Conservative ideas and policies today Flashcards
The economy…
When the Conservatives returned to power in 2010, it was faced with an economic crisis, including the national debt standing at £1.13 trillion in March. The Party adopted a rigorous approach to economic management. The party’s economic policy was dominated by the aim of a balanced budget and reducing national debt.
In 2016, the goal of a balanced budget was abandoned under Theresa May, and was seen as unattainable and inhibiting economic growth. The Party has a pragmatic and cautious approach to public expenditure.
The party retains a neoliberal position in its attitudes to markets, which was one of the reasons many neoliberal figures in the party supported leaving the EU in order to end EU regulation of the British economy. The party believes govt policy should promote free markets and free trade, and is determined to curb the power of trade unions to keep labour markets free.
The party’s attitudes to taxation are partly neoliberal and partly one-nation. On one hand, personal and company taxation should never be excessively high as this will inhibit enterprise and wealth creation (neoliberal). On the other hand, the party has accepted that taxation on lower incomes is too high and risks creating higher levels of poverty, dividing the nation (one-nation).
Conservative Party’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic…
It was to save the economy that the Party in 2020 authorised unprecedented levels of national borrowing to fund the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a pragmatic response to maintain stability in society and ensure businesses employment could survive the shutdown without creating a high level of welfare recipients that might lead to a dependency culture.
Law and order…
The party retains the view that prison and stern punishments are the best deterrent against crime, believing that sentencing policy should be in the hands of elected govts and not unelected judges. The party opposes proposals such as the legislation of drugs and the excessive use of ‘community’ sentences.
Conservatives stress the need for security and see it as the first duty of the govt to protect its citizens. In the fight against terrorism, they accept that civil liberties may have to be sacrificed in the interests of security.
In both 2017 and 2019, the Conservative Party manifestos pledged to alter the 1998 Human Rights Act to ensure it had the ability to deal with national threats such as terrorism. Later in 2020, the Conservative govt felt the need to limit various freedoms to ensure the success of lockdown measures during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Welfare…
Modern Conservative policy concentrates on the need to ensure that welfare benefits are not a disincentive to work, including a stricter system of means testing to prevent unemployment being seen as a preferable option. Their policies to restore the balance between work and benefits includes the introduction of a living or minimum wage, and an overall cap on welfare benefits for families so that unemployment is less attractive.
Party policy is committed to maintaining the welfare state and safeguarding the NHS and education system. However, the party believes that these two services should be subject to competition and market forces, including their privatisation. They believe that this can improve efficiency so services can improve without increasing expenditure on them.
Foreign affairs…
Conservatives support NATO and have a close alliance with the UK. However, they believe the UK’s best national interest lies in retaining an independent foreign policy.
They also believe that the country should intervene in foreign conflicts, and is committed to retaining the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent in the form of Trident submarine-based weapons.
External influences…
The party has a long history of being the party of business, Groups that represent business interests often exert a powerful influence over the party’s policy making and direction.
The British Banking Associated (BBA) notably persuaded former PM David Cameron to not impose fines and increased controls on banks following the 2008 financial crash. However, both the CBI and BBA warned against Brexit, which shows the limit of external influences.
The party also has a history of being influenced by press barons. In the 1980s, Rupert Murdoch was a key supporter of Thatcher and helped shape the anti-union stance of the party as he fought the printing unions.
