EXTRA-Party Organisation/Parliamentary Candidates/transnational groups

Question 1

What does the Central Office control?

Answer 1

this controls the activities of the provincial areas and the constituency agents

Question 2

What is Plebiscitary democracy?

Answer 2

this relates to a direct vote on a single issue (a referendum)

Question 3

What does CLP stand for?

Answer 3

Constituency Labour Party

Question 4

What is one of the attractions for a limited number of grassroots remembers?

Answer 4

the opportunity to attend the annual party conference

Question 5

What was the ‘A List’ which David Cameron came up with?

Answer 5

this is a list of prospective candidates that included several successful women, members of ethnic minorities and celebrities

Question 6

Why has the A-List policy been discontinued?

Answer 6

in favour of gender balanced final shortlists

Question 7

How are names put forward was a vacancy arises in the Labour party?

Answer 7

They do not put their own names forward, they must be nominated

Question 8

Traditionally who was the selection process dominated by?

Answer 8

by the trade unions or by cliques of activists who were sometimes unrepresentative of the party membership

Question 9

What year did the Labour party adopt a One Member One Vote system?

Answer 9

1992

Question 10

Under Tony Blair what did they want in terms of the parliamentary candidate selection?

Answer 10

Wanted to see an improved system of screening candidates to avoid ‘undesirables’ who would become troublesome MP’s

Question 11

What did the left of the labour party see the attempt of Tony Blair to avoid ‘undesirables’ in the parliamentary candidates as?

Answer 11

an attempt to enhance the control of the leadership and ensure that the party MP’s were docile to backbench rebellions

Question 12

What has all women shortlists been replaced by?

Answer 12

by selection lists in which there is an equal balance of men and women

Question 13

What does the Conservative annual party conference provide?

Answer 13

provides the main forum for the expression of opinion by all sections of the party.

Question 14

What do many debates lack due to the controlled agenda?

Answer 14

they lack passion and impact, being only advisory and having no bidding effect on the people at the top

Question 15

When may revolts occur at Conservative annual conferences? (3)

Answer 15

over Europe, immigration and law and order

Question 16

What was the Labour conference given the supreme function of ?

Answer 16

of directing and controlling the affairs of the party policy

Question 17

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?

Answer 17

they are supposed to be regarded as sacrosanct and included in the next manifesto

Question 18

How can the Labour leader override the decisions made in the Labour conference?

Answer 18

If they have the backing of the National Executive Committee

Question 19

What is the National Executive Committee?

Answer 19

this is the administrative authority of the party that acts as the guardian of conference decisions

Question 20

Why has the Labour party’s conference lost much of its former status?

Answer 20

due to loss of the unions who have been sidelined in recent years

Question 21

What is the National Policy Forum?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

How many members does the National Policy Forum have?

Answer 22

184 representing key elements in the Labour party

Question 23

What is the National Policy Forum responsible for?

Answer 23

for over seeing development

Question 24

What do Labour critics allege about the National Policy Forum?

Answer 24

That it lacks sufficient influence and that the leadership still has the final say on policy issues

Question 25

Who are the delegates who attend the party conference elected by (3)?

Answer 25

by the Constituency Labour Parties, affiliated trade unions and socialist societies

Question 26

How many people attend the Labour party conference a year?

Answer 26

1,000

Question 27

What do critics say about the democracy of the Labour conference (2)?

Answer 27

• the agenda is fixed

- controversial voices are not heard

Question 28

What is the Iron ore of oligarchy?

Answer 28

This states that mass organisations cannot be democratic, and will always be controlled by a ruling elite.

Question 29

When was the iron ore of oligarchy developed and by whom?

Answer 29

Michels 1911 100 years ago

Question 30

What did Michels 1911 argue in regards to the iron ore of oligarchy?

Answer 30

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

Question 31

Who argued in 1955 in a published study that the final authority did lie in the hands of the parliamentary leadership?

Answer 31

Mckenzie

Question 32

What did McKenzie argue in 1955 in a published study?

Answer 32

that the final authority did lie with th parliamentary leadership

Question 33

What Labour idea have Conservatives adopted?

Answer 33

the policy forums which allow members to be consulted on policy issues

Question 34

What is social democracy?

Answer 34

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

Question 35

What is Christian Democracy?

Answer 35

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

Question 36

What are the two main transnational parties?

Answer 36

the left wing party of European Socialists (PES)

the right wing party of European People’s Party (EPP)

Question 37

In what 2 ways are the British national political parties involved in the affairs of the European Union?

Answer 37

at the transnational level

via the political groupings in the European Parliament

Question 38

What are transnational parties?

Answer 38

They are loose confederations of national parties and bring together in one organisation broadly like-minded parties from Member states

Question 39

From what year have transnational parties played a growing role in EU affairs?

Answer 39

1979

Question 40

What do transnational parties not provide?

Answer 40

they do not provide opportunities for individual membership

Question 41

What can no british person become a full member of?

Answer 41

the EPP or the PES

Question 42

What is the purpose of transnational parties?

Answer 42

they recognise that there are mutual benefits in mutual cooperation and the exchange of information when party leaders from across Europe meet together

Question 43

What does the organisation of the European parliament emphasis?

Answer 43

its supranational leanings

Question 44

How do members sit in the party groups of either the PES or the EPP?

Answer 44

they sit as members of a variety of political groupings based on ideological similarity