Development and policies of the Conservative Party

Question 1

When was the party founded and how long has it held office for?

Answer 1

Dates back from 1834, it has held the office of prime minister for approximately two-thirds of the period since 1900

Question 2

The development of the party and its ideas can be roughly broken down into which 4 strands?

Answer 2

• One nation conservatism
• Butskellite pragmatism and consensus
• Traditional values
• Thatcherism

Question 3

One nation conservatism

Who is most commonly associated with One nation Conservatism?

Answer 3

Victorian prime minister, Benjamin Disraeli

Question 4

One nation conservatism

What did one nation conservatism focus on?

Answer 4

The duty of those with power and privilege to use this wisely, and to unite the nation by way of moderate social reforms and patriotism

Question 5

One nation conservatism

What did Boris Johnson mention in his December 2019 speech?

Answer 5

‘members of our new one-nation government, a people’s government’

Question 6

One nation conservatism

What did this stance embrace?

Answer 6

The state protecting the vulnerable through public services, without penalising the rich with high income tax rates or seeking to dismantle free-market capitalism and significantly redistribute wealth

Question 7

Butskellite pragmatism and consensus

In the wake of the 1945 Labour landslide and the establishment of the Welfare state, what did the Conservatives do?

Answer 7

Shifted further towards the centre and accepted the bulk of labours social reforms

Question 8

Butskellite pragmatism and consensus

What was there large areas of between the labour and conservative party throughout the 1950/60s?

Answer 8

Consensus in many key policy areas

Question 9

Butskellite pragmatism and consensus

What does the term Bustkellite mean?

Answer 9

Term used to describe the postwar consensus between labour and the conservatives that endured until the 1970s

Question 10

Butskellite pragmatism and consensus

Who had led the UK into the European Economic Community in 1973?

Answer 10

Conservative prime minister Edward Heath, while the Eurosceptics were more generally found on the Labour benches

Question 11

Traditional values

What does the strand of traditional values reflect?

Answer 11

The party’s ongoing insistence on supporting the traditional nuclear family and institution of marriage, while maintaining a firm line on immigration policy

Question 12

Traditional values

What was the slogan in John Majors 1993 campaign?

Answer 12

‘Back to basics’

Question 13

Traditional values

What other policy reflects the traditional values?

Answer 13

The passing of Section 28 in 1988, which banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools

Question 14

Thatcherism

How was Thatcherism different from other forms of Conservatism?

Answer 14

Far more ideological, and represented conviction over compromise

Question 15

Thatcherism

What did Thatcher see herself on a crusade to do?

Answer 15

• Promote individual freedom, especially economic

- To slay the dragons of overly powerful trade unions and to emphasise self help and personal responsibility

Question 16

Thatcherism

How did she embrace a more confident, assertive foreign policy?

Answer 16

Oversaw the Falklands victory in 1982 and closely working with Ronald Reagan

Question 17

Thatcherism

What was Thatcher a strong advocate for?

Answer 17

The European single market

Question 18

How does the 2019 manifesto reflect the 4 strands of conservatism?

Answer 18

• 20,000 additional police officers and tougher sentencing for criminals = Traditional Values
• A promise to not raise the rate of income tax, VAT or national insurance = Thatcherism
• Maintain the ‘triple lock’ on pensions = One nation conservatism
• Extra funding for the NHS = Butskellite Consensus

Question 19

When have there been divisions in the Conservative party?

Answer 19

• Until the 2019 election, tory leaders were plagued by the division between leavers and remainers