POL PARTIES: Cons factions Flashcards
what does ‘One Nation’ conservatism invlove?
- aim to avoid two nations of rich vs poor in society, creating a united society where the most well off recognise their responsibility to help those worse off
- willingness to be pragmatic and open to change based on circumstances
What does the principle of ‘noblesse oblige’ refer to?
- idea that nobility extends beyond entitlements and requires a person to give to those worse off
what sorts of policies reflect one nation ideas?
- higher taxation and more extensive welfare compared to new right
why have modern conservatives sought to describe themselves as one nation conservatives?
- to attract left-leaning voters
- to avoid being seen as a ‘nasty party’ & distance themselves from a reputation of the ruthlessness of Thatcherite/ New Right ideas
what developments in the 1970s led to the emergence of the new right?
- economic decline (Winter of Discontent- ppl no longer trust lab), and social permissiveness (alternative lifestyles becoming more accepted- a stand against this
what values does the new right emcompass?
- a marriage of neoliberal and neoconservative ideas
what are neoliberal values?
economics
- beleif in a freer market
- minimal role of the state in the economy
- private competition breeds efficiency & standards- opposed to nationalisation
what policies reflect neoliberal values?
- low taxation
- privatisation
- reduced role for TUs
what are neoconservative values?
- traditional family values
- strong law & order
- national sovereignity
- strong defence
- self- reliance
what policies reflect neoconservative values?
- euroscepticism
- policies promoting nuclear family
- harsher criminal sentences
- minimal welfare provision
who was the ‘founder’ of one nation conservatism?
- PM Benjamin Disraeli
when was the high pt of one-nation conservatism?
- 1950s- continued many of lab’s welfare provision
what evidence of one nation cons did the party show in 2019?
- manifesto pledges to increase number of nurses by 50,000 and to increases available places in childcare to 250,000, for afterschool and holidays provision; more extensive welfare/ intervention
what evidence of one nation cons did the party show in 2020?
- bojo U-turned on stance on free school meals following marcus rashford’s campaign, continued support for poorer children in school holidays- more extensive welfare & greater gov spending
- spent £300bn on furlough scheme in COVID (going into 2021 too), paying for up to 80% of ppl’s salaries- monumental extension of gov intervention in ec to help those vulnerable
what evidence of one nation cons did the party show in 2021?
- £12bn tax increase to pay for health & social care, paid for by a 1.25% increase in National Insurance (breaking a 2019 manifesto pledge)
- bojo set out a ‘levelling up’ agenda to help those most vulnerable in soc to improve their livlihoods & oppurtunities; noblesse oblige, bridging divide between poorer & richer areas
what evidence of one nation cons did the party show in 2022?
- rishi sunak’s gov’s plans to help uk recover from ec crisis
- incl ‘windfall tax’ on energy giants, energy price caps, and other signif tax rises to fund supp for the vulnerable; intervention in the market & protecting the vulnerable- also ensured pensions & benefits rose in line w inflation
what evidence against one nation cons did the party show in 2019?
- manifesto pledged not to raise income tax, NI or VAT- in line w neolib values & minimal intervention in ec
what evidence against one nation cons did the party show in 2020?
- Ts initially against extending free schl meals into holiday times- maybe forced into it- felt like didn’t have a choice
- bojo ended the £20 ‘uplift’ in Universal Credit payments towards the end of the pandemic- limited commitment to helping the poorest
what evidence of one nation cons did the party show in 2024?
- commitment to extending free child care to 30 hours for parents, protecting the triple- lock on pensions, increasing NHS spending in line w inflation- more hospitals and nurses
; strong commitments to extensive welfare & supp those vulnerable in soc
what evidence against one nation cons did the party show in 2022?
- liz truss’s plans to cut the top rate of tax (on earning £150,000+) from 45% to 40%- lower taxation commitment and pro-business, pro-entrepreneurial attitude
- arguements that sunak’s reforms were merely a tactical plan to soften defeat in 2024/5 GE. Plans also involved severe cuts to public spending, and poorest would have to pay much higher taxes whilst tax rate remained the same during a period of high inflation- ppl forced to pay more tax if previously in lower bracket
what evidence against one nation/ pro-new right cons did the party show in 2024 GE?
- pledge to reform disability benefits & limit how many ppl recieve them- reluctance to supp needy in soc
- pledge to cut NI by 2% by 2027- low taxation & minimal welfare
- pledge to legislate that ppl can only have one sex under uk law- preference for trad fam values
- pledge to continue ban on prisoners voting- law & order
what evidence of new right cons did the party show in 2010s?
- cameron’s Ts handed a tax brwak to married oupls, encouraging ppl to marry- neocons
- after eu ref, under bojo, held pro-brexit stance- pop sov- neocons
- 2019 manifesto pledged not to raise taxes
what evidence of new right cons did the party show in 2022?
- the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill 2022 introduced harsher punishments for sexual offenders & tougher restrictions on the right to protest- tough on crime/ law and order
- liz truss’ ‘mini-bidget’ incl £45bn of tax cuts- wanted a ‘new era’.of neolib ec to en ‘one nation’ era; cut top rate of YT to 40% and scrapped a rise in corporation tax that would have allowed businesses to keep more of their profits, and scrapped cap on bankers’ bonuses
how did sunak’s gov’s rwanda plan show new right infl?
- RWANDA PLAN; anyone entering the UK illegaly after 1/1/2022 from a ‘safe country’ could be sent to Rwanda where their asylum claims would be processed- if succesful could be granted refugee status there; SC ruled the scheme was unlawful but gov intoduced a law confirming rwanda as a safe country, and a new migration treaty w R agreed anyone sent there would not be returned to their home country (or the UK)
- SO key priority to deter ppl ariving in small boats to UK- neocons (self-reliance), law and order
how did sunak’s gov veto of scotland’s gender recognition reform act show new right infl?
- would make scotland the first place in uk to intro a self-identification system for ppl who wanted to change their gender
- blocked by a legal arguement (that it contradicted a past scottish law)
- some said it would protect the devolution settlement so supp the move
- neocons- trad gender & fam values & morality trad stance
what value set does wren think influences the cons party today?
- more new right-esp kb
- in 14 years, n right in values/ neocons, but 1n in ec; due to colc/ covid/ coa etc
what evidence is there against new right cons infl in 2010s?
- cameron’s gov legalised same-sex marriage, seperate from thatcher’s Section 28 Stance, where it was illegal for schls to teach that homosexual relationships were acceptable
- 2018- TM ‘s gov changed law to allow heterosexual couples to get a civil partnership- weakening commitment to value of marriage
what evidence is there against new right infl following truss’ min-budget?
- crit by many Ts who refused to supp plans
- eg Michael Gove described plans as ‘not conservative’- strong 1 nation sentiment across the P
- truss’ plans were dropped and she was forced into a U-turn w new chancellor Jeremy Hunt reversing her tax cuts and bringing in tax rises- ultimately seemed truss was forced to resign by her own party meant she was too infl by new right
