convergence and polarisation

Question 1

convergence

Answer 1

Parties become increasingly similar in their views and policies

Question 2

polarisation

Answer 2

Parties become increasingly different in their views and
policies

Question 3

current state of convergence and polarisation

Answer 3

In the 1990s and 2000s both Labour (Blair, New Labour) and
then the Conservatives (Cameron) prioritised electability, by
moving towards the centre. This was the time class and partisan
dealignment started to have a big impact.

Since 2015 that has less clearly been the case.

There have been some attempts to remain moderate and
centrist (May’s One Nation ambition; Johnson’s ‘levelling up’
suggestions; Starmer’s break from Corbyn).

However, also significant moves back towards the ideological
extremes (Corbyn’s socialism; Johnson’s cull of One Nation
MPs and ‘hard Brexit’; Truss’ radical neo-liberal economics).

Question 4

disagreement within the conservative party - economy

Answer 4

Economy-
‘small government’, low taxation, privatisation
One Nation
(government investment in the economy, ‘levelling up’)
Thatcherites
(further privatisation, tax and budget cuts)
£5 billion Levelling up fund in budget 2021
vs
2022 mini-budget (tax cuts, regulation cuts)

Question 5

disagreement within the conservative party - welfare

Answer 5

One Nation
(protect benefits as safety net for those who
need help) -2022 decision to
increase benefits with inflation
Thatcherites
(Own responsibility , minimal benefits)
Welfare benefits cap
Universal credit

Question 6

disagreement within the conservative party - law and order

Answer 6

more police powers, longer sentences, expand anti-terrorism powes - hug a hoodie speech
one nation - more focus on rehabilitation
Thatcherites - strict law and order, strict border control - hostile environment for illegal immigrants, deportation to rwanda, policing bill

Question 7

disagreement within the conservative party - foreign policy

Answer 7

Eurosceptic, strong defence,
closer to USA than EU, limited
aid
one nation - remain + soft brexit, protect international aid under cameron
Thatcherite - leave, hard brexit, limit international aid
boris johnson 2021 cuts to international aid budget

Question 8

disagreement within the labour party - economy

Answer 8

Government provided public
service, higher taxation,
government regulation
Hard left
(re-nationalis
ation, no
budget cuts)

New Labour
(some
privatisation
and budget
cuts)

Question 9

disagreement within the labour party - welfare

Answer 9

Protect and expand social
welfare, increase minimum wage
Hard left
(large
investment in
social
welfare)
New Labour
(targeted
social
welfare)

Question 10

disagreement within the labour party - law and order

Answer 10

Address poverty as cause of
crime, focus on rehabilitation
Hard left (No
further
anti-terrorism
powers) - Promise to invest
in youth services

New Labour
(expand
anti-terrorism
powers) - ASBOs, indefinite
detention of
terrorism suspects

Question 11

disagreement within the labour party - foreign policy

Answer 11

Diplomacy instead of military
intervention, Remain/soft
Brexit, protect international aid
Pacifist
(don’t renew
Trident,
opposed to
Iraq War)
Realist
(renew
Trident,
supported
Iraq War)

Question 12

Is the Conservative Party still conservative?

Answer 12

Conservatives have been divided over
defending traditional institutions like
marriage, and more recently trans rights.

The hard Brexit (even no deal as option) can
be seen as a radical untried and experimental
change, not particularly pragmatic.

Focus has remained true to the idea of
human imperfection with strict law and order
(although Cameron’s ‘hug a hoodie speech’
was a bit of an exception)

Thatcherism focused more on the liberal
principle of limited government, instead of
an organic society where people depend on
each other (Thatcher said ‘there is no such
thing as society, only individuals and
families’).

Question 13

Is the Labour Party still socialist?

Answer 13

New Labour largely abandoned core socialist
principles of equality (it was more focused on the
liberal idea of equality of opportunity) and
collectivism (government public services), although
the party has continued to favour redistribution of
wealth by taxing the rich (increase in highest rate of
income tax under Brown, proposal for a ‘mansion tax’
under Miliband)

Corbyn reintroduced a focus on socialist principle of
collectivism (re-nationalisation) after New Labour
had shifted away from this to favour privatisation.

New Labour also embraced a more negative view of
human nature away from ‘common humanity’ in its
strict anti-terrorism laws (opposed by the Hard Left).

The party is split between prioritising socialist ideological
purity and electability