Political Parties

Question 1

Labour Factions

Answer 1

Soft left faction:
- Progress
- Labour First
Both strongly oppose influence of far-left and support new labour policies
Advocate for social liberalism
Most powerful factions

Momentum:
- Left wing
- High taxation
- Strong trade unions
- Oppose Starmer’s foreign policy: increase in defence spending and failure to call for a ceasefire in Gaza
E.g., John McDonnell and Diane Abott

Question 2

Labour increased party discipline

Answer 2

• In November 2023, Starmer ordered Labour MPs to abstain from voting on a call for a ceasefire
• 56 Labour MPs defied this order including 10 frontbenchers
• All 10, including high profile MP Jess Phillips were forced to resign

Question 3

Labour Economic Policies

Answer 3

U-turn on Green Prosperity Plan:
- This is in the name of ‘fiscal responsibility’ and providing a stable economic environment
- ‘Securonomics’
- Ditched £28 billion a year green prosperity plan
- Very similar to New Labour prior to 1997

Moderate Tax Policies:
- Moved away from increasing taxes for those earning over £80,000
- Want to target non doms and stop tax loopholes

Question 4

Labour Foreign Policy

Answer 4

• Strongly support NATO
• 2024 - pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5% when possible exceeding NATO minimum requirement of 2%
• Starmer has also strongly supported Trident - Britain’s nuclear deterrent
• Commitment to spend 0.7% of GDP on aid - Conservative Party no longer supports
• Promise to repeal Rwanda Act
• Aim to cut net migration to 200,000 a year
• Aim to instead tackle people smugglers and numbers crossing channel to seek asylum

Question 4

Labour Policy Law and Order

Answer 4

• Tough on Crime
• Pledge to reduce violent crimes by 50% within a decade
• Increase neighbourhood police and police community support officers by 13,000

Question 4

Conservative Party Factions

Answer 4

ERG:
- Major influence over Brexit
- Supported strict immigration policies and influential in the Rwanda Act
E.g., Suella Braverman and Jacob Rees Mogg

Popular Conservatives:
- Support the party shifting to the right and associated with New Right policies
- Strongly support Rwanda Act and criticised lockdowns for infringing on civil liberties
E.g., Lizz Truss

One Nation Conservatives:
- Seek to be pragmatic and move to moderate policies
- Balance tory values with social inequality and climate change
E.g., Tom Tugendhat and Jeremy Hunt and David Cameron

Question 5

Conservative Economic Policy

Answer 5

• Cut Welfare - disability benefits contribute to a “sicknote” culture
• Cut Taxes - National Insurance contributions cut from 10% to 8% in 2024 Spring Budget
  This is in the name of lowering costs for businesses to stimulate economic growth

Question 6

Conservative Law and Order

Answer 6

Conservative 2023 Anti-Social Behaviour Plan
- Introduction of immediate justice initiatives where offenders are required to engage in community repair work within 48 hours of sentencing
- Enhance powers of police to manage anti-social behaviours more effectively - increased use of high-visibility clothing for offenders during community service

Question 7

Conservative Environment

Answer 7

• Reduced commitment and urgency to tackle climate change
• Still committed to net zero emissions by 2050
• But pushed back target to phase out petrol and diesal cars from 2030 -> 2035

Question 8

Conservative Passage of Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024

Answer 8

• Rwanda Act passed in April 2024
• Legislation emphasises that Rwanda is a safe country
• Restricts domestic courts from challenging
• Policy intended to deter immigration
• Initial payment to Rwanda of £290 Million and an additional £11,000 per asylum seeker for flights and nearly £151,000 per person for processing and integration over 5 years

Question 9

Conservative Foreign Policy

Answer 9

• Strong support for both Ukraine and Israel
• Committed to spend £2.5 billion in military funding to Ukraine (only behind Germany in Europe)

Question 10

The Growing Popularity of Minority Parties

Answer 10

• Reform UK has increased in popularity
• Right-wing populist party advocating for tighter immigration controls, lower taxes, and a revision of the UK’s net 0 plans
• YouGov Poll in early 2024 stated that 21% of 2019 Tory voters say they intend to back Reform UK
• Chaired by Tice
• Lee Anderson defected to Reform giving them their first MP in Parliament in 2024

Question 11

The Spoiler Effect of Reform UK

Answer 11

• Under FPTP won’t win many seats
• Currently polling at just under 10%
• Potential to take away key votes from Conservatives and lead to Labour winning - split the right wing vote
  YouGov Poll in early 2024 stated that 21% of 2019 Tory voters say they intend to back Reform UK

Therefore, minor parties can have huge influence in elections - not by winning seats but via ‘spoiler effects’.
This vote splitting is particularly evident when the minor party’s platrofm appeals to voters who might otherwise suport the more dominant party

Question 12

Examples of Reform UK Spoiler Effect

Answer 12

Feb 2024 - Wellingborough by-election (13% of vote)
Feb 2024 - Kingswood by-election (10.4% of vote)
May 2024 - Blackpool South by-election (16.9% of vote)

Question 13

SNP

Answer 13

Since 2023 -> Major decline in popularity
Yousaf Failure