2.4 uk political parties in context

Question 1

What is a one-party dominant system?

Answer 1

a number of parties, but only one has a realistic prospect of holding power

Question 2

What is a two-party system?

Answer 2

two parties compete for power at elections; other parties have no real chance of breaking their monopoly

Question 3

What is a two-and-a-half-party system?

Answer 3

two large parties are the main players, but are challenged by the growth of a smaller third party

Question 4

What is a multi-party system?

Answer 4

a number of parties contend to form a government; coalitions become the norm

Question 5

When was the classic era of the two-party system?

Answer 5

1945-74

Question 6

What was the combined average of votes and seats Labour and Conservatives won between 1945-74?

Answer 6

91% of the votes
98% of the seats

Question 7

What did the combined average of Labour and Conservative share of the vote fall to between 1979 and 2010?

Answer 7

73%

Question 8

What type of party system does FPTP create in the UK?

Answer 8

two-party system

Question 9

How does the use of Additional Member System affect the party system?

Answer 9

tends to increase the representation of smaller parties

Question 10

What factors affect party success?

Answer 10

• the strength of a party’s leadership
• the extent to which parties are united or divided between different party factions
• the role of the media in projecting a particular image of a party

Question 11

How does the strength of a party’s leadership affect party success?

Answer 11

• voters tend to respond positively to party leaders who demonstrate a clear sense of direction and reject parties that fail to get a grip on events in times of crisis e.g. the winter of discontent

Question 12

How does the extent to which parties are united or divided between different party factions affect party success?

Answer 12

• divided parties do not perform well at general elections e.g. John Majors conservatives
• however Tony Blair reshaped the Labour Party and imposed strong discipline so it appeared united

Question 13

How does the role of the media in projecting a particular image of a party affect party success?

Answer 13

• growing importance of media has tended to reinforce the general publics impression of parties and their leaders

Question 14

What is an example of the role of the media in projecting a particular image of a party affecting party success?

Answer 14

2010 election televised debates enhanced the appeal of Nick Clegg which led to the Lib Dems gaining enough support to join a coalition, however televised debates shouldn’t be seen as too important as the Lib Dems came out with 5 fewer seats than in 2005

Question 15

What is an example of why televised debates shouldn’t be seen as too important?

Answer 15

the Lib Dems came out with 5 fewer seats than in 2005