political parties Flashcards
what is left-wing politics?
a set of political ideas that support increased social and economic equality, favouring increasing government intervention and challenging existing structures such as capitalism
key left wing principles and policies
- greater state intervention
- protection of collective rights
- greater industry regulation
- supporting higher minimum wage
- supporting trade unions
- supporting higher tax for wealthier people, bigger governmental role in wealth redistribution
- believe welfare support is too law
- greater support for nationalisation of industry
what is right-wing politics?
a set of political ideas that support individual rights and capitalism, which may result in inequality, often challenging increased government intervention in society
key right wing principles and policies
- strong policies on law and order
- support of free market ideals
- protection of individual rights
- support capitalism and limited government intervention in business
- support tighter immigration controls
- believe in greater private sector involvement including in the NHS
- believe welfare support is too high
- believe in less government intervention in wealth distribution
functions of political parties
- to fight elections (elections in UK mainly fought on party basis, with party manifestos informing people how to vote, and encouraging turnout)
- to form government (they fight in elections to try to gain a majority of seats so they can form a government and carry out their manifesto)
- to recruit and select leaders (assessing the qualities of those who seek election to public office, and casting aside those who are unsuitable)
- to represent the electorate (MPs are elected to represent the views of their constituents, which align with their parties)
- to educate (formation of manifestos and scrutiny of the government can inform the public of important issues)
- policy formation (manifestos are a party’s proposal of the policies they would carry out if they won an election)
what is class de-alignment?
class not longer defined who you are going to vote for
what is a political party?
a group of people with common views who use democratic process to elect leaders, in a wish to promote these ideas by forming a government and leading the nation.
functions of a political parties
- running in elections
- having members and supporters in the electorate
- democratic process within the party
- have leader(s)
- seek power by forming a government
- manifesto holds policies on the party’s commonly held ideology
how do parties help democracy?
- ensuring those who take office have sufficient experience and training
- encouraging the electorate to participate e.g. party membership, educating voters, giving a clear choice on who to vote for
- allowing government to form in an organised way and function coherently
- adversary politics mean parties scrutinise the policies of other parties, ensuring good policy formation
- ensure representation of the public, by carrying out the will of the electorate
how do parties hinder democracy?
- existence of adversary politics means that scrutiny can be for poor reasons e.g. humiliation
- concern there is too much consensus between the two main parties, limiting voter choice
- falling party membership and low voter turnout levels suggest parties are not working as a mechanism for political engagement
- factions within political parties make it difficult to create a manifesto that the whole party agrees on
- parties may educate the public selectively in order to win support for their own view
what are adversary politics?
a political situation in which there is a broad disagreement over political principles between the main parties
what are consensus politics?
where there is broad agreement over key political principles between the main parties, even if there is disagreement on the detail or on how policies should be carried out
how are parties financed?
party membership fees, donations, public funding
party membership fees
The Conservative party increased its fees by 56% in 2022 to £39 per year, following a slump in people joining the party
In 2020, Labour reported an income of £34.5 million from membership fees
donations to parties
parties must report donations over £7500 to the Electoral Commission in the UK, but there are no limits on donations.
The Conservative Party reported £3 million in donations from July to September 2022, down from £5.4 million in the previous quarter
public funding to parties
- main source is ‘short money’, introduced in 1975, which is given to opposition parties to support them carrying out their parliamentary duties, but not for electioneering
- Cranbourne money introduced 1996. Supports the main and second-largest opposition parties in the House of Lords
- Political development grants from the Electoral Commission were introduced in 2000, given to parties to develop the policies in their manifestos
reasons for increased state funding being provided to parties
- this would give smaller parties a greater chance to be competitive in elections, which could increase voter choice and reduced two-party dominance
- this would reduce excessive influence of an elite few wealthy donors, creating more transparency in party funding
- this would allow parties to focus on governing rather than fundraising
- the perceived influence of donations undermines trust in MPs to do their job for the whole of society
reasons against increased state funding being provided to parties
- if state funding was based on current electoral success of parties, it would reinforce the two-party system instead of challenging it
- fundraising by parties ensures they have to listen to their supporters, increasing their claim to represent them
- spending money on political parties is not popular: more than 40£ of people said they don’t know what level a cap on donations should be set at, 15% said there should be no cap (controversial issues)
what is old Labour
Labour party faction that prioritises government intervention and control in order to achieve social equality
- focus on redistribution of wealth
- regulation of capitalism and nationalisation of some key economic industries
- strong welfare state with universal service provided for all e.g. NHS and education
what is new Labour
Labour party faction that accepts a greater role for the private sector and prioritises equality of opportunity
- reducing importance of redistribution of wealth
- acceptance of economic regulation by the market, not government
- support of welfare state, targeted to those most in need
general beliefs of Labour
established in 1900 to represent the interests of the working class
- belief in socialism and social democracy, ensuring there is equality within society
- a greater role for government intervention to ensure equality through intervention in and regulation of the economy
- belief in protecting collective rights (specifically workers and minorities)
- support for welfare state and measures to tackle poverty through the provision of universal services
- belief in common ownership, sometimes seen in nationalisation of key industries
Attlee Labour government 1945- 51
- 1948 health secretary Bevan introduced NHS
- 20% economy nationalised, including core industries
Wilson Labour governments 1964-70, 1974-76
- 1965 deputy PM announced National Plan for economic growth to expand economy by 25% by 1970
- maintenance grants introduced
- the Open University established to open up higher education
- Race Relations Act 1968 made racial discrimination in workplace illegal
- Sex Discrimination Act 1975 made sex discrimination in workplace illegal
- increased taxes for wealthy
1983 general election
Labour manifesto committed to nationalisation, increased taxation of the wealthy, withdrawal from European Economic Community and unilateral nuclear disarmament. Gained 27.6% of votes, triggering a shift to the centre under leadership of Kinnock and Smith.
what is third way Labour politics
a compromise between the extremes of socialism and capitalism, focusing on the establishment of a ‘stakeholder society’ based on principles of inclusion rather than creating a more equal society.
what is Clause IV
- adopted by Labour in 1918
- a commitment to nationalisation and common ownership (basis of socialism)
the dropping of Clause IV
- amendment first proposed by Gaitskell after loss in 1959
- Clause IV of the Labour party’s constitution was modified in 1995 by Blair due to mass public opposition to nationalisation.
- adaption accepted the economic benefits of a free-market economy
Blair Labour governments 1997-2007
- following Thatcher’s chancellor, Lawson, lowering rate of taxation to 40% in 1988, Blair kept this
- greater emphasis on the state as an enabler: state schools given more independence from local authorities, tuition fees introduced for higher edu
- introduced tough new laws to combat crime: ASBOs
Starmer’s view on public ownership
during Labour leadership contest, Starmer clearly supported bringing rail, mail, water, and energy into public ownership, stating these service should be run “for the public good, not for profit”
since taking office, Starmer has been criticised for seemingly reneging on his pledges
Passenger Railway Services Bill
- introduced in HOC July 2024to bring franchised passenger rail services into public ownership
Labour 2024 manifesto
- ‘Wealth creation’ for working people
- Clamping down on tax avoidance
- Private school fees tax to pay for state school teachers
- Building 300,000 homes a year
- By 2030 a ban on petrol and diesel car sales
- New border and security command for the UK
- £24 billion dedicated to green initiatives
- Absolute commitment to nuclear deterrent and NATO
- 40,000 more NHS appointments and operations
- Working towards a National Care Service
- Reducing backlog of rape cases
Starmer’s pledges in leadership contest
- increase tax on top 5% of earners
- Clean Air Act to tackle local pollution
- introducing a Prevention of Military Intervention Act to ensure military action is lawful
- end privatisation of NHS
Labour party criticism of Conservative government
- criticised restrictions on protesters’ and strikers’ rights
- called the Rwanda plan ‘unethical’
- Labour called for an energy bill freeze in 2022 and a windfall tax on energy company profits
One-nation conservatism
Conservative party faction that has a greater appreciation of the need for a welfare state due to the responsibilities of the ‘noblesse oblige’
- focus on idea of paternalism
- belief in need for a welfare to state to ensure a level of social equality, based on belief that the rich have an obligation to the poor
- belief the state has a key role in ensuring economic growth
- may be called ‘compassionate conservatism’
criticisms of one-nation conservatism
- lack of free-market support
- decline of the economy through one-nation produced chronic national divisions
- too much of an enlarged state creates dependency
return of one-nation conservatism
- Cameron’s wish to build a ‘big society’ in the wake of 2008 financial crash
- gained momentum after Brexit referendum highlighted major cultural differences and a lack of social cohesion
New Right conservatism (Thatcherite politics)
Conservative party faction that favours a smaller government, less state intervention and more individual responsibility
- reducing individual taxation
- belief in a free-market economy and private property with limited government intervention, resulting in privatisation and deregulation
- stronger stance on law and order, including immigration
General beliefs of conservatism
- slow, evolutionary change to conserve, instead of radical change
- individual rights (preference for lower taxes)
- the right to own private property
- support for free markets and capitalism
- limited state intervention
- safeguard traditional institutions in the uk
- greater stress on security e.g. rule of law, law and order, crime and punishment
conservative manifesto 2024
- tax help for the self-employed
- tougher sentences and new prisons
- flights to rwanda for asylum seekers to the uk
- increased defence spending
- close off uni courses with high drop-out rates
- net zero without new green charges
- cuts to welfare and civil service members
- three strikes warning for anti-social tenants
- cap on social care costs
- new dentists
- legal limit to migration
conservative manifesto 2019
- leave the EU
- no income tax, VAT or national insurance rises
- net zero carbon emissions by 2050
- intro of points-based immigration system
- launch of ‘Democracy Commission’ to review the balance of political power following the government’s loss in Miller v PM supreme court case 2019
- freeze of student finances at £9250
- commitment to levelling up, to reduce economic imbalances across the UK
- creating 250,000 childcare places for primary-age children in the school holidays
- commitment to spending £6.3 bn upgrading energy efficiency of over 2 million homes
evidence of 2019 conservative manifesto
- Energy Bill Support Scheme saw every household in the UK given £400 towards 2022-23 energy bills due to soaring energy costs
- the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 places restrictions on the right to protest
- the government’s plan to curb illegal immigration across the Channel was to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing
- reorganisation of the government under Sunak saw announcement of four new government departments including Energy Security and Net Zero
- in jan 2023, over £2 bn was shared with projects around the UK in the second round of ‘levelling up’ funding
general beliefs of the Liberal Democrats
- liberty: focus on individual freedoms
- equality: ensure equality is essential for liberty, and may require state intervention
- democracy: limited government by checks and balances
- community: decentralisation of power to regions and nations in UK
- human rights: ensuring they are upheld, rejecting prejudice/ discrimination
- internationalisation: working collaboratively with other countries, re-joining EU
- environmentalism: promoting sustainability
classic (orange book) liberals
- focus on personal, individual freedoms
- belief in limited government e.g. limited intervention in the economy and government spending
modern liberals
- believe individual freedom can be achieved through government intervention to ensure equality of opportunity
liberal democrats 2024 manifesto
- free personal care
- more GPs
- faster cancer treatment
- increase public spending
- scrap Rwanda scheme
- net zero by 2045
- scrap two-child limit
- reform Carer’s allowance
- triple early year’s pupil premium
- ban conversion therapy
- speed up courts process
- recognise non-binary identities
- proportional representation
- giver 16-year-olds the vote
- re-join single market
SNP general beliefs
- belief in Scottish independence
- desire close relationship with the EU, and to reverse Brexit
- greater state intervention e.g. protecting worker’s rights, increasing benefits, protecting healthcare system
- opposition to nuclear weapons e.g. Trident
SNP 2024 manifesto
- trigger Scottish independence talks
- boost NHS funding
- stand against spending cuts
- scrap two-child limit
- ceasefire in Gaza
- scrap Trident
- re-join EU
- transition to Green economy
- attract more foreign migrants in Scotland
- tackle drugs deaths
- devolve broadcasting powers
- increase maternity pay
what is a party system?
the number of parties in any election that have a realistic chance of forming a government
what is an electoral system?
process by which votes cast can be turned into seats in an elected body
what do majoritarian and plurality electoral systems include, and usually result in?
e.g. first past the post, supplementary vote
usually result in a two-party system, as it is unlikely minority parties will get enough votes to win many seats
what do proportional systems include, and usually result in?
e.g. additional member system, single transferrable vote
usually result in multi-party systems, as parties do not need a high number of votes to win seats
what is a one-party system?
- example
system in which one party experiences long periods in office over multiple elections, and dominates the legislative system
e.g. from 1997-2010, Labour party was in power, from 2010-2024, Conservative party was in power
what is a two-party system?
- example
system in which two parties have a realistic chance of forming a government in an election, and dominate the legislative system
e.g. throughout twentieth century, the Conservatives or Labour party controlled every government
what is a two-and-a-half party system?
- example
system in which two main parties compete for power, but a third part is strong enough to be considered as a coalition partner
e.g. from 2010-2015, Conservative- Lib Dem coalition, as they formed a majority together
what is a multi-party system?
- example
system in which many parties have a realistic chance of forming government or having influence over the legislative process
e.g. in Scottish parliament 2007, the SNP gained 47 seats, Labour 46, Conservatives 17, Lib Dems 16, and Greens 2, with 69 needed for a majority. ultimately, Greens collaborated with SNP to form a government
arguments for a one-party system
- at national level, FPTP ensures that one party often has a substantial majority, and can hold control of parliament
- parties with small majorities, or have suffered backbench rebellions, have still controlled parliament
arguments against a one-party system
- existence of official opposition that holds a substantial number of seats can reduce the dominance of one party
- recent coalitions and confidence and supply agreements suggest that a one-party model may no longer be appropriate
arguments for a two-party system
- use of majoritarian and plurality systems result in a battle between major parties
- popular policies from small parties e.g. Brexit referendum can be co-opted by major parties
arguments against a two-party system
- third parties and minor parties have seen increasing success where proportional systems are used
- factions within major parties suggest they are not as cohesive as they once were
arguments for a two-and-a-half-party system
- third parties have been partners in recent national governments
- policies from third parties have been adopted by major parties
arguments against a two-and-a-half-party system
- smaller party is still dominated by two major parties
- without a partner, they would stand little chance of gaining political power
arguments for a multi-party system
in devolved assemblies, it has become common for coalitions to occur or for parties other than Conservatives and Labour to hold power
arguments against a multi-party system
- even in Scotland and Wales, the main UK parties have still retained a presence
- exists only where proportional systems are in place
the nature of minor parties
- allow for a wider choice for voters who may feel disillusioned by major parties
- result in different forms of governments e.g. coaltion
- smaller parties struggle to break through as a result of FPTP electoral system
Plaid Cymru/ the Party of Wales
party that campaigns predominantly for Welsh independence from the UK, as well as environmental work and fairer funding for Wales. They hold 12/60 seats in the Senedd
Sinn Fein
largest party of the Northern Ireland Assembly, with main policy to hold a referendum on a united Ireland, in which they would support Irish unification
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
largest unionist party in NI, supporting place in the UK, and work in coalition arrangement with the Sinn Fein
Scottish National Party
- won majority in Scottish Parliament 2011, leading to 2014 Scottish independence referendum
- won 56/59 Scottish seats in 2015
- Scotland voted 62% to remain in the EU
- support dropped in 2017, as the Conservatives promised to maintain union of the UK
- decline in opinion polling since 2021 due to scandals involving party leadership
- Sturgeon resigned in 202, and was arrested in investigation to do with party finances
- Yousaf resigned after disagreement with coalition partners, Scottish Greens, causing them to withdraw from government
- Swinney’s leadership saw the SNP suffer in general election, reducing from 48 to 9 seats in the Commons
UKIP
held maximum of 2 Commons seats at a time (2014), but had huge influence, including persuading the ruling Conservatives to include an EU referendum in 2015 manifestos.
won 3.8 million votes in 2015, but 1 seat.
after Brexit vote in 2016, UKIP began to wind down, losing 84% of vote share by 2017.
won 6,500 votes in 2024
The Brexit Party
Nigel Farage, former leader of UKIP, established the party.
six weeks after establishment, it won the most seats in the UK in the European Parliament election.
won 2% of overall vote in 2019, but failed to win any seats
Reform UK
renamed Brexit party.
policies include: elected House of Lords, adopting proportional representation.
drained support from former Conservative voters.
in 2024, they stood a large number of candidates across the UK, coming second in over 100 seats.
won 5 seats, including Farage in Clacton, despite winning over 4 million votes
the impact of minor parties on UK politics
- policy (influx of voters from Conservative and Labour parties to UKIP could be seen as the reason the 2016 referendum was held)
- parties (splits in Conservative and Labour parties can also be linked to rise of UKIP and Euroscepticism since early 2000s)
- governance (after 2017 general election, the DUP supported May’s majority government through a confidence and supply arrangement)
- devolution (many minor parties have been in government in devolved institutions e.g. SNP from 2011- 2021, Plaid Cymru and Labour in Wales 2007- 2011)
- the UK (SNP pursues policy of Scottish Independence, which could break up union of the UK)
how does policy affect party success?
the policies presented by a party should be the defining factor determining how much support they gain from the public.
e.g. 2019 General Election, the Conservatives’ strong, straightforward policy on Brexit was popular with the public, as other parties made confusing promises on the question of Brexit, leading to a landslide Conservative victory
how does leadership affect party success?
strong leaders are popular and trusted by voters, but weaker leaders and their image e.g. Ed Miliband often fail to break through to the public. He was ridicules by the public about his personal image, such as a viral image of him eating a bacon sandwich
how does the media affect party success?
The Sun is often associated with supporting the winning party, and other newspaper and media endorsement can be hugely beneficial. Although newspaper readership is declining quickly, it still represents an important avenue for parties to talk directly to the public. Use of social media has increased signficantly, as politicians take to platforms to have direct conversations with voters
how does campaign strategy affect party success?
campaign rarely makes a huge difference in party popularity. exception: 2017 General Election Corbyn’s Labour rose up opinion polls, and challenged May’s initial 20% lead to see her lose parliamentary majority. Corbyn was seen as a fresh leader to bring the Labour Party back to ‘electorability’,and May was seen as a weak leader due to absence from many television debates
how does party unity affect party success?
voters find comfort in parties that have a clear vision, and if a party is split on a particular issue, this can be damaging. Seen in 2019 general election, as the Labour Party tried to satisfy the traditional left-wing socialist voters who voted to leave the EU, as well as more central voters who wanted a second EU referendum
why do Conservatives and Labour dominate?
- they won, on average, a combined 91% of votes, and almost 98% of seats at Westminster, as they have won the most seats in every general election since WW2.
- The two parties dominated due to the FPTP voting system, as safe seats are created where a dominant party is assumed to win. Campaigning in these safe seats is limited, so the party continues to win the seats in elections. As third parties typically give up in these safe seats, the likelihood of them winning elections becomes unlikely
- when people see small support for a third party in their constituency, they will vote for a larger party they don’t necessarily completely support, but will help to keep out another party they severely disagree with
why do minor parties perform badly?
- FPTP heavily favours larger parties, as it creates a two-party system, making them barriers to entry of minor parties higher. Coming second in a constituency is not enough, meaning significant support does not translate into seats won at an election. e.g. In 2015, UKIP saw a huge increase in support in run up to election day. Despite winning 13% of the national vote, they only won one seat in Parliament (0.2% of seats)
- minor parties lack the huge financial benefits that large donations (for Conservatives) and trade unions (for Labour) bring. Smaller parties don’t benefit from the large membership and donors lists that the two largest parties have build over many years
- UK’s 2 major parties traces back to 1688 Glorious Revolution with the dominances of the Tories (Monarch supporters) and Whigs (parliament supporters). Tradition has made the public assume politics in the UK is a two-horse race
how is party success measured?
- seats won in an election. In 2015 general election, the SNP won 56/59 Scottish seats, and UKIP won just 1/650, so was SNP more successful in the election?
- number of votes received. In 2015 general election, the SNP won 4.7% of all votes, and UKIP won 13%, making them third largest party in the country by vote
- ability to impact policy. After 2015 general election, the SNP did not manage to secure a second independence referendum, but UKIP manages to secure an in-out referendum on EU membership. It could be argues UKIP were a successful political party as they achieved their aims, despite not winning significant representation on national level
