General Flashcards on Political Parties
How many people voted in a general election in 1951 & 2015?
1951- 83.9%
2015-66.1%
What did Iain Duncan Smith do in 2004?
founded the ‘Centre for social justice’
Under the ‘Fresh Future’ programme what 2 new bodies were created ?
- National Conservative Convention
- Conservative political forum
What did the ‘Fresh Future’ campaign sort to do ?
Aimed to make policy making more inclusive to include ordinary members in formulating policy
In the Conservative party who must the leaders take into consideration?
(4)
- 1922 committee
- front bench
- party elders
- grass roots membership
What is the number in which the Conservative party membership fallen from 1951 to 2007?
1951-2.8 million
2007-under 300,000
What is needed to run as the candidate for a lib den party leader?
(3)
- Support from at least 10% of the party
- Nominated by 200 members from 20 different local parties
- STV system transfers votes until one candidate commands support of more than 50% of members voting
What is the 3 stage process in selecting parliamentary candidates ?
- Names on a centrally vetted and approved list of prospective candidates
- Local party draws up a shortlist from the approved list
- Constituency members vote for preferred candidate
What was the features of Cameron’s first initiative ‘A lists’?
(3)
- Requirement that the Conservative Associations included woman & ethnic minorities in shortlists
- Socially diverse shortlist
- Actual selection still included stereotypical white, middle aged man
What were the features of Cameron’s second initiative Hustings?
Hustings allowed local voters and local party activists to attend a meeting and pass verdict on the prospective parliamentary candidates
How many Hustings had been used in contests by August 2009?
100 contests
Give an example of Camerons third innovation of open primaries
In Totnes
What happened in Camerons third innovation of open primaries , in Totnes ?
All registered voters, not just party members could select the candidate who would run in the election proper
In Totnes, how many registered voters were there and how much did the postal ballot cost?
68,000 registered voters
-£38,000
When was the practise of women only shortlists?
1993-1996
why was women only shortlists briefly outlawed in 1996?
Ruling under the ‘Sex Discrimination Act’
In the general election 2005 what happened as a result of women only shortlists?
Independent candidate Peter Law was elected to represent the Constituency Blaenau Gwent as he was prevented from seeking selection as an official Labour Party Candidate
What system from 197 have critics argued has turned labour conferences into a “rubber stamp” for policies?
The 2 year policy making system
What was the system of the 2 year policy making system?
1) National Policy Forum appointed policy commissions to make proposals
2) NEC than passed to party conference for approval
How has the Labour party used deselection in 1986 under Neil Kinnock?
Neil Kinnock deselected MP’s Dave Nellist & Terry Fields for ehign part of the banned Militant Tendency
How is the lib dem party federal in structure?
2
It comprises of English, Scottish and Welsh State parties
-meets twice a year
Why is it more difficult in the modern era for parties to form policy sole from the opinions of their members as opposed to traditionally?
(2)
- Party membership decrease (2% of pop) therefore policies would be unrepresentative
- Mass membership would mean that the opinion of members would provide a fair indication of the broader publics reactions to policy
Give an example when Labour party funding has produced controversy
Bernie Ecclestone donated £1 m donation in 1997 resulting in a subsequent delay in the introduction of the ban on tobacco advertising
What did the PPERA 2000 do ?
2
- limit on party spending in general election campaigns (£30,000 per constituency )
- Declare all donations over £5,000 to the electoral commissions
What did the PPEA 2009 do?
4
- Reduced wait period for those in career in politics to join the Electoral Commissions from 10 years to 5 years
- Electoral Commission could impose civil sanctions (fines)
- Report donations over £7,500
- Only UK citizens can give more than £7,500
What did the Philips Report conclude?
One way forward may be greater state funding for UK political parties with a prospect of “pence er member” funding formula”
who’s chairmanship was the Philips report under?
Sir Hayden Philips
Under what power were Policy Development Grants (PGD’s) established? what is a PGD?
- established under s.12 of PPERA 2000
- short money & Cranbrone money
What is Short money?
3
- Short money is given to opposition parties for covering administrative costs
- Edward short introduced this in 1974
- Any group with 150,000 votes in general election with at least 2 seats
What is Cranborne money?
3
- Lord Cranborne 1996
- HOL
- Payments to opposition parties
At lib dem biannual conferences who influences policy proposals?
(4)
- Federal Party Committee’s
- State
- Regional
- Local Parties
What can parties receive subsidies for during election campaigns? (2)
- Tv Broadcasts
- Postage costs
Which long-term Conservative party backer provoked controversy ?
Deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft
Why did long term Conservative backer Deputy Chairman Lord Ashcroft provoke controversy?
Deputy Chairman Lord Ashcroft’s tax status continued debate after PPEA 2009 addressed the status of donors not registered as tax payers in the UK
Not including public funds how much did -Conservatives -Labour -Lib dems make in donations in 2005?
Conservatives -£9m
Labour- £8m
Lib Dems- £4m
How much did 2 donors donate regardless of the PPERA 2000 which rid of the anonymity of donors?
Lord Sainsbury donated £1m
Nigel Doughty donated £1.01 m
What is ideology?
3
- coherent set of beliefs or values
- Most British mainstream parties are traditionally subscribed to an ideology
- e.g Labour, socialism
What is policy? give an example
- A proposed strategy addressing a particular issue or area of government provision
- Based on ideological position
- e.g Labour wanted to nationalsie key industries post war, socialism
How many years did the Conservatives enjoy in the the 20th century in office?
67 years
What were the main features of ‘One Nation Conservatism?
5
- Pragmatism
- Belief in gradual improvements in institutions (evolution not revolution)
- paternalist favouring social inclusion
- Mixed economy (Keynesianism)
- State intervention
- Increasing EU integration
What were the features of the ‘New Right’
6
- Belief in monetarism
- deregulation
- traditional family unit
- Market economics
- Limited welfare provision
- Smaller state “rolling back the frontiers of the state”
What is Thatcherism?
A logical approach combining a free market neo-liberal economic policy with a more orthodox conservative social policy
Who caused Margret Thatchers resignation in November 1990?
Michael Heseltine
Give an example of a
- One nation tory ‘wet- Eurphile
- New Right -dries’ Eurosceptics
Tory reform group 1975 president Kenneth Clarke
Bruges Group 1988 honouring president Margret Thatcher
How did the Conservatives attempt to be more receptive to matters such as poverty and social inclusion in the 2010 general election?
they pledged to fix “broken Britain” in the 2010 general election campaign?
What 3 things did Richard Kelly say about “Conservative under Cameron”
“subtle continuation of Thatcherism”
“shameless opportunism”
“flagrant capitulation to New Labour”
What example reflects David Cameron as having no substance in his 2010 manifesto?
Cameron wanted to replace the Human Rights Act 1998 with a new Bill of Rights however he had no further elaboration of this in the 2010 manifesto
How did Cameron change the Conservative logo in order to appeal to the public when rebranding the party?
New green logo in preference to long service blue torch “vote blue, go green”
How has Cameron verbally distanced himself to associations with Margret Thatcher?
Said MT was wrong that there was “no such thing as society”
What was the percentage of membership votes in party conference partys annual income of Trade Unions in 1900 in the labour party?
94% membership
80% votes at party conference in 1990’s
80% party annual income
Who created the “longest suicide note in history” in 1983?
Michael Foot
When/why did the modernisation programme of Labour begin?
Under Neil Kinnock following landslide defeat in 1983 general election
New Labour was characterised by the concept of triangulation
What is triangulation?
to work hard to solve the problems that motivate the other party’s voters, so as to defang them politically… The essence of triangulation is to use your party’s solutions to solve the other side’s problems.
What are the features of the origins of modern UK parties before 1832?
(3)
- Great Reform Act 1832
- No formal structures or mass membership
- like minded individuals bound together by shared ideals, friendships or family ties
What is a political party?
3
- like minded individuals
- shared goals
- earn the right to form a government at Westminster
Describe the term “Nationalist parties”
Nationalist parties look to nurture the shared cultural identity and language of those indigenous to a given geographical area
Give an example of a ‘nation’ and ‘region’ nationalist party?
Nation - SNP
Region- Meybon Kernow “Sons of Cornwall”
Which national party differs from most other nationalist parties as it campaigns in support of the way of life and values to all indigenous UK parties?
British National Party (BNP)
What is the role of a ‘Single issue party”?
-Provide wide ranging programme of policies rooted in a particular ideological perspective
OR
-Specific Policy
Example of a single issue party?
e.g Green Party
Pro Alliance on abortion and embryology
Which singe issue party won the Wyre Forest constituency at both the 2001 and 2005 general elections?
Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern Party
Who was the candidate which won the Wyre Forest constituency in the 2001 and 2005 general elections for the Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern Party?
candidate Dr Richard Taylor
What was the green party previously known as in 1985 ?
Ecology party
Where did the Green Party originate grin in 1973?
From the pressure group “People”
Give 2 examples of a single party system?
Nazi germany
-Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea)
Example of a dominant party system + when?
Japan under the Liberal Democratic Party (1955-93)
Example of a multi-party system? when
Italy 1945-93
in 2010 what was the percentage of votes and seats for the Conservative and Labour party
- 65.1% votes
- 86.8% seats
In the 2010 general elections what was the percentage of votes for other parties (not L&C)
34.9%
What is the role of the Labour party members in local branches ?
(2)
party members
- select candidates for local elections
- send delegates to General Committee of the Constituency Labour Party (CLP)
What is the primary role of the CLP?
3
Key role in organising party at
-constituency level
-local & national election campaigns
Part in selecting parliamentary candidates
What is the role of the National Executive Committee?
4
1) Main national organ of the Labour Party
2) enforces party discipline
3) Oversees policy proposals
4) Final say on parliamentary candidates
What is the role of the constituency level Conservative Associations which is above the local branches?
(3)
1) to organise party at grass roots
2) planning election campaigns
3) select parliamentary candidates
Where is the national Conservative party organised & what was it previously known as ?
at the…
Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) at Milbank Westminster
Previously known as
Conservative Central Office
In European parliament which transnational party group do -Conservatives -Labour -Lib Dems sit?
-Conservatives
European Conservatives & Reformists (ECR)
-Labour
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (PASD)
-Lib-dems
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE)
In 2009, How many MEP’s sat in European parliament out of the 3 main UK parties?
Conservatives-25 MEP’s
Labour- 13 MEP’s
Liberal-Democrats-11 MEP’s
Who introduced the current system for electing Conservative leaders in 1998?
William Hague
Under Hague’s system, how must prospective party leader candidates be chosen to run as PM?
(2)
1) must be Conservative MP’s who take the party whip
2) Must be nominated & seconded by MP’s
What is a problem regarding William Hague’s system?
Parliamentary parties can manipulate final choice presented to rank and file members by voting tactically in the ballot of MP’s
Give an example of when party leader manipulation has occurred
in 2001, those on the right of the party switched their votes in the final ballot to eliminate early choice Michael Portillo
-this presented rank and file members with choice between
-eurosceptic Iain Duncan Smith
and
-Moderate Kenneth Clarke
What happened to Iain Duncan Smith?
He was unable to capture popular support and was forced to resign as leader by his own parliamentary party after just 2 years
How have Conservative party members been excluded from the process of electing parliamentary leaders in 2003?
They had no selection in Iain Duncan Smiths successor who was unopposed as leader in 2003
Since when have the Labour Party used the electoral college?
1980’s
What is the function of the Electoral college?
1/3- Parliamentary Labour party
1/3- Affiliated organisations
1/3-Ordinary party members
=equal share vote
Since when have contests operated on a OMOV basis in the Labour party electoral college?
1993
What is needed for a Labou party candidate to compete?
- Nominated by 12.6% of MP’s
- Nominated by 20% of MP’s needed to challenge the incumbent
- If candidate doesn’t secure half of votes, there must be ballots on an elimination basis
What is an example of unequal influence of ordinary members in the Labour party when choosing parliamentary candidates in 2007?
In 2007 Gordon Brown was elected unopposed as there was no challenger for members to select in opposition
Why is it hard to remove a party leader while the labour party is in government ?
Challenger can only proceed following a majority vote at the annual party conference
In 2007 how many nominations did Gordon Brown receive by MP’s
308 nominations
in 1994 how many votes did Neil Kinnock have?
7
How did Neil Kinnock attain more than 1 vote in 1994?
He belonged to more than one union or socialist society as a ‘levy payer’
How are Scottish parties assisted in funding?
Assistance of Registered Parties scheme from Scottish parliament
How did Labour try to circumvent PPERA’s regulations?
Labour encouraged supporters to offer long-term low interest ‘loans’
