Parties Flashcards
What are 4 features of UK parties
Comprised of members who share similar ideas
Contest general elections
Have a leader
Have policies
what are the 6 functions of UK parties
Selecting candidates for parliament Providing governments Electing leaders Formulating manifestos Campaigning in elections Representing society
give an example of party deselection
Roger Godsiff deselected Labour MP for Birmingham (2010-2019)
Voted with conservatives on key Brexit votes + opposed LGBT + inclusive education in Birmingham schools
what must you be in order to contest a general election on behalf of a party
A member of the party and go through a national selecting process to become an approved candidate
how does a local party affect the election of electoral candidates
Deselecting a candidate if their views oppose those of local activists
How do parties contribute the personnel for govt
By providing candidates for election to public office - this can be in a local, devolved or national exec
How is a leader elected by the Conservative party
the parliamentary party agrees on two MP’s whose names then go forward to party members to decide between
how is a leader elected by the lab party
The lab party has a one member one vote system must pay monthly subscription to be eligible
if an MP can secure the backing of 10% of the parliamentary lab party their name will go forward for the party to vote on
How do political parties campaign in elections
Delivering leaflets
Canvassing voters on doorsteps
Arranging political hustlings - so voters understand the choice between candidates
Why are parties important to representative democracy
Because without them the govt would be unstable, weak and effective
Guaranteed to represent the opinions of a % of the electorate
___ . _ % of the electorate in 2017 that felt their opinions were represented by conservatives + lab
82.4%
In some countries political parties are ______ funded but in the UK parties rely on _______ funding
State funded
Private funding - but do have limited access to public funds
give two examples of countries that are state funded
Germany , Austria
how does the state fund UK political parties
Short money
Cranbourne money
Policy development grants
what is short money
Allocated opposition parties for their work in HOC
Is based on the number of seats they have used to cover salaries of researchers in central offices
What is cranbourne money
Subsides opposition parties in the HOL for the work of scrutiny
What are policy development grants
Allocate £2 million to all the main parties so that they can employ policy advisers
what do parties depend on to cover the cost of campaigning and election expenses
Parties depend on subscriptions from party members + donations from benefactors
what do parties depend on to cover the cost of campaigning and election expenses
Parties depend on subscriptions from party members + donations from benefactors
conserv party traditionally relies on ______ _____ donations from ____ ________
Large scale donations
Large businesses
Give an example of the conserv party receiving a large donation from large businesses
2/3 of £19 million came from large businesses in 2019
labour has a ____ relationship with _____ ______ and receives financial support from these
Close
Trade unions
What was the union act of 2016 and how did it affect lab’s relationship with trade unions
New union members must ‘opt’ in if they want their membership fees to go to lab - limits their financial funds (disadvantage to conservs)
How did the govt attempt to reform how much political parties are funded/ spend
Political parties , elections + referendums act 2000