Parties

Question 1

What are Political Parties?

Answer 1

Groups with the purpose of winning elections at various levels.

Parties have three main features: exercise power by winning political office, broad policy focus, shared ideology.

Question 2

What is the key debate regarding political parties and democracy?

Answer 2

Do political parties support democracy?

Question 3

How do political parties support democracy?

Answer 3

By creating policy programmes to attract voters and providing meaningful choices.

Manifestos hold parties accountable to the electorate.

Question 4

What is a potential negative impact of political parties on democracy?

Answer 4

They can hinder democracy by limiting voter choice through a race to the centre.

Major parties dominating elections can further limit choices.

Question 5

What role do political parties play in recruiting leaders?

Answer 5

Parties control the process for choosing candidates in elections.

Membership is crucial for selecting leaders.

Question 6

What is Short Money?

Answer 6

Funding allocated to opposition parties based on seats held and votes received in the last General Election.

Question 7

What are the three main ways political parties generate funds?

Answer 7

• Membership fees
• Donations
• State Party Funding

Question 8

What impact has partisan dealignment had on party membership?

Answer 8

Party membership has declined, making it harder for parties to generate funds through membership fees.

Question 9

What is Cranborne Money?

Answer 9

The Lords’ equivalent of Short Money, introduced to support opposition parties in the House of Lords.

Question 10

What is the significance of Short Money and Cranborne Money?

Answer 10

They are essential for opposition parties to perform their parliamentary functions.

Question 11

What are the major controversies surrounding party funding?

Answer 11

• Cash for Honours
• Johnson’s honours list
• Johnson’s wallpaper
• Pandora Papers
• Frank Hester Conservative Donor

Question 12

True or False: Political parties can only be funded through membership fees.

Answer 12

False.

Question 13

What type of party system does the UK primarily have?

Answer 13

Two-party system.

Question 14

What is a catch-all party?

Answer 14

A party that tries to appeal to the majority of the electorate.

Question 15

Fill in the blank: Political parties must submit audits of donations to the _______.

Answer 15

[Electoral Commission]

Question 16

What has been a recent trend regarding party leadership selection?

Answer 16

Membership is now vital for selecting leaders, with members often choosing leaders for personal gain.

Question 17

What has caused a decline in political participation according to the text?

Answer 17

• Partisan dealignment
• Lower historical turnout compared to pre-1992 levels.

Question 18

What is the role of opposition parties in government?

Answer 18

To provide scrutiny and act as ‘governments in waiting.’

Question 19

What happens when parties converge towards the center?

Answer 19

It can limit voter choice as parties produce similar policies.

Question 20

What evidence is given for the decline in party membership?

Answer 20

• Labour membership fell from 530,000 in 2019 to 370,000 in 2023
• Lib Dems fell by 11,000 to 86,000
• Conservatives’ revenue from memberships fell from £1.97m to £1.5m.

Question 21

What is the impact of social media on political party campaigns?

Answer 21

It has reduced the impact of local constituency parties, as management is increasingly centralized.

Question 22

What is the argument for state funding of political parties?

Answer 22

It could reduce dependence on vested interests.

Question 23

What is the argument against state funding of political parties?

Answer 23

A steady income may weaken parties’ links to society.

Question 24

What is a major consequence of political funding scandals?

Answer 24

Calls for a full state party funding model to reduce the influence of wealthy donors.

Question 25

What is one reason minor parties are disadvantaged in the current funding system?

Answer 25

Limited political impact leads to fewer donations and less Short Money.

Question 26

What can happen when party factions are deeply divided?

Answer 26

It creates problems in governance as factions may not work together.

Question 27

What electoral system is used in the Northern Irish Assembly?

Answer 27

Single Transferable Vote ## Footnote This system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

Question 28

What type of government is usually produced by the Single Transferable Vote system?

Answer 28

Coalition

Question 29

What party system has dominated the UK from 1979 to 2019 in terms of seats?

Answer 29

Two party dominance

Question 30

What party system has dominated the UK from 1979 to 2019 in terms of votes?

Answer 30

Two party dominance

Question 31

What impact have minority parties had on the party system at Westminster?

Answer 31

Minor parties have garnered a significant proportion of the vote but often do not win seats. ## Footnote This has led to discussions about whether the UK remains a two-party system.

Question 32

True or False: The UK is still primarily a two-party system.

Answer 32

True

Question 33

True or False: The UK is now a multi-party system.

Answer 33

False

Question 34

What is a key point supporting the argument that the UK remains a two-party system?

Answer 34

General elections maintain the two-party system as two major parties often win the majority of seats in the House of Commons.

Question 35

What is a key point against the argument that the UK is a two-party system?

Answer 35

Minor parties have had increasing success in regional elections.

Question 36

What do minor parties often fail to achieve under the First Past the Post system?

Answer 36

They are not awarded seats despite picking up more of the vote.

Question 37

What is a significant influence of minor parties on major parties?

Answer 37

Minor party policy has often influenced the policy direction of Labour/Conservative.

Question 38

What two parties dominate the House of Commons and set the policy agenda?

Answer 38

Labour and Conservative

Question 39

Which political parties are considered established political parties in the UK?

Answer 39

* Conservative * Labour * Liberal Democrats

Question 40

Name two minor political parties in the UK.

Answer 40

* Reform * Greens * SNP * Plaid Cymru * Sinn Fein * DUP

Question 41

What ideology does the Conservative Party support?

Answer 41

* Paternalism * Pragmatism * Supportive of capitalism * Individualism and personal responsibility

Question 42

What ideology does the Labour Party promote?

Answer 42

* Social justice * Support for the welfare state * Equality of opportunity * Support for workers’ rights

Question 43

What are some key principles of the Liberal Democrats?

Answer 43

* Freedom * Equality of opportunity * Protection of rights * Individualism * Liberal social attitudes

Question 44

Fill in the blank: The main two parties receive the majority of ______.

Answer 44

donations

Question 45

What trend has been observed in the membership of minor parties in recent years?

Answer 45

Membership has increased significantly.

Question 46

What is the stance of the Labour Party regarding taxation?

Answer 46

Supportive of higher taxation for those earning the most.

Question 47

What is the stance of the Liberal Democrats on state interference?

Answer 47

People should be as free as possible to make decisions about their own life, away from the interference of the state.