Evaluate the view that major parties agree on policies and ideas.

Question 1

Introduction - Themes

Answer 1

• Economy
• Welfare
• Foreign Policy

Question 2

Introduction - Argument

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Economy - Disagree - Point

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Economy - Disagree - Examples

Answer 4

• 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%

Question 5

Economy - Agree - Point

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Economy - Agree - Examples

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

Welfare - Disagree - Point

Answer 7

In 2019 the Conservatives and Labour disagreed, largely due to ideologies, regarding privatisation and nationalisation of the NHS

Question 8

Welfare - Disagree - Examples

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

Welfare - Agree - Point

Answer 9

Both parties have always been able to see the importance of the NHS. Both parties have policies which committ them to the NHS

Question 10

Welfare - Agree - Examples

Answer 10

• 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

Question 11

Foreign Policy - Disagree - Point

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Foreign Policy - Disagree - Examples

Answer 12

• 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

Question 13

Foreign Policy - Agree - Point

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Foreign Policy - Agree - Examples

Answer 14

• 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