Political parties Flashcards
Political parties
A group of people drawn together by a broad ideology to form a govt and enact a range of policies
Origins of conservative party
- Dates back to 1834
- Traditionally represented by wealth
- Benjamin Disraeli developed one nation conservatism to attract support from working class
- Dominated UK politics in 20th century with 67 years in office
- the most successful British political party
Ideas of the Conservative Party
- One nation conservatism dominated before 1979
- Thatcherism - neoliberal version of conservatism. Was part of the new right movement, she maintained traditional social values
- ‘Compassionate conservatism’ adopted by David Cameron - he combined Thatcherite free market economic policies with more liberal social values
Thatcherism
- individual freedom
- neo liberalism
- restriction of trade union power
- denationalising most govt owned industries
- encouraging council tenants to buy homes
Moved UK sharply to the right when PM
One nation conservatism
a version of conservatism that includes policies designed to benefit all sections of society
One nation conservatism explanation
PM Benjamin Israeli argued that the uk was dividing into rich and poor, and the govt needed to make a role in bringing them back as one nation
They said the rich had to help the poor and believed in the organic society - which is individuals depending on obligations and duties they have to each other.
- Views are seen to be paternalistic -limiting freedom (upper class should take responsibility for the poor, intervening in their lives for their own sake)
As they saw inequality as a threat to the organic society. They believed if conditions of the poor deteriorated this could lead to a socialist revolution.
Trade unionism
Labours history ties with trade unions and they’ve looked up to Labour to protect the rights of workers. EG: the right to strike & TU recognition in workplaces
- They have supplied to bulk of Labours funding.
- However, the influence of trade unions waned in 1980s through deindustrialisation and shift in the economy
Origins of the Lib Dem’s party
- Formed from tow parties: the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party
- SDP was formed in 1981 by the ‘Gang of four’ who were Labour MPs who disagreed with the party and felt they had moved to t left
- 1988, they merged to form the Liberal Democrat
Ideas of Lib Dem’s party
- Liberalism is an ideology focuses on individual freedom & free trade
- Social democracy is the idea socialists win power in democratic system
- In 11983 election they won 26% of the vote buy only 23 seats in HoC and argued for proportional electoral system
- Lib Dem’s supported the EU unlike Conservative and labour
Functions of political parties
- Representation - represent ideologies and views to members
- Participation - voting, joining parties
- Recruitment - recruit and select candidates for election
- Policy - deliver on ideas they stand for (manifesto)
Main 3 parties on Economy
Conservatives:
- Support small business & negotiate free trade w other countries
Labour:
- Free broadband for every home & business
- Nationalise railway, buses, water
Lib Dem’s
- Support small businesses, catering, leisure
Main 3 parties of health policy
Conservatives:
- More nurses, appointments, new hospitals
Labour:
- free dental check ups, investment in mental health
Lib Dem’s:
- Prioritise mental health
3 main parties on education
Conservatives:
- 30,000 starting salary for teachers
- More free schools set up
Labour:
- start early years education
Lib Dem’s
- Free childcare from 9 months for working parent
- increase school funding
The Collins Review 2014
Recommended replacing the old electoral college system with OMOV
- Anyone who wanted to vote could only cast a single vote as a party member or an affiliated supporter so all votes had equal value
What electoral system do parties use to to select leaders
OMOV
Conservatives appointing party leader
MPs vote on leadership candidates. Candidates are eliminated in voting rounds until only two remain. Their top two choices are presented to the rest of the party
All party members vote on the remaining two candidates. OMOV system, so every vote counts equally
Labour appointing party leader
The Parliamentary Labour Party(PLP) makes nominations first: candidates need to be nominated by 20% of PLP to go to next round
Candidates need the support of 5% local parties OR 5% Trade unions affiliate members
All members then vote on candidates using OMOV or AV system
Labours use of ‘registered supporters’
In 2015, supporters who paid £3 were allowed to vote in the leadership election
Lib Dem’s appointing party leader
A candidate must be an MP, have the support of at least 10% of Lib Dem’s MPs and backing from 20 local parties with support from 200 members
All members vote using OMOV and AV system
choosing parliamentary candidates
All three parties use a similar procedure to choose parliamentary candidates
- Candidates are approved by party HQ
- Local party selects candidates from central party list
- Constituency members vote to select the parliamentary candidate
Parties have historically struggled to select a broad range of candidates which affects the composition of the HoC
Labour introduced ‘all-women’ shortlists resulting in 101 female MPs in 1997
Party system
the number of significant political parties operating in a country
Two party system
tow significant parties compete for power in duopoly.
- Product of FPTP
UK two party system
FPTP only benefits two main parties & ensures maintenance as voters use tactical voting
- either conservative / labour have been i. Govt since 1992 - come coalitions but town mai parties have provided PM
UK multi party system
- In 2024, 123 MPs outside tow main sorties enjoy seats.
- growth of Reform led to collapse of the Conservative Party, only won 24% of the vote - relied on DUP in 2017 & coalition in 2010 with Lib Dem’s
- SNPs dominance
Labours use of registered supporters
Was controversial
- In 2015 registered supporters who paid £3 were allowed to vote in leadership election. More than 100,000 signed up and Jeremy Corbyn benefitted.
In 2016 the fee increased to £25 to prevent leadership elections from being hijacked by ppl no fully committed to the party.
In 2021 Keir stanmer chnages rules so registered voters too prevent registered supporters from voting
Reforms campaign fundings are restricted by
- Political Parties, Elections and Referedums Act 2000
- Political Parties and Election Act 2009
Political Parties, Elections and Referedums Act 2000 (PPERA)
- Spending limit to £30,000 per constituency
- Donations over £7,500 must be declared to the Electoral Commission
Can issues fines to parties that break the rules - Passed by the Blair govt to supervise election campaign spending as though party funding was undemocratic
Political Parties and Elections Act 2009
Strengthened the PPERA by increasing powers of Electoral Commissions
- Placed further requirements for political donations
Sources of part funding
- Membership fee: income has reduced as membership numbers have fallen since 1940s
- Donations from wealth donors: Blair received £1m from F1 Bernie Ecclestone and gave F1 an exemption from the ban on tobacco advertising at sports event.
Elite ‘leaders group’ gave Conservatives more than £130m and they received access to PM and ministers - Trade Unions: Labour
Where does Labour receive income from (members)
- Individual members
- Affiliated members
- Registered members
Why Political Parties need funding
- Fighting elections
- Holding party conferences
- Employing special advisers and members of staff
- Carrying out research & developing policies and manifestos
Labours funding examples
- Labour Party members pay £4.38 per month w/ 430k members - in 2021, the party received £16 mill from membership fees
- They receive significant funding from Trade Unions (UNISON,UNITE,GMB)
In 2021, The Labour Party received £5m from Trade unions
What harmed the Labour party’s funding
The 2016 Trade Union Act, passed by conservatives limited the Labour party’s funding from trade unions.
It obliged new trade union members to choose whether they wanted to opt into making payments towards the party rather then being automatically opted in as they were.
Cash for honours scandal - 2006
Tony Blair appointed a significant number roof life peers to the Lords
And was alleged that they were appointed because they made sizeable loans to the party
Hesters donation scandal
- In 2019, Hester told Diane Abbott ‘she made him ‘want to hate all black women and ‘should be shot’.
He donated £5m in may 2024. £150k in march, £5m in Jan 2024 and £20m in 2023
Short money
State funds paid to opposition parties in HoC to cover administrative costs to enable effective scrutiny
Cranborne money
State funds paid to the 2 opposition parties in the HoL to cover administrative costs and allow effective scrutiny
Policy Development Grants
Any party with two or more sitting MPs is allocated a share of a £2m annual fund to develop policies
How much did parties raise in 2024 election
Labour - £9.5mill
Conservatives - £1.8mill
Lib Dem’s - £1.6mill
Reform- £1.6mill
Labours biggest donor 2024
Lord Sainsbury who donated £2.5mill
How many donors did the conservatives have in 2024 compared to 2019
The had 30 in 2024 but 156 in 2019
Support for election campaigns
Royal mail will send one free campaign mailing to every elector in the UK, and parties receive free airtime for televised election broadcasts
The media on politics
Newspapers often affect how party leaders are perceived. In 2019 the Sun described Jeremy Corbyn as ‘The Most Dangerous Man ever to stand for high office in Britain’
- Blair met with Rupert Murdoch (media mogul) to switch the suns newspaper support to Labour and won them extra half a million votes. Cameron met w Murdoch 26 times during his first 18 months after in office
- The Times switched to support Labour in 2024 election
- BBC is unbiased
Social media spending in 2019 election
- Labour : £1.4m
- Conservative: £900,000
Party leader as factor that affects electoral outcomes
Media Coverage is very focused on the characteristics of party leader
- leaders who struggle to connect w voters have disappointing electoral results
EG: Theresa May came across as a robotic performer in 2017 with her repeated emphasis on ‘strong and stable govt’. By contrast, Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn who was seen as the underdog performed better than expected.
Funding as a factor that affects electoral outcome
- Conservatives have a clear advantage due to wealthy donors
- Labour is dependent on union funds
- Parties who have chance of winning have big advantage as dominoes think they are worth giving to
Election campaign as a factor that affects electoral outcomes
A well-crafted election campaign can help to secure a landslide (eg: New Labour in 1997) OR a big win (Get Brexit Done, Conservatives 2019)
- A poorly crafted campaign can cause the popularity of a party and its leader to nosedive (Theresa May in 2017)
Should state fund political parties - YES
- Parties are key to representing the public for effective democracy sp they deserve funding - would reduce the reliance of parties on funding from business, unions
- Would remove the disparity in resources available to smaller parties - avoidance of two-party system
- Parties could focus more on representing the public and effectively governing rather than focusing on raising money - would also prevent parties trying to limit funding of other parties when in power ( Trade Union act 2016)
Should state fund political parties - NO
- Voters shouldn’t fund parties they disagree - better areas to spend money on (health & education)
- Parties could become isolated from the ‘real world’ if links and donations w PGs were cut
- Inequality in party funding. Some parties are larger and more popular than others.
Concerns over party party funding in the UK
- Worries that rich donors are able to buy political influence,
Both labour and conservatives have been accused of offering places in HoL to donors
Party funding Scandals
- In 2006-07, there was a scandal concerning a possible link between individuals who had loaned significant amounts to Labour and these ppl being nominated by Blair for life peerages in HoL, the nomination was rejected by the HoL appointment commission
- Blair faced criticism when Bernie Ecclestone donated £1 milll to labour to delay a ban on tobacco advertising inF1
- Conservative donor Lord Cruddas was made peer in HoL by BJ in Feb 2021 days after he donated £500k to the party
SNPs Impact
- Won a majority in 2011 Scottish Parliament elections
- Scotland voted to remain in the UK in 2014 (didn’t achieve its core obj)
- SNP membership increased, resulting in landslide victory in Scotland in 2015 general election (56/59 seats)
- Govt in Scotland since 2007
