Political Parties

Question 1

What is a political party?

Answer 1

A group of people with shared ideology or goals seeking to gain power through elections to implement policies.

Question 2

Name three traditional functions of political parties.

Answer 2

1. Representation: Expressing the views of members and society.
2. Policy formulation: Creating coherent plans for government.
3. Recruitment: Identifying and preparing candidates for public office.

Question 3

What are the main features of the UK’s party funding system?

Answer 3

1. Funded through membership subscriptions, donations, and state support.
2. Large donations can lead to accusations of influence, such as the Bernie Ecclestone case with Labour in 1997.

Question 4

What reforms have been suggested to address issues in party funding?

Answer 4

Introducing caps on donations and increasing state funding to reduce reliance on private donors.

Question 5

What are the three main functions of political parties?

Answer 5

1. Representation of societal views.
2. Policy development and implementation.
3. Recruitment and training of political leaders.

Question 6

What are ‘catch-all parties’?

Answer 6

Parties that aim to attract voters from various demographics and backgrounds rather than focusing on specific groups.

Question 7

How do UK parties receive funding?

Answer 7

Membership fees, individual and corporate donations, and short money (state funding for opposition parties).

Question 8

Why is party funding controversial?

Answer 8

Large private donations can create perceptions of undue influence, as seen in the Bernie Ecclestone scandal (1997).

Question 9

What are the arguments for state funding of political parties?

Answer 9

1. Reduces influence of wealthy donors.
2. Ensures fairness in elections.
3. Allows smaller parties to compete.

Question 10

What is short money?

Answer 10

Financial support given to opposition parties in Parliament to assist with administrative costs.

Question 11

How does party funding create controversy in UK politics?

Answer 11

1. Bernie Ecclestone’s £1 million donation to Labour in 1997 was linked to delays in banning tobacco advertising in Formula 1, raising concerns about donor influence.
2. Between 2015–2017, 58% of Conservative funds came from wealthy individuals, such as hedge fund managers, highlighting the party’s reliance on large private donors.
3. Short money (state funding for opposition parties): Labour received £16 million between 2015–2019, helping them oppose the government more effectively.

Question 12

How has party membership changed over time?

Answer 12

1. Labour: Increased dramatically under Jeremy Corbyn (500,000+ members in 2016), showcasing grassroots engagement.
2. Conservatives: Declined from 2.8 million in the 1950s to ~150,000 by 2016, reflecting a reduced membership base.
3. SNP: Membership surged from 25,000 in 2013 to 125,000 by 2019, driven by nationalist support post-2014 Scottish Independence Referendum.

Question 13

How democratic are UK political parties?

Answer 13

1. Labour introduced leadership elections by members in 2015, leading to Jeremy Corbyn’s win with 59.5% of the vote.
2. Conservative MPs often choose leaders without direct input from members (e.g., Theresa May in 2016, where no membership vote occurred due to lack of challengers).
3. SNP: Maintains a highly centralized structure under Nicola Sturgeon, with less member-driven influence over policy decisions.

Question 14

Is the UK a two-party system?

Answer 14

1. 2017 Election: Labour and Conservatives won 82% of the vote, reinforcing two-party dominance.
2. 2015 Election: Surge in smaller parties, with UKIP receiving 12.6% of the vote and the SNP winning 56 of 59 seats in Scotland, highlighting regional and issue-based fragmentation.
3. Coalitions: The 2010–2015 Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition showed the multi-party influence in hung parliaments.