Political Parties Flashcards
1
Q
When were all MPs independent?
A
18th Century
2
Q
What was the significance of MPs being independent?
A
Notion of Burkean representation
3
Q
What were the two most common political outlooks?
A
Whigs and the Tories
4
Q
What were the Whigs?
A
Associated with the emerging capitalist economy
5
Q
What were the Tories?
A
Identified with the old order
6
Q
Who would form the Liberals?
A
The Whigs and their middle class commercial roots
7
Q
Who formed the Conservatives?
A
Tories with their landed aristocratic roots
8
Q
Who were the only people who could viably become MPs?
A
Those with independent wealth
9
Q
Why was there no need to have parties outside of westminster?
A
Limited franchise
10
Q
What changed the state of parties?
A
The advent of mass democracy - power required engaging and mobilising the masses
11
Q
What is the governing function of political parties?
A
Power is exercised by the party that secures the most seats in a General Election.
12
Q
What are parties effectively?
A
Teams of potential leaders in waiting - without them, modern representative democracy couldn’t function
13
Q
What is the electoral function of parties?
A
Parties exist to contest elections in the pursuit of power and representation at every layer of government.
They select candidates, organise campaigns and devise policies and manifestos from which voters can make their choices.
14
Q
What do parties provide?
A
A mechanism for democratic accountability
15
Q
What is the representative function of parties?
A
Parties exist to represent the people and their political views - if they don’t represent the people, they have no prospect of power.
16
Q
How do members have direct input on policy?
A
Labour - under May’s Law
17
Q
What do some parties do?
A
Started by representing a particular section of society but must now claim to represent the interests of society as a whole.
18
Q
What do many parties have?
A
An ideological agenda
19
Q
What is the policy function of parties?
A
Constructing policies and promoting ideas designed to appeal to their core support and broader society.
20
Q
What gives voters a clear choice?
A
Parties clash over policies and ideas
21
Q
What is this competition essential for?
A
Pluralism and forms the basis of free and fair elections
22
Q
How do parties fight elections?
A
Using a manifesto
23
Q
What do elections represent?
A
Represent a choice between not only the teams of government but also the ideas presented by parties - importance of voters having a clear idea of what a party will provide.
24
Q
What is the ideological function of Parties?
A
Parties are custodians of ideology - it is their responsibility to promote political ideas and values, communicate political policies and set the political agenda - in charge of interpreting the ideology too.
25
What are parties also responsible for?
Applying and adapting ideology to the changing political climate - e.g. ensuring that liberalism, socialism and conservatism still have relevance to the current generation.
26
What is an advantage of ideology?
Rigid and narrow ideological parties gain purpose and conviction on issues, clear recognition of what they stand for
27
How can rigidity be disadvantageous?
Stubborn, rigidity, out of touch with the electorate - Labour suffered the most through its history
28
Who has been able to eschew specific ideology?
Conservatives - chameleon political character
29
What was the impact of Thatcher?
Less flexible and more rigid - creating some problems - imported some aspects of the inflexibility of labour.
30
What has happened to party membership across the parties?
Declining
31
What has been the impact of the declining membership?
Small pools for recruitment for positions of office
32
What has also impacted Parties' legitimacy?
Cases of sleaze and corruption
33
What has driven the declining trust in politicians?
Brexit and broken promises over issues like tuition fees - party gate.
34
What is evidence of haemorrhaging support?
Rise in support for minor parties and the growth of protest movements
35
What are MPs?
Male pale and stale
36
What income group has the lowest turnout?
Lower economic backgrounds
37
What did the return of adversary politics after 2010 do?
Reinvigorate people - Corbyn
38
What is May's law?
The theory that rank-and-file members of a political party tend to be more ideological than both the leadership and its voters.
39
What does May's law bring questions about?
This raises questions about whether rank and file party members are best placed to choose party leaders.
It also raises questions about whether rank and file members should have significant input into policy
40
What does adversarial politics lead to?
Tribalism and petty point schoring
41
How do political parties encourage people to participate in politics?
Party activity, elections campaigning, voting, and standing for office.
42
What do political parties provide?
Voters with choices, and help make electoral choices clearer and more coherent.
43
How do parties help educate voters?
Through debate and presenting arguments.
44
What does the representation of parties rely on?
The integrity of the political parties themselves and the trust the public has in them.
45
What do parties ensure?
Peaceful transfer of power
46
Who do people blame for low turnout?
Parties and falling confidence in politicians.
47
What do parties do to issues?
Oversimplify issues and can present information in a misleading way, especially when campaigning
48
What does party funding do?
Raises concerns about how parties are beholden to rich and powerful interest groups in the economy and society e.g. business, trade unions, and media organisations.
49
Where do political parties receive income from?
Membership subscriptions
50
What has falling party membership meant for parties?
Parties are increasingly reliant on donations from organisations and wealthy individuals
51
Example of donors?
Bernie Ecclestone (Labour) and Stuart Wheeler (Conservative)
52
What has the concern over donations been?
Influence being bought - f1 tobacco
53
What act was passed in 2000?
Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act
54
What did the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act do?
Impose a cap of £30,000 spending per constituency in general elections
55
How expensive do donations have to be to be declared?
£5000
56
What act was passed in 2009?
The Political Parties and Elections Act 2009
57
What did The Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 do?
Impose more regulations on spending by candidates in the run up to elections
58
What are permissable sources of donations?
Anyone on the UK electoral register, UK registered companies, UK registered political parties, and registered trade unions and cooperative societies.
59
What concerns have been made over Conservative donations?
Donations to the Conservative party made by Russian residents in the UK e.g. Alexander Temerko.
60
How much Tory money comes from individual donations?
£13,265,157
61
How much Labour money comes from Trade unions?
£5,039,754
62
What has been suggested to make party funding more equitable?
State funding
63
What would state funding stop?
Wealthy groups and individuals from influencing political parties (and policy).
64
What would state funding allow?
Parties to focus on representing voters instead of fundraising.
65
What would the impact on minor parties be?
Provide a valuable lifeline
66
What is the drawback of state funding?
Taxpayers would not welcome funding political parties and it is not clear how funds would be allocated.
It would also detach parties from pressure groups and make them less open-minded.
67
How does party policy impact success?
The need for a credible agenda combined with eye-catching policies - can make or break parties
68
Example of policy making or breaking a result
Brexit in 2019
69
What can policy be?
Can be a reason not to support a party rather than encourage the vote.
70
What did May do in 2017?
Dementia Tax - old people have to pay more for long term care in 2017 - alienated asset rich older people
71
What must policy do?
Appeal to the core vote and beyond that.
72
How do campaigns make a difference?
When the polls are tight and there is not much to choose between parties
73
Do campaigns ensure an election win?
No
74
Example of this?
1987 - Neil Kinnock ran a better campaign than Thatcher but failed to win the election - the polls didn’t budge.
75
Another example?
2005 - Labour didn’t run an overly successful campaign - last term for Tony Blair - on the defensive.
76
Example of a bad campaign losing?
Labour campaign was poor in '92. Major deliver an effective campaign.
77
How does the media play a role in elections?
Whether it's the part played by a partisan press or how leaders perform in TV debates - effective use of social media is becoming more and more important. Asset to Tories, not to Labour. Cambridge Analytica - targeted ads.
78
How do strong leaders help?
Charismatic and strong leaders offering a boost to parties - this can make up for other shortcomings the party may have. Boris is not a good leader. Pre-Iraq Blair.
79
How does the quality of the opposition impact parties?
Commonly held view that elections are lost by governments rather than won by opposition - weak and ineffective opposition provides no credible alternative to the incumbent.
80
Which age groups does Labour lead in?.
All bar over 65s
81
How was Labour formed?
Bottom up by trade unions, cooperative movement and socialist organisations
82
How has Labour been divided?
Working class trade union democratic socialist wing and a middle class professional social democratic wing
83
What made Labour unelectable and unleadable?
Factionalism - divided on many issues - more at war with itself than with the opposition
84
What is the expectation from the rank and file members?
Their ideas are heard in the party and views are mirrored in the parliamentary party
85
What is the role of the PLP in the eyes of the rank and file members?
Be a figurehead for the views of the lower members of the party and the leader to be a chair for the party
86
Who fit the box perfectly for the rank and file membership?
Corbyn - popular with the mass membership and thought he would restore Labour to its default setting
87
How was Blair's style of leadership drastically different to predecessors?
Modelled on conservative style leaders - despite being unpopular with the party, this leadership was the most success period in terms of electoral wins in Labour history.
88
What is the left of the party described as?
Democratic Socialists
89
What is the right of the party described as?
Revisionist socialists
90
What view has the party subscribed to for most of the 20th century?
Democratic outlook - shunned the far left. - there has been some issue of entryism
91
How did Labour attempt to balance the factional demands?
Tempered democratic socialism with social democracy
92
Who was strongly democratic socialist in Attlee's government?
Bevan
93
What meant that the 1950s Labour party was unelectable?
Uncompromising nature on central areas of the party
94
What happened in the 1980s?
Moderates in the party broke away and formed the SDP
95
What happened after 2010?
Democratic socialists in the party sought to distance themselves from revisionist socialists and the New Labour Blairite legacy.
96
What was created as a significant faction in the party?
Momentum
97
What was the result of momentum?
In fighting between the top and the bottom of the party
98
Who moved to the centre?
Kinnock, Smith and blair
99
When was the reform of Clause IV?
1994
100
What is a key value of Labour?
Social Class
101
Why is social class a value of Labour?
Class struggle lies at the heart of democratic socialism - from the outset Labour styled itself as the party of the working class.
102
What did class struggle inform?
The party's pursuit of egalitarianism throughout the 20th Century, informing its commitment to public ownership and universal welfare.
103
What is egalitarianism?
Foundational equality - equality of outcome
104
What was the impact of embourgeoisement?
Class struggle less relevant - reason why New Labour focussed on the middle class
105
What did Corbyn strive for?
Egalitarianism
106
Why has Labour struggled?
Class dealignment
107
What has party membership become?
More and more metropolitan and middle class since the turn of the Century
108
What has the impact of the growing metropolitan party?
Meant that they have lost out in the red wall
109
Why is equality a key value of Labour?
Socialists champion the idea of foundational equality - a view they share with liberals - not just foundational equality however.
110
What do socialists reject?
The idea of a natural social order, hence they reject hereditary privileges or power rooted in social class.
111
Which party has passed most of the equality legislation?
Labour
112
What do they accept?
Monarchy - minority are republicans - Corbyn and Mcdonald the exception
113
What was a long term objective of Labour?
Reforming the House of Lords - only partly realised by New Laboru
114
What have all factions of the party accepted?
Universal welfare - New Labour sought to support those most vulnerable and avoid policies that would alienate the rich
115
What was significant about the 2019 Labour manifesto?
Most radical since 1983
116
Why is Social Justice a key value?
Labour is also committed to engineering a "fairer." society, an outcome best achieved through policies which promote equality of opportunity.
117
How has social justice manifested itself in Labour?
Comprehensive education and targeted strategies to tackle low pay
118
What was the significance of social justice in New Labour?
It pragmatically sought to balance free-market capitalism with regulation like the statutory minimum wage.
119
What is collectivism?
Public ownership or nationalisation
120
Why is collectivism significant?
Always been an ideological fault-line within the party
121
Who destroyed collectiveism?
Thatcher
122
Which Labour leader pursued privatisation?
Blair
123
When was the worst defeat in Labour's modern history?
1983
124
Why was 1983 the worst year for Labour?
Rejected on both leadership and on policy - point of most extreme adversary politics.
125
What was Labour's initial response to Thatcher?
Drift to the left
126
What happened in 1987?
Party run by the members - Kinnock didn’t pick the manifesto - Labour hammered - Kinnock used 87 as an excuse for change - asked voters what was wrong with the policy.
127
Who began the modernisation of Labour?
John Smith
128
Who inspired New Labour?
Giddens and Hutton
129
What was the Granita Pact?
Blair would go into the election, Brown would have power after 1 term.
130
What was Brown less enthusiastic about?
Free market reforms in public services - slowed down what Blair was doing
131
What was Brown's solution to the 2008 crisis?
Tax increase and nationalised banks
132
Why did the media not like Brown?
He wouldn't work with the media
133
When was New Labour abandoned?
After 2010 - wanted to distance itself fro a tarnished label
134
Why did Ed Miliband win?
Trade union votes - Red Ed
135
What did Miliband struggle with?
Deflect criticism from the coalition that Labour was to blame for the F.C. - accused the party not accepting the need for austerity.
136
What was Corbyn?
Hardline democratic socialist
137
What was a surprise?
2017 election - party polling above 40% for the first time since 2001 - despite Corbyn, not because.
138
What was in the manifesto in 2017?
Socialist agenda - renationalisation of railways, higher taxes for the rich and end to austerity.
139
How are candidates chosen?
Individual members join in a local branch and local branches select candidates for local elections.
140
What does each branch do?
Each branch sends delegates to the General Committee of the Constituency Labour Party - responsible for campaigning and selecting parliamentary candidates.
141
What did momentum campaign for?
Mandatory re-selection of sitting MPs
142
What does NEC mean?
National Executive Committee
143
What does the NEC do?
Key governing body - policy, manifesto, national campaigns - elected and represents all the party - CLPs and trade unions - mist approve all candidates chosen by CLPs
144
What is the role of the Annual party conference?
Key policy making role, and the NEC is expected to take note of its resolutions when deciding policy.
145
What % of PLP nominations must potential party leaders get?
10%
146
How many affiliate nominations must they get?
3
147
What voting system is used in Labour?
AV
148
What is the leader?
A chair of the party
149
How is the deputy chosen>
By the party
150
What did the conservatives originally embrace?
Traditional conservatism
151
What did this view shift to?
One nation conservatism
152
What was the ideology of the Tories like before 1970s?
Pragmatic - more dogmatic after Thatcher
153
What is a core value of conservatives?
Human nature
154
What has the negative view on human nature lead to?
Authoritarian approach to aspects of public policy
155
What is seen as necessary?
Strong government is seen as necessary to protect against disorder and state should give a clear lead in terms of morality
156
Example of this?
Police Crime and Sentencing Bill 2021
157
Why is order a core value of conservatives?
Hobbes argued that if everyone was permitted to advance their own interests without restraint life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short".
158
What did Burke argue?
In the aftermath of the French Revolution that progress should not be made at the expense if order and stability - seen in the Party's opposition to constitutional reform.
159
Why is tradition a key value?
Conservatives seek to uphold authority of traditional institutions - maintain customs and promote traditional values.
160
What do most tories believe in?
Empiricism - a belief that the past provides wisdom to inform the present.
161
Where do they believe that change should come from?
The basis of evidence and should come in an organic way (organicism).
162
What do they defend?
The monarchy
163
How did Cameron pass gay marriage?
Saying to carry on the tradition of marriage under christianity etc.
164
Why is the nation a key value?
Nation state provides a sense of belonging, unity and identity and must be defended.
165
What have the Conservatives done?
"Wrapped themselves in the flag" and have appealed to patriotism - powerful political force
166
What do they see themselves as?
Party of the Union - opposed devolution and calls for Scottish Independence.
167
What did Brexit do?
Made them a party of English nationalism - something which threatens the union - gave them an electoral boost in Wales and Scotland - particularly in Wales.
168
What does Article 16 do?
Deals with the Northern Ireland protocol in the Brexit agreement - core vote strategy in terms of the Nation - give them an opportunity to capitalise on the successes of 2019.
169
Why is pragmatism a key value?
Traditional conservatism has tended to reject specific ideologies in favour of pragmatism - measured and considered change.
Made it adaptable political force and one that has been able to reinvent itself with great success.
170
What has the New right done?
Led it to become more ideological and less pragmatic - enhanced by brexit
171
Why is individualism a key value?
Core belief in individual liberty, freedom of choice and action, and a belief that the government should restrict freedom as little as possible.
172
What do they believe?
Unlike true libertarians - believe in strong government is necessary to ensure true freedom and would choose collective security of society above a truly free society.
173
Who influenced the views on individualism?
Hayek, Rand and Nozick
174
Who are the most influential factions in the Tories?
ERG and CRG
175
What has the economic policy of the conservatives become?
More liberal
176
Why is property a core value?
Historically been identified with property.
177
What is property seen as?
A defining right - Dates back to the aristocratic roots of the party - started out as the party of the landed property elite - defended the rights and privileges of landowners.
178
What is an example of the genuine desire to broaden the base of property?
1980 Housing Act.
179
What has the party focussed on?
Eliminate inheritance tax
180
What did the party adopt at the end of the 19th and middle of the 20th century?
A pragmatic form of paternalism which embraced a strong state but one which was willing to intervene in support of the vulnerable.
181
What was this shift influenced by?
Rise in modern liberalism and socialism - interventionist policies - Keynesianism and universal welfare
182
What was there a sense of?
Sense that aristocratic - toff - politicians had a duty to help the general public through their policies - Harold Macmillan = poster child for this idea.
183
What did Thatcherism champion?
Free market capitalism
184
What was the priority for thatcher?
Low inflation
185
What was Thatcherism?
Contradictory - economic terms has always championed small government, hands off, deregulatory, cutting bureaucracy, free market - socially authoritarian
186
What did Thatcherites believe?
Taxes are an attack on economic freedom, cutting taxes rewards wealth creation, increase VAT - believe it’s a better way of raising tax as its more reliable.
187
What grew under Thatcher?
Eurosceptism
188
Who struggled to unite the party?
Major, Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, and Howard
189
Why was the party divided after Thatcher?
Those that wanted to hold close to Thatcherism in economic and social terms, and those who believed that the Party had lost touch with many voters who wanted more social liberalism and better public services.
190
What was Cameron called?
Heir to Blair - represent a break from the previous Thatcherite leaders who proceeded him.
191
What was Cameron determined to drive forward?
More liberal agenda - homosexuality, environment and crime - attempt to detoxify the Party in the eyes of younger and more educated voters.
192
What did Cameron try to do in terms of rebranding?
Liberal Conservatives - more popular with some sections of the electorate than with MPs and grassroots members.
193
What was the opposition to?
Grammar school
194
What did they embrace in 2010?
Hardline austerity
195
What was the migration target?
10s of thousands - hostile environment and introduced a surveillance state
196
What was May dominated by?
BREXIT
197
What did May try to do in terms of economics?
Attempt to dilute the neo-liberal Orthodoxy of the Cameron-Osbourne era - end austerity and focus to help on the so-called "just about managing" group
198
What social stance did May have?
Adopted a far more traditional conservative stance on issues like education, grammar schools return, immigration, end to free movement from the EU.
199
What was the significance of the 2016 Conference Speech?
Distinctly nationalist and nativist tone - usually associated with right wing populists.
200
How did the tories transform under Boris?
Tories completed their transformation into Vote Leave in government.
201
What was eliminated from the party?
Pro-Eu dissent
202
What was the 2019 tag line?
Get Brexit Done
203
What was Boris' economic stance?
Drift to the left on economic issues
204
What was Boris' social stance?
More right wing
205
What is the Conservative Party Organisation?
Similar structure to Labour at a local level, where Conservative Associations (CAs) selected candidates for local and parliamentary elections and organise local campaigns.
206
Where is the national party based?
Millbank Westminster
207
How are Tory leaders elected?
Via a series of ballots designed the field down to two for a run-off vote by members (OMOV)
PCP holds initial ballots to draw up the final shortlist.
208
When were the Lib Dems founded?
1989
209
Who merged to make the Lib dems?
Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party - alliance who fought in the 1983 and 1987 election
210
Who were the SDP?
Formed 1981 - split by the Gang of Four
211
What has happened to support for the Lib dems
Crashed - thanks Clegg
212
What do the fortunes of the Lib Dems depend on?
Fortunes of the two major parties - mainly Labour - Labour do well, Libs suffer
213
What are the two wings of the party?
Social democratic or progressive liberal wing and Orange Book liberals
214
Who are the social democratic liberals?
Reject the free market thinking of Thatcherism and tend to lean left on economic and social issues - Keynesian economics and Beveridge universal welfare - e.g. Farron and Kennedy.
215
Who are orange book liberals?
Taking their lead from classical liberalism and so more positive about free market capitalism e.g. Clegg and Ashdown.
216
What is a key value for lib Dems?
Protection of rights and greater freedom for the individual are core liberal values.
217
What do Lib Dems oppose?
Authoritarian policies and called for restraint in areas of policy like crime and terror e.g. Control Orders.
218
What do the Lib Dems defend?
The HRA and have often called for a written, codified constitution.
219
Why did Lib Dems support the european project?
Based on the defending the rights European citizenship conferred on UK citizens.
220
What are they keen to promote?
Tolerance and diversity
221
What limits do they accept?
Combatting crime or terrorism
222
What have they campaigned for?
Full legal equality for homosexuals, they endorse multiculturalism and have campaigned to legalise cannabis, reduce voting age to 16 and have support more liberal immigration.
223
What value do they share with socialists?
Equality of Opportunity
224
What do they oppose in terms of advantages?
Advantages that often accompany privilege and wealth e.g. their opposition to tuition fees before 2010 which they fear favour the rich and demanding more restrictions on unpaid internships.
225
What else do they oppose?
Oppose discrimination against any group or minority in society and have supported powerful legislation to deal with prejudice and hate crimes.
226
Who do they side with on matters concerning class and social mobility?
Labour and the left
227
What is an area where they have found common cause with the left?
Commitment to social justice
228
What tax policies have they been committed to?
Progressive tax policies and the redistribution of wealth to combat economic inequality.
229
What did they support the Blair government over?
Child and pensioner poverty
230
What was there between Blair and Ashdown?
Bromance
231
What do the Lib Des believe?
A modern, progressive system of government in which the rights and liberties of citizens are adequately protected and extended.
232
What is their view on sovereignty?
Pragmatic on matter of sovereignty and supportive of internationalism and supranationalism - hence support of the EU.
233
What are they in favour of?
Devolution, open government and constitutional reform.
Demand for electoral reform (AV) and reform of the House of Lords (have an elected second chamber).
234
What did they oppose in 2003?
Iraq - no UN mandate
235
What do minor parties represent?
Niche/discreet view points - those that are unrepresented by mainstream parties - provide for pluralism.
236
How did UKIP influence policy?
BREXIT
237
What are minor parties to major parties?
Inconvenience
238
What is a dominant party system?
Party system: where there are free and fair elections but one party usually wins - caused by majoritarin systems
239
What is a two party system?
Where there are free and fair elections but power shifts from one party to another on a regular basis (a pendulum effect).
240
What is a multiparty system?
Where there are free and fair elections but power is shared between several parties perhaps based upon stable coalition partnerships.
241
What causes a multiparty system?
Proportional electoral systems - designed to create a coalition - Northern Ireland Assembly
242
What is a single party system?
One party dominates the state in the absence of free and fair elections (totalitarianism).
243
What does a party system reflect?
Political culture of a society
244
What is the Mackenzie Thesis?
Suggested that the UK has a two-party system with power shared by Labour and the Conservatives on a pendulum basis.
245
What reflects the two party theory?
The House of Commons
246
What could the UK be described as?
Dominant - Conservative dominance with Labour interruption
247
What has been the trend in vote share between 1970 and 2017?
Neither party achieved more than 40% of the vote each
248
When did the tories fail to achieve more seats in England than Labour?
1997 and 2001
249
Who are local councils dominated by?
Tories
250
Who was historically the dominant party in Scotland?
Labour
251
What led to a two party system?
Devolution
252
When did SNP make history?
In 2011, the SNP made history by winning an overall majority in Holyrood for the first time, building on this success in 2015 in the wake of the independence referendum.
253
What is the dominant party in Wales?
Labour
254
How many of the AMS seats do Labour have since 2011?
30/40
255
When did the Tories win no seats in wales?
1997, 2001 and 2005
256
Where has local success come from for the Tories?
Regional list element of AMS
257
What is Northern Ireland?
Multi-party system - SV
258
When and why did Sinn Fein see a majority of seats?
2019 - Brexit
259
What is the NI Labour equivalent?
SDLP
260
What is the NI Tory equivalent?
UUP
