Multi Party And Minor Parties

Question 1

Theme 1

Answer 1

Proliferation of more political parties gaining votes in elections
Ev- 2024 GE= reform uk captured 14.3 percent of the national vote.
2024, Lib Dem’s won a record of 72 seats with 12.2 percent of the vote. The fact that they increased their number of MPs by 61 by increasing their share of the vote by 0.6 percent
Partisan dealignment in Iraq war led to best result of 22.1 percent and 62 seats

Ca- fptp promotes a two party system.
In 2017 lab and con won 82.4 percent of the vote, promotes strong majority govt.
2015 ukip won 3.88 million of the votes but 1 seat
Reform uk won 14.3 percent but 5 seats

Question 2

Theme 2

Answer 2

Increase influence in coalition govt in devolved administration
Ev= snp in power since 2007,sig policy changes such as abolishing prescription charges and tuition fees
DUP sig impact on brexit due to the confidence and supply arrangement with con in 2017
Wales- labour works with Plaid Cymru such as the 2021 cooperation agreement that allowed for joint policy making on education and healthcare - outside of England, a multi party democracy is more possible such as the Sinn Fein

Ca= parliamentary sovereignty in the uk’s quasi federalism state means that parliament can easily retract devolved powers from wales, ni and Scotland.
Ev- in 2010 coalition govt, the con party’s austerity policies dominated and the Lib Dem’s weren’t abl to keep their key promise of not raising uni tuition fees [ 3290 pounds to 9000 per yr]

Question 3

Theme 3

Answer 3

Barriers for small parties
Policy adaptation by major parties
Ev- green party’s advocacy for net zero targets and renewable energy has pressured both labour and the con to adapt ambitious climate agendas.
UKIP led to brexit refendum in 2016
Threatening electorally with the ‘spoiler effect’ and using platforms like social media to put pressure on polical agendas- pressure group - Elon musk and Nigel farage met in Florida and discussed a possible donation.

Ca= limited national influence of foreign policy, economy and human rights.
Even when minor parties do have influence, its often only temporary a reverts back to the major parties having influence afterwards.
E.g the ukip party after Brexit had lost its intellectual cohesion and faded in significance bc its key aim of leaving the eu was achieved