component 1: political parties

Question 1

functions, features and funding of parties

Answer 1

functions: raising money, policy development, governing and electioneering, representation, participation, recruitment

features: aim to exercise power by winning political office, develop a broad focus on its issues addressing major areas of gov policy, members of parties are united by shared political preferences.

1 - membership - in decline due to declining membership numbers, concern for cons.
2 - donations - come from individuals, donations from businesses and institutional donations from PGs e.g. trade unions
3 - grants - limited amount of public funding available to parties. - short money - for opposition to help them complete parliamentary duties, - electoral commission - £2 million for parties with other 2 NPs elected to develop policies.

Question 2

uk parties: lib dems

Answer 2

• created 1988 - combination of old liberals (1877) and social democratic party (1981)
• combine classical and modern liberalism, ideas come together in their support for liberty, individualism, diversity, equal opportunities, work with IGOs.
  number of LD MPs increased in 1990 and 2000s (46 in 1997 and 62 in 2005), able to form coalition with cons in 2010 which reduced their popularity.
• 2015 - their worst year only won 8 seats

Question 2

uk parties: conservatives

Answer 2

• founded in 1834
• key principles: pragmatism - doing what works, tradition - reflects accumulated wisdom of generations, organic society - society is a livign organisms that evolves.
• Thatcherism - 70s and 80s set of ideas that developed in response to failure of post-war consensus, associated with thatcher, a combination of neo-liberalism (free market, freedom) and neo-conservatism (patriotism, tradition).

Question 2

uk political parties: labour

Answer 2

• originated late 19th century to represent working class
• old labour: secure political representation of working class, increase NHS spending, raise minimum wage to £15/hr, increase police numbers, Corbyn wanted second referendum.
  new labour: increase NHS spending and reform it, be tough on crime via increasing police numbers, similar stance on migration to cons but oppose Rwanda, no plans to re-enter EU.

Question 2

conservative party policy

Answer 2

CONSERVATIVE:
economy - reduce state role ineconomy, cut public spending, free market, remove budget deficit.
law and order- crack down on anti-social behaviour, Rwanda scheme, give £10m to police in funding, 20,000 more police, points based immigration system
welfare - maths compulsory until 18, GCSEs and a kevels harder, increase education staff, build 40 hospitals, increase money u can pay into pension a year
foreign policy - pro-Israel, pro-NATO, support Ukraine via weapons and supplies, strengthen ties with USA

Question 2

labour party policy

Answer 2

economy - more tax on energy companies, make Britain a clean energy superpower state, inrease productivity to icnrease wages, responsible management of public finances.
law and order - halve violent crimes against women, halve knife crimes, oppose stop the boats, joint border force between Britain and France, raise trust and confidence in police.
welfare - increase house building, higher quality childcare, increase minimum wage from £9.20 to £10, increase no.of NHS nurses.
foreign policy - no plans to re-enter EU, support Ukraine, pro-NATO, 2-state policy for Israel and Palestine, Starmer = pro-Israel due to corbyn’s anti-semitism.