targeted traditional labour seats effectively.

Question 9

factors that contribute to a party’s success or failure

Impact of relevant referendums

Answer 9

• eg. harold wilson promised EU referendum and won the general election
• eg. 2016 EU referendum meant conservative divisions and resignation of Cameron and May as PM

Question 10

factors that contribute to a party’s success or failure

Policy Statements or manifesto commitments

Answer 10

eg. 1979 conservative manifesto promise to allow right to buy increased support 15% among C2 voters.
- eg. David Cameron’s commitment to EU referendum meant fewer votes were lost to UKIP in 2010

Question 11

two types of politics?

Answer 11

consensus vs adversary

Question 12

minor parties are increasingly dominant in devolved governments… examples

Answer 12

• scottish parliament 2021: SNP won 64 seats
• Stormont 2022: Sinn Fein won 27 seats
• power is shared more equally in devolved legislatures

Question 13

is the UK a multiparty democracy?

yes

Answer 13

• regional dominance
• since 2007 the SNP has governed whether independently or in a coalition in scottish parliament
• smaller parties increasingly dominant
• 2010 coalition,
• 2017 DUP confidence and supply agreement

Question 14

is the UK a multiparty democracy?

no

Answer 14

• parliament is sovereign. SNP can’t call a 2nd independent referendum
• Liberal Democrats influence has collapsed in recent years, in 2019 they had 11 MPs
• for more than 100 years labour or conservatives have been in power.