Political parties Flashcards
Functions of political parties
Representing beliefs, encouraging participation (eg Labour allowing membership for £3), recruitment for government positions, formulating policy (often on battleground issues like Brexit, immigration, or the NHS), providing government if they win an election.
MPs salary and expenses
Basic annual salary £86 500 plus expenses for a second residence in London and travel between them. Positions in government receive supplementary extra eg PM can claim another £80 000, leader of the opposition another £50 000.
How are parties funded
Not state funded, through membership fees, fundraising, donations etc.
Controversies around party funding
Worries that large donations could influence party policy (eg Blair and Eccleston, rumoured donation linked to delay on tobacco advertising ban for F1) or that donations may be unduly rewarded (eg Lord Cruddas)
What did the Blair government pass to combat party funding controversy
2000 Political Parties, Elections, and Referendums act. Established an independent electoral commission, meant large donations had to be declared, capped spending in a constituency, and limited who could donate to the electoral roll.
Arguments for state funding
Parties are key to representative democracy so deserve it, would remove disparity for different sized parties, if funding matched membership it may encourage political participation of the public, curb the influence of private donors on policy.
Arguments against state funding
Greater state regulation could reduce parties’ independence, difficult to determine how much support a party should qualify for, could isolate the voters from the parties, taxpayers would resent having to contribute to parties which they disapprove of.
Origins of the Conservative party
Aristocratic grouping from the late 17th century to defend historic privileges, later developed in defence of private property and traditional authority.
Key themes of Thatcherism
Control of public spending as well as tax cuts to stimulate private economic growth, privatisation of industries, limits on the power of trade unions, strong law and order, assertion of British interests abroad, protection of national sovereignty against the growth of the EEC.
Conservatives in opposition
Hague, Duncan-Smith, Howard 1997-2005, broadly Thatcherite but gradually accepted New Labour policy.
Cameron’s approach to reforming his party
Aimed to win support beyond traditional core vote by being a ‘liberal conservative’ caring about minority rights and the environment, pushed the ‘big society’ agenda claiming to stand on the side of ordinary people.
Origins of the Labour party
Founded 1900 by groups of socialist societies and trade unions, however first majority government was not until 1945 under Atlee, made large changes such as introducing the NHS and nationalising industries.
Labour party reform in the 1980/90s
Aiming to broaden support after crushing defeat of old labour principles under Michael Foot and again in 1992. Dropped unpopular policy and revised Clause 4 in 1995, became ‘new labour’ under Blair using Giddens’ middle ground ideology.
New Labour in power
Supporters argued ‘traditional values in a modern setting’, introduce minimum wage but less generous than expected, brought in Anti-Social Behaviour Orders being ‘tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime’, invested less than previous social democratic governments, liberal strand in devolution and human rights.
Brown and Miliband’s leadership of Labour
Brown forced to partly nationalise and raise income tax in response to financial crash, seemed like move away from New Labour, Miliband remain more left but try to advocate for ‘responsible’ not ‘predatory’ capitalism.
