Political Parties Flashcards
What is a political party
Group of people drawn together by a broad ideology, even if they don’t have identical views.
Most parties aspire to form a government and enact a range of policies.
represent the views of people with a certain set of common beliefs.
Encourage political participation among the public through voting, joining parties
and supporting them through funding and spreading the message.
Functions and features of a political party
- Publish manifesto- outline policy priorities and goals. Promises are scrutinised with election campaign.
- Funding.
- Electoral success- FPTP often benefits larger parties and makes it hard for smaller to win seats despite public support.
- Hold the government accountable - scrutinise policies, propose alternatives, represent public concerns thru opposition.
Why parties need funding
Carry out: research, develop policies and manifestos.
Hold party conferences.
Membership subscriptions
Has been an overall decline.
Trade unions (labour)
In return, they expect parties to represent their interests e.g on issues related to workers rights, employment laws.
Essential for representing working-class interest in politics.
Nationalisation of key industries like gas
Features
Seek to secure election of candidates as representatives or form government at various levels.
Some are mass membership parties (many members Labour).
Others small leadership group seek supporters not members (main US parties).
Some have narrow range of values + views and stick to those views (Brexit), others broad range views + values, may be divided into fractions ( conservative).
Some focus gain power by win political office through elections (UK main parties) but others need to influence political system (green).
Functions- making policy
Especially important when in opposition and seeking to replace current government.
When ruling party controls government, leadership is government: no distinction between both. Policy making is same. Involves political leaders, committees etc. Most policy made by ministers and advisers.
Opposition- propose own policies thru manifestos and debates in parliament , scrutinise government actions, hold ministers to account, suggest reforms to current policies.
Also known as aggregation. Involves identifying wide range of demands made by political system then converting them into practical policy programmes for government.
Undertaken by party leadership group.
Functions- representation.
Labour in early 20th century to represent working class and trade union members.
Conservative of 19th century to protect interest of aristocracy and landed gentry.
Changed now as all main parties argue they represent national interest.
Emergence of populist parties emerge rapidly. Represent people who aren’t represented. Usually emotional and okay on people’s dissatisfaction.
E.g among the poor.
Selecting candidates
Identifying leaders
For ruling party, PM controls appointment of ministers
2.4 TV debates statistics
Declined in importance.
2010, 9.4 million watched Cameron, Clegg, Brown debate but 4.8 million watched 2024 Starter/ Sunak debate.
2.4 party leadership in contributing to success/ failure
✅ Nicola Sturgeon - a strong leader who increased SNP popularity e.g 56/59 Westminster seats 2015.
The SNP then rose in popularity + became 3rd largest party in the UK + since resignation, declined in influence.
Overall, the positive portrayal in the media + ability to unite party contributed to the success.
✅
New Labour on taxes
Aimed to not increase taxes.
However, 2008 financial crash, Brown broke promise to not raise income tax levels by creating a 50% band for over £150k annual earnings. However, this was an emergency action at a time of concern showing NL ideology has not been abandoned.
New labour on capitalism and wealth
Best way to create wealth, markets should be free of state control.
Enabling state( economy to create wealth + support where needed but shouldn’t fully engage.
New labour on National insurance
economy
2022 major turning point, increase in National Insurance contributions led to the largest ever rise in spending on the NHS.
PFI’s
New labour Blair expanded use of PFI’s used private sector investment to fund public infrastructure projected e.g new schools.
Seeks to reassure businesses.
Jeremy Corbin opposed
Benefit cuts and pledged an average annual increase 4.3% in overall health and social care spending.
Old Labour comprehensive education introduced in…
1960s to improve equality of opportunity.
Labours policies as still socialist
Still support NHS(created under Attlee’s gov) as a fully public institution opposing privatisation.
Raise minimum wage to £7.55 for 16 + 17 yo. April 2025??? Protect WC from economic exploitation.
Atlee’s years of ruling, he….
Labour emerged as of Trade Unions movement in 1900s. Labour supported the mov,ent and unions became intertwined within the party.
Introduced legislation that the unions requested nationalisation of key industries (1946-1950) coal, railway and steel.
Therefore, socialist principles as public ownership of major industries to ensure wealth benefits the whole society. Remove private profit motives.
Ed Miliband on trade unions
Reduced influence.
Ruled 2010-2015.
BEOFRE, trade unions had block votes in leadership elections.
However, he amended the members vote system and removed the block vote and introduce ‘One member, One vote’. Therefore, the goal of representing workers rights are less significant and less socialist.
What were blairites
Faction within Labour Party.
Advocated for a centrist version of labour and move away from trade union dominance.
Supported the third way.
Free market is the way to generate wealth thus willing to privatise industries..
^ inequality as doesn’t benefit all; more profit.
Momentum
Founded to support Corbin.
Grassroots political movement.
Embraces socialist policies e.g. wealth redistribution + trade union rights.
However, influence decrease since Corbyns departure in 2020.
Thatcher Conservative economic policies
Cut top…
Low tax, free markets , privatisation.
Income tax from 83% to 60% + decreased corporation tax.
Liz truss(2022) tax
Tax cutes for the wealthy. Eliminated 45% tax rate for top earners. Similar to thatchers cut top Income tax from 83% to 60%.
Free market principles ???L?
Greens increasingly important
6.7% vote share in 2024 general election compared to 2.7% in 2019.
Holds 4 seats in HOC compared to 1 in 2010-2024.
Major parties may have a greater focus on green policies (?)
❎limited influence as still small seats compared to Labour which held 411 seats.
Reform UK vote share 2024
14% vote share
