EXTRA-Party Organisation/Parliamentary Candidates/transnational groups Flashcards
What does the Central Office control?
this controls the activities of the provincial areas and the constituency agents
What is Plebiscitary democracy?
this relates to a direct vote on a single issue (a referendum)
What does CLP stand for?
Constituency Labour Party
What is one of the attractions for a limited number of grassroots remembers?
the opportunity to attend the annual party conference
What was the ‘A List’ which David Cameron came up with?
this is a list of prospective candidates that included several successful women, members of ethnic minorities and celebrities
Why has the A-List policy been discontinued?
in favour of gender balanced final shortlists
How are names put forward was a vacancy arises in the Labour party?
They do not put their own names forward, they must be nominated
Traditionally who was the selection process dominated by?
by the trade unions or by cliques of activists who were sometimes unrepresentative of the party membership
What year did the Labour party adopt a One Member One Vote system?
1992
Under Tony Blair what did they want in terms of the parliamentary candidate selection?
Wanted to see an improved system of screening candidates to avoid ‘undesirables’ who would become troublesome MP’s
What did the left of the labour party see the attempt of Tony Blair to avoid ‘undesirables’ in the parliamentary candidates as?
an attempt to enhance the control of the leadership and ensure that the party MP’s were docile to backbench rebellions
What has all women shortlists been replaced by?
by selection lists in which there is an equal balance of men and women
What does the Conservative annual party conference provide?
provides the main forum for the expression of opinion by all sections of the party.
What do many debates lack due to the controlled agenda?
they lack passion and impact, being only advisory and having no bidding effect on the people at the top
When may revolts occur at Conservative annual conferences? (3)
over Europe, immigration and law and order
What was the Labour conference given the supreme function of ?
of directing and controlling the affairs of the party policy
As apart of Labour’s conference being given the supreme function of directing and controlling the affairs of the party policy what must happen to decisions made by a two-thirds majority?
they are supposed to be regarded as sacrosanct and included in the next manifesto
How can the Labour leader override the decisions made in the Labour conference?
If they have the backing of the National Executive Committee
What is the National Executive Committee?
this is the administrative authority of the party that acts as the guardian of conference decisions
Why has the Labour party’s conference lost much of its former status?
due to loss of the unions who have been sidelined in recent years
What is the National Policy Forum?
This comprises of 184 members representing key elements in the Labour party such as trade unions and constituency representatives. It is responsible for over seeing development. Labour critics allege that it lacks sufficient influence and that the leadership still has the final say on policy issues. It tends to use Forum to sell already-formulated policy to the assembled gathering, rather than genially involve the members in policy making
How many members does the National Policy Forum have?
184 representing key elements in the Labour party
What is the National Policy Forum responsible for?
for over seeing development
What do Labour critics allege about the National Policy Forum?
That it lacks sufficient influence and that the leadership still has the final say on policy issues
Who are the delegates who attend the party conference elected by (3)?
by the Constituency Labour Parties, affiliated trade unions and socialist societies
How many people attend the Labour party conference a year?
1,000
What do critics say about the democracy of the Labour conference (2)?
- the agenda is fixed
- controversial voices are not heard
What is the Iron ore of oligarchy?
This states that mass organisations cannot be democratic, and will always be controlled by a ruling elite.
When was the iron ore of oligarchy developed and by whom?
Michels 1911 100 years ago
What did Michels 1911 argue in regards to the iron ore of oligarchy?
that parties who claimed to be democratic were in reality run by a ruling clique of leaders and officials who possessed well developed organisational skills and an understanding of what was necessary to keep themselves in power
Who argued in 1955 in a published study that the final authority did lie in the hands of the parliamentary leadership?
Mckenzie
What did McKenzie argue in 1955 in a published study?
that the final authority did lie with th parliamentary leadership
What Labour idea have Conservatives adopted?
the policy forums which allow members to be consulted on policy issues
What is social democracy?
this is a significant ideology of the left which is concerned with the promotion of equality and social well being via state intervention in the economy and welfare policies
What is Christian Democracy?
This is a significance centre right movement which in Europe tends to be conservative on moral and cultural issues but progressive on social issues such as Workers conditions and tackling poverty
What are the two main transnational parties?
the left wing party of European Socialists (PES)
the right wing party of European People’s Party (EPP)
In what 2 ways are the British national political parties involved in the affairs of the European Union?
at the transnational level
via the political groupings in the European Parliament
What are transnational parties?
They are loose confederations of national parties and bring together in one organisation broadly like-minded parties from Member states
From what year have transnational parties played a growing role in EU affairs?
1979
What do transnational parties not provide?
they do not provide opportunities for individual membership
What can no british person become a full member of?
the EPP or the PES
What is the purpose of transnational parties?
they recognise that there are mutual benefits in mutual cooperation and the exchange of information when party leaders from across Europe meet together
What does the organisation of the European parliament emphasis?
its supranational leanings
How do members sit in the party groups of either the PES or the EPP?
they sit as members of a variety of political groupings based on ideological similarity
