Political Parties Flashcards
1
Q
What are the functions of political parties?
A
- Select candidates
- Provide personnel for gov
- Electing a leader
- Formulating policy
- Campaigning
- Representation
- Mobilising consent for government
2
Q
What was the Labour party’s short money funding 2022-23?
A
£6.9bn
3
Q
What was the Lib Dem’s short money funding 2022-23?
A
£9.5m
4
Q
What was the Green party’s short money funding 2022-23?
A
£1.9m
5
Q
Why did Labour have the most amount of Short Money?
A
Because they had the second largest number of seats after the Conservative and thus had the most opportunity to challenge the Conservatives.
6
Q
Why was Richard Desmond’s donation to the Conservative Party controversial?
A
In 2020, Robert Jenrick granted planning permission to a £1bn property scheme only 2 weeks before the developer donated £12,000 to the Conservative Party.
This suggests that political parties are funded by business people trying to further their aims.
7
Q
Why was Tony Blair’s meeting with Bernie Ecclestone controversial?
A
They met just before it was decided that F1 would be exempt from the tobacco advertising ban.
F1 were a large Labour donor and therefore people were suspicious.
8
Q
What did PPERA do (2000)?
A
Set up the electoral commission set up to monitor how much money parties spent of campaigns and limited the amount parties can spend in a constituency during an election to £30,000.
Established that parties must declare donations over £5,000 and not accept donations from non-UK citizens.
9
Q
What did PEEA (2009) do?
A
Strengthened the regulatory powers of the Electoral Commission - to provide new powers of investigation and the option of civil sanctions.
10
Q
How much funding did the Labour Party accept for the 2024 election?
A
£26bn
11
Q
How much funding did the Conservative Party accept for the 2024 election?
A
£16bn
12
Q
How much funding did the Lib Dem’s accept for the 2024 election?
A
£5bn
13
Q
How much funding did the Green Party accept for the 2024 election?
A
Around £200,000
14
Q
How much funding did Reform UK accept in the 2024 election?
A
£2.5bn
15
Q
What are some of the Key ideas of Traditional Conservatism?
A
- negative view of humans: need strong government therefore
- wanted to stop humanities potential for ‘mob rule’
- party of pragmatism, tradition and authoritarianism
16
Q
What are some of the key ideas of one-nation conservatives?
A
- wanted the middle class to reach out and help the working class
- Disraeli supported extensive social reforms
- want the higher class and working class to come together and reduce inequality between the rich and poor
17
Q
What are some of the key ideas of the New Right?
A
- Commitment to free enterprise
- British nationalism
- a plan to strengthen the state by improving efficiency
- a belief in traditional Victorian values: hard work and civil responsibility
- economic liberalism
18
Q
What are some of the key ideas of neo-liberalism?
A
- inspiration from classical liberalism
- focus on economy: lower taxes, smaller gov, free-market and less public spending
19
Q
Which modern conservatives can we associate with neo-liberalism?
A
- Margaret Thatcher
- Liz Truss
20
Q
Which modern conservatives can we associate with one-nation conservatism?
A
- David Cameron
- Boris Johnson (levelling up)
- Theresa May’s words (not actions)
21
Q
What are some of the key ideas of neo-conservatism?
A
- Connected with authoritarianism
- fear of disorder
- sense of community
- emphasis on hierarchy, authority, tradition and Christian values
22
Q
Which modern conservatives can we associate with the New Right?
A
- Margaret Thatcher
- Rishi Sunak
23
Q
What key ideas are associated with Old Labour?
A
- representing the rights of the working class
- compromise between democratic socialism and social democracy
- ideology of collectivism
- nationalisation
- redistributive taxation
- close ties with trade unions
24
Q
What are some of the key ideas of New Labour?
A
- moved more towards a centrist position (less left wing)
- abandonment of commitment to trade unions (Clause IV)
- compromise between the extremes of socialism and capitalism
- society based on inclusion (social exclusion unit set up)
- policies to encourage wealth creation rather than redistribution
- tougher on the causes of crime
25
What did Democratic Socialists believe?
The capitalist state will inevitably be replaced by a socialist state as the working class achieves power.
26
What do social democrats believe?
A more socially just and equal society can be achieved by reforming existing capitalist structures.
27
What are some of the key ideas of Corbynism/Momentum?
- more democratic socialist views
- more gov control of financial sector
- nationalisation
- redistributive taxation
28
What was Labour’s campaign slogan in 2017?
‘For the many not the few’
29
What are the key ideas of Labour under Keir Starmer (pre-election victory)?
- distanced himself from democratic socialism
- remains committed to achieving social justice through a mixed economy
- still believes in redistributive taxation - “Britain won’t be better off just because we make the rich richer”
30
What are the key ideas of Classical liberalism?
- free trade
- lower taxes
- balanced budgets
- parliamentary reform
- more moral approach to foreign policy
31
What are the key ideas of modern liberalism?
- the gov needs enough welfare provision for the vulnerable in society
- higher taxation of wealthier to pay for pensions, health & unemployment insurance
32
What are the current ideas of the Lib Dem’s?
- Orange book liberals believe they should reconnect with 19th century commitment to free trade and free-market
- Recent leaders have expressed issues about social justice
- internationalism
- constitutional reform
33
What economic policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Conservative Party?
- cut tax for workers, self-employed and pensioners
- helping businesses by not raising corporation tax
- investing £4.7bn in smaller cities and towns
- keep cutting National Insurance until it is gone
34
What welfare policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Conservative Party?
- giving parents 30 hours of free childcare a week for children aged 9 months to school age
- banning phones in schools to protect children online
- tougher sanctions for those who refuse work for 12 months whilst on benefits
- introduction of Advanced British Standard in place of A-levels (English and maths until 18)
- 92,000 more nurses and 28,000 more doctors in NHS
35
What law and order policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Conservative Party?
- increasing the use of community payback and electronic tagging
- recruiting 8,000 more officers
- reviewing homicdie sentencing
- build 4 new prisons
36
What foreign policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Conservative Party?
- guaranteeing Ukraine the support it needs
- maintaining the ‘special relationship’ with the USA
- strengthen the commonwealth
- tougher immigration control
37
What economic policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Labour Party?
- increased investment: £2.5bn to steel industry
- cap corporation tax at the current level - 25%
- National Wealth Fund to invest in jobs
- No rise in income tax
- build 1.5m new homes
38
What welfare policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Labour Party?
- cut NHS waiting times by reacting 40,000 more appointments very week
- 8,500 additional mental health staff
- recruit 6,500 new teachers
- free breakfast clubs in every primary school
39
What law and order policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Labour Party?
- crack down on antisocial behaviour with ore neighbourhood police
- a specialist rape nit in every police force
- tackling knife crime crisis
40
What foreign policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Labour Party?
- unshakable commitment to NATO
- strengthen ties with both the US and Europe
- Britain leading a Clean Power Alliance
41
What economic policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Lib Dem’s?
- helping people back to work
- support for small business
- fix the broken trading relationship with Europe
- cutting energy bills through an emergency Home Energy Upgrade programme
42
What welfare policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Lib Dem’s?
- give everyone the right to see a GP within 7 days or 24 hours in an emergency
- 8,000 more GPs
- introduce a guarantee that cancer patients will 100% start treatment after 62 days from urgent referral
- creating a new carers minimum wage (+£2)
- introduce a ‘tutoring guarantee’ or every disadvantaged pupil in need of extra support
43
What law and order policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Lib Dem’s?
- investing in criminal justice system to tackle the backlog of court cases
- a new statutory guarantee that all burglaries will be attended by the police and properly investigated
- creating a new Online Crime Agency to tackle illegal activity and content online
44
What foreign policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Lib Dem’s?
- rebuilding relationship with Europe
- stand with the people of Ukraine
- advocate or an immediate ceasefire in Israel-Gaza conflict
- counter the global rise in authoritarianism
45
What foreign policy was promised in the 2024 manifesto by the Lib Dem’s?
46
What economic policy was promised by the SNP in the 2024 manifesto?
- reverse the £1.3bn Westminster cut to Scotland’s capital budget
- tackle the cost of living crisis by providing support for household finances
- end 14 years of austerity
47
What welfare policy was promised by the SNP in the 2024 manifesto?
- scrap the 2 child benefit cap
- increase maternity pay
- protect pensions by maintaining the triple lock
48
What law and order policy was promised by the SNP in the 2024 manifesto?
- tackle the drugs death crisis: decriminalising drugs for personal use and allow Supervised Drug Consumption Facilities
49
What foreign policy was promised by the SNP in the 2024 manifesto?
- rejoin the EU
- demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
- scrap the Rwanda scheme
50
What do the Green Party stand for?
- Environment: planting 700 million trees, renewable energy sources
- Social Justice: introduction of a Universal Basic Income, increased funding of the NHS by at least £6bn a year
- Changing democracy: devolved power to councils, proportional electoral system, giving 16 year olds the vote
51
What does Reform UK stand for?
- Immigration: stopping small boat immigration, stopping all ‘non-essential’ immigration, immediate deportation for foreign criminals, National Insurance rate raised to 20% for foreign workers to incentivise employers to employ British people
- Economy: lifting income tax starting threshold to £20k, Cut foreign aid by 50%, abolish inheritance tax for all estates under £2m
- Energy: scrap Net-Zero as it damages the economy
- Youth: ban transgender ideology in primary and secondary schools, scrap interest on student loans
52
Why do smaller parties struggle to breakthrough in UK politics?
- Class-based voting
- FPTP
- Lack of funding
53
How does the strength of a party’s leader lead to success (with examples)?
- Thatcher won 3 elections due to her direct and patriotic leadership: appealed to aspirational working class voters, meaning she won conservative support in areas they usually don’t win
- Blair appealed to middle-class voters by sticking to conservative spending plans and moving the Labour Party more towards the centre of politics
54
Examples of weak leaders who lead to a party being unsuccessful:
- Liz Truss lacked confidence in her economic policy and looked weak
- John Major far less charismatic than Blair
55
How does party unity lead to its success (with examples)?
A disunited party has no hope of being elected as they look weak and will not be able to agree on legislation and policy aims.
- 1980s the Conservatives were united around Thatcher but Labour was still split between its left and right wings
56
How does the media contribute to party success (with examples)?
Positive relationship with the media = portrayed in a good light = voters have a positive view of the party.
- Nick Clegg was popular in the media in 2010: term ‘cleggmania’ was created
- positive stories about Farage in the right-wing press and his frequent appearances on the TV gave UKIP and Reform strong media exposure
- almost all the newspapers supported Blair in 1997: ‘it was the sun wot won it’
