Political Parties Flashcards
What is the definition of a political party?
An organised group of people drawn together by a sonar set of beliefs. They adopt an agreed programme of policies linked to their core beliefs which they want to implement by winning elections
What are the main functions do a political party?
Representation - represent the views of various people based on their position in the political spectrum, they seek to win office to implement the views of people
Participation - parties need public participation through voting, campaigning and donations, some parties let them form police’s and all let them decide party leaders
Recruiting office holders - simple membership can develop into running as a candidate, parties can also reject candidates if they do not fit expectations
Formulating policy - translate their corden ideas into a manifesto and explain their ideas and solution to problems to the public
Providing government - the winning party control the business of Parliament and the leader becomes PM
What is the difference between left and right wing
Spectrum originated from the seating of the members in elected French legislative assembly in 1791
Left wing desires a change or reform in society including heavily regulating free market capitalism while right wing opposes large change and stresses social order and supports capitalism
What are some statistics about election funding in the 2019 General Elections?
The conservatives had the highest with majority from individual donors and company donations 19.4m overall
Labour was second highest with 5.4m mostly from trade unions
Most of revocations had fallen in the number of donations they got with a total 32% fall
What is paid or not paid for out of general taxation?
MPs are paid for but parties and elections are not funded the state
This means parties pay for elections through voluntary subscriptions, fundraising events in MPs constituencies
What is Short money?
State provision to support the activities of the opposition in Parliament
Critcisms of current party funding system
Concerns around people buying influence e.g 1997 Blair delayed ban on tabacco advertising in F1 due to Eccelstein donations
Disparity between amount of funding each party recieved - 2021 Lab and Cons recieved 77m combined and Lib Dems only 6mil
Donations of general public are outweighed by tjose of big businesses
pros of current party funding system
makes ure parties work hard to get more funding
amount of funding each party reciveves represents public opinion
keeps a separation from the state during elections
What is an example of a big business using funding for influence?
In 1997 Tony Blair delayed implementing a ban on tabasco advertising in F1 racing and it was later revealed motor racing boss Bernier Eccelstone had donated 1m to the party
Where have the main parties traditionally got their funding from?
Conservatives - big businesses
Labour - trade unions but 1994-2010 this was significantly replaced by individual donations
Lib Dem’s are usually the least funded
What did the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (2000) do to solve funding problems?
Capped the amount spent in a constituency and made sure donation were made public to show not signs of ulterior benefits
Later decided loans would have the same rule after Labour abused a loophole in 2006
What are the arguments for state funding of political parties?
It would reduce the corrupting influence private backer have on policies:
Would stop cash for honours BUT this could happen already with public money
Public funding could narrow the vast gap in funding between parties:
Would create a level playing field BUT these voting figures reflect public support
if the state matched donations by party members it might encourage membership;
Could increase awareness and therefor turnout BUT there seems more support for money to go the NHS
parties play an important role in representative democracy so deserve funding
especially for minor parties BUT how representative are smaller parties
What are the arguments agains the funding of political parties?
if the state funds parties they might want to regulate them too which takes away independence:
Could undermine democracy BUT this could be overcome with regulation
hard to decided how much support a party needs before it can receive funding:
Not needed because system already works BUT could create equal competition
Public funding might make parties less dependent on pleasing voters:
Could make parties less representative BUT perhaps a general election are the main motivation to vote
Taxpayers should not have to compulsorily contribute to parties they don’t like
Would prevent extremist parties getting funding BUT to have a fairies system require sacrifice
What were some features of traditional conservatism?
originates from the Tory part of the 17th century
in defence of the historic privileges of the crown and the CofE
Deticated to protecting property and traditional authority against revolution
Led by Sir Robert Peel by 1840s
gradual reform to conserve established institutions
What is one nation conservatism often defined as and who developed the theory?
Developed by Benjamin Disraeli
A paternalistic approach revolving around the rich’s obligation to help the poor
What was some features of the one nation era?
trying to bridge the gap between the classes
wanted to win support through social reform to strengthen unity
accepted the changes of Labour after WW2 - mixed economy, welfare
Post war conservatism balanced free enterprise with state intervention
Churchill/ Eden/ Macmillian
What are the two parts of the New Right
Neo-conservatives- take a more authoritarian approach to morality and law and order
Neo-liberals - free market and rolling back of the state in people lives
What are the features of Thatcherism and the New right?
Authoritarian state and reduced state interaction in the economy
Rejected one nation conservatives
control of public spending and privatisation of industries taken into state ownership
assertion of british unrest abroad
encouraged biritish intrest abroad
What were the features of Old Labour?
part founded in 1900 by socialist societies and trade unions
first labour minority gov in 1924 divided by economic depression
Attlee got majority in 1945 and introduced nationalisation of coal and railways and NHS
Post war labour described as socialist however in practice were social democratic
What were the features of New Labour?
In 1980s they started moving away from hard left to appeal to wider groups
Blair refused unpopular proposals like clause 4 and downgraded role of trade unions
Sought to reduce poverty with minimum wage introduced
Blair criticised my socialists for being too friends with business leaders
set up devolved governments and the human rights act
What were the features of Labour under Brown and Miliband?
financial crisis lost faith in labour gov and lost election
Miliband shifted party slightly left and attempted to establish economic competence
Tried to combine new labour support for business by drawing a distraction between predatory and responsible capitalism
Current Labour policies
Economy - VAT on public school fees, renationalisation of railways, inheritance tax raised to 20%
law and order - scrapped Rwanda scheme
welfare - increased minimum wage to £10, drive on recuruiting new GPs and teachers
foreign affairs - held meetings with Trump befor tarriff announcment
Current Lib Dem policies
economy 0 2024 manifesto - increase public spending £27bn more a year by 2029
law and order - pledged to scrap Rwanda pln, increase funding and reforms to courts
welfare - promisd 8000 more MPs, remove two child limit
foreign affaors - pledged to rejoin EU single market
Current conservative policies
economy - Truss’s mini budget crashed economy
law and order - Sunak’s Rwanda plan and 2024 manifesto pledged to increase number of community police officers by 8000
welfare - pledged ti make welafre cuts like cutting national insurance ofr self emplyed
foreign affairs - 2022-24 sent arms and other equipment to Ukraine
