Labour party part two

Question 1

what is new labour

Answer 1

characterises the party that emerged to fight the 1997 general election followed by a process of party modernisation under Blair
- this involved a less powerful role for trade unions and a rebranding exercise designed to appeal to middle class voters.

Question 2

what is third way?

Answer 2

an ideological position said to exist between conventional socialism and mainstream capitalism, closely associated with Blair.

Question 2

what is social democracy?

Answer 2

a political ideology accepts the basic premise of capitalism while advocating a more equitable distribution of wealth along the lines favoured by socialists.

Question 2

explore labour under gordon brown

Answer 2

• greater sense of social justice - goal of greater eqaulity of outcome
• favoured deregulation and a light touch to economic management

Acts created:
as PM he was forced to nationalise a number of banks while overseeing a return to the tax and spend approach of new labour
- autism act in 2009 provided improved services and support for adults with autism
- agency workers regulation act 2010 was intended to improve the workplace rights of people working for employment agencies
- equality act 2010 required equal treatment in access to employment, private and public services.
-in his 2010 manifesto he had plans to double paternity leave, raise minimal wage in line with earnings

Question 2

How was labour under Ed Milliban

Answer 2

• wanted to distance himself from the new labour
• people thought that the sweeping defeat was a consequence of Ed abandoning the new labour formula and for those on the left, it was the result of the essential bankruptcy at the heart of the new labour model in the sense that the party should return to its base and return to socialism (2010 election)

Policies in his manifesto 2015:
- end exploitative zero hour contracts
- raise the minimum wage to more than £8 by October 2019
- Cut and then freeze business rates and maintain the most competitive corporate tax rates in the G7.
- Replace the House of Lords with a Senate of the Nations and Regions.

Question 3

How was labour under Corbyn

Answer 3

• full employment/ economy that works for all
• secure NHS and social care
• national education service open to all
• cut income and wealth inequality
• action to secure an equal society

Policies in manifesto:
- cut privatisation in the NHS and increase the health budget by 4.3%
- increase minimum wage from £8.21 to £10
- nationalise the big industries i.e water, royal mail, railways and BT.

Question 4

Explore the labour case study (2016)

Answer 4

• Jon Cruddas the party’s policy chief argued that labour under Corbyn had lost touch with the electorate and that factions divided labour
• he argued that the main factors that caused this were:
• momentum, saving labour, labour for the common good, socialist workers party, stop the war coalition

Question 5

Distinguish old labour vs new labour

Answer 5

Old labour:
- dogmatic (expressing opinions as though they were facts)
- predominately consists of the working class
- interventionist
- supports universal welfare

New labour:
- pragmatic
- favours public-private partnerships
- supports targeted welfare

Question 6

Name policies included in 2015 manifesto:

Answer 6

• reintroduce the 50% top rate of income tax for people earning 150,000
• no rise in VAT, national insurance of income tax
• a minimum or credible nuclear deterrent
• make it illegal to discriminate members of the armed forces
• cap on non EU workers, scrap police and crime commissions