Evaluate the view that major parties agree on policies and ideas. Flashcards
Introduction - Themes
- Economy
- Welfare
- Foreign Policy
Introduction - Argument
In the 2019 general election, when Corbyn and Johnson were facing off, the Conservatives and Labour barely agreed, however, both parties have undergone significant readjustment and now agree much more
Economy - Disagree - Point
Ideologically, Labour and the Conservatives tend to differ massively with regards to taxation - Labour wanted high taxes and redistribution of wealth, while Conservatives wanted low taxes and a free economy
Economy - Disagree - Examples
- Labour - promised to increase income tax for the top 5% and increase corporation tax to 26%
- Conservatives - promised not to raise VAT and National Insurance as well as plans to cut corporation tax from 19% to 17%
Economy - Agree - Point
The ideological move to the centre for both parties have meant there is now more agreement between the two when it comes to economic policy
Economy - Agree - Examples
- Labour - one of Keir Starmer’s mission statements is economic growth. This is much more of a New Labour policy
- Conservatives - Rishi Sunak took the view point that taxes needed to be raised in order to see Britain through the expected recession. In Winter of 2022, he was gearing up to announce these increases
Welfare - Disagree - Point
In 2019 the Conservatives and Labour disagreed, largely due to ideologies, regarding privatisation and nationalisation of the NHS
Welfare - Disagree - Examples
- Labour - wanted to end private provisions within the NHS, stop the sale of NHS land and set up a state-run pharmaceutical company
- Conservatives - build 40 new hospitals with no opposition to using private companies to do so
Welfare - Agree - Point
Both parties have always been able to see the importance of the NHS. Both parties have policies which committ them to the NHS
Welfare - Agree - Examples
- Labour - Keir Starmer has pledged that Labour is committed to ‘reforming the NHS’ and has taken a different stance from 2019, not ruling out using privatisation in order to reform the system
- Conservatives - Rishi Sunak has also committed the Conservative Party to reforming and bettering the state of the NHS, promising to slash waiting time and make GPs more accessible
Foreign Policy - Disagree - Point
In 2019, the main topic was Brexit. The country had voted to leave but Theresa May had proved it was easier said than done, the two parties massive opposed each other on the subject
Foreign Policy - Disagree - Examples
- Labour - there should be ‘a final say on Brexit’ and pushed for a second referendum
- Conservatives - Boris Johnson ran the campaign ‘Get Brexit Done’ and wanted to bring back the withdrawal agreement
Foreign Policy - Agree - Point
Under Keir Starmer, the Labour party supported the Conservative deal to leave the EU. There are other foreign policy areas as well which the two agree, including the Ukraine War
Foreign Policy - Agree - Examples
- Labour - supportive of Ukrainian efforts against Russian agression and support the Conservative’s decision to help arm Ukraine. Starmer also made a visit to the man in charge of NATO
- Conservatives - they have also been supportive of Ukrainian efforts, with Rishi Sunak welcoming Zelensky to the UK for his first trip abroad since the start of the war