Established Party Political Parties Essays

Question 1

To what extent is the Labour Party true to its core policies and ideas? YES 1 SOCIAL

Answer 1

Still commitment to a major role of the state in delivering public services, and that the poorest in society are protected - 2019 Labour wanted a Real Living Wage of £10 per hour

Question 2

To what extent is the Labour Party true to its core policies and ideas? YES 2 ECONOMY

Answer 2

Interfering in free market to prevent the excesses of capitalism. Higher taxation for the wealthy and thus redistribution. Setting of a minimum wage - 2019 Labour wanted higher taxation on those earning more than £80k

Question 3

To what extent is the Labour Party true to its core policies and ideas? NO 1 ECONOMY

Answer 3

Revisions of Clause IV which no longer commits to wide scale public ownership. Acceptance of thatcherism free market in New Labour

Question 4

To what extent is the Labour Party true to its core policies and ideas? NO 2 SOCIAL

Answer 4

They also no longer appeal to the working class. In 2010 they revieved more votes from the middle class than the lower class. Labour under Brown and Blair led a post-socialist approach.

Question 5

To what extent is the Conservative Party true to its core policies and ideas? YES 1 ECONOMIC

Answer 5

Osborne and Cameron accused the previous Labour government of overspending, and implemented ‘austerity’ cuts. This harks back to traditional conservative thought, of state intervention in order to preserve and the economy

Question 6

To what extent is the Conservative Party true to its core policies and ideas? YES 2 SOCIAL

Answer 6

Aimed to reduce crime, especially after the 2011 August London riots, showing that the state was willing to intervene to protect citizens, and prevent revolution in regards to law and order

Question 7

To what extent is the Conservative Party true to its core policies and ideas? NO 1 ECONOMIC

Answer 7

Thatcherism reduced state intervention in a free-market economy, abandoning paternalistic, big state thought, aiming to protect its citizens. The euro-sceptic branch of conservatives goes against conserving established institutions.

Question 8

To what extent is the Conservative Party true to its core policies and ideas? NO 2 SOCIAL

Answer 8

David Cameron went against the nuclear family by supporting and legalising gay marriage. The universal credit policy also went against the traditional Conservative view of having a minimal welfare state, more closely linking to one-nation conservatism.

Question 9

To what extent is the Liberal Democrat Party true to its core policies and ideas? YES 1 ECONOMIC

Answer 9

Controlling spending on benefits - minimal state. Tough borrowing rules. ‘Borrow less than Labour, cut less than the Tories’

Question 10

To what extent is the Liberal Democrat Party true to its core policies and ideas? YES 2 SOCIAL

Answer 10

Personal freedom is not eroded as a consequence of giving the authorities more powers to fight crime. Hybrid between modern and classical liberals. Maintaining civil freedoms despite the expansion of the state. Opposed ‘Snoopers’ Charter’. Legalisation of cannabis. Votes for some prisoners.

Question 11

To what extent is the Liberal Democrat Party true to its core policies and ideas? NO 1 ECONOMIC

Answer 11

Progressively raising basic income-tax threshold - goes against minimal role of the state advocated for by classical liberals. They also expanded the Green Investment Bank, which funded green projects, again going against a minimal state.

Question 12

To what extent is the Liberal Democrat Party true to its core policies and ideas? NO 2 SOCIAL

Answer 12

Big state in order to improve the public sector and social care - £7bn a year for five years - goes against small state. Free Childcare. Spend £10.6bn more a year on schools. Focus on equality of opportunity

Question 13

To what extent is the Labour Party united? YES 1 ECONOMIC

Answer 13

They are all still committed to making the economy work for both the rich and poor, through spending - investment in a welfare state and public services. Reduce taxes on poor - Both Corbyn and Miliband wanted 50% top rate of income tax.

Question 14

To what extent is the Labour Party united? YES 2 SOCIAL

Answer 14

They are still committed to helping to lift people out of poverty, by having a large welfare state. They also want more accessible education to varying degrees - Corbyn wanted no tuition fees, Miliband wanted a cut from £9,000 to £6,000. Both oppose government on government cuts to police numbers.

Question 15

To what extent is the Labour Party united? NO 1 ECONOMIC

Answer 15

Opinions differ over nationalisation, hence the more constant revision of Clause IV - Corbyn wanted to nationalise the railways. Corbyn saw austerity as a political choice, whereas Miliband didn’t - he said that he would ‘cut spending’ if he was elected in 2015. More recently EU divisions

Question 16

To what extent is the Labour Party united? NO 2 SOCIAL

Answer 16

Corbyn was opposed to the hard-line crackdown policies of New Labour, such as increased powers to tackle terrorism and the introduction of identity cards. Corbyn disagreed with the use of the private sector to deliver public services - a central aspect of New Labour

Question 17

To what extent is the Conservative Party united? YES 1 ECONOMIC

Answer 17

Acceptance and advocacy of a free-market economy, and minimal state intervention in this, reduced government spending.

Question 18

To what extent is the Conservative Party united? YES 2 SOCIAL

Answer 18

Most conservatives want a minimal welfare state, and incentivising people to boost the economy by finding employment. Tough on crime to maintain law and order - ‘tougher sentencing for the worst offenders’ - 2019 Manifesto.

Question 19

To what extent is the Conservative Party united? NO 1 ECONOMIC

Answer 19

Approach to the EU and degree of integration within it - Theresa May brexit deal failures. Conservatives differ over whether privatisation over areas such as healthcare is a good thing or not

Question 20

To what extent is the Conservative Party united? NO 2 SOCIAL

Answer 20

Over response to COVID, extent of lockdowns and management of the economy ‘opening up’. HRA - some support as it promotes civil liberties. Some don’t support as it infringes on parliamentary sovereignty