Political parties Flashcards
What is a political party?
An organised group aiming to gain political power through elections by promoting a shared set of values and policies
Why are political parties important in representative democracy?
- provide choice for voters
- help organise government
- political participation
What is traditional conservatism
- an ideology valuing order, hierarchy and gradual change
- favours strong institutions e.g. Church
What is One Nation Conservatism?
- a centrist form of conservatism promoting national unity, social cohesion and some state responsibility to reduce inequality
What is the New Right ideology?
- a mix of neoliberal economics (free markets, deregulation) and neoconservatism (law and order, traditional values)
- advocates limited state intervention in the economy but strong authority in society
How did Margaret Thatcher apply New Right principles in government?
- Thatcher (1979 - 1990) reduced state control by privatising industries e.g. British gas
- weakened trade unions and promoted individual responsibility
- led to economic growth and reduced inflation but also social inequality
How has the Conservatism changed since Brexit?
- shifted towards nationalism, anti-immigration
- economic policy became more interventionist under Johnson
What are Labour’s founding principles?
- based on socialism and trade unionism
- aimed for wealth redistribution, public ownership and state intervention to reduce inequality
How did the Attlee government reflect Labour’s socialist roots?
- 1945 - 51
- Nationalised key industries e.g. coal, railways
- introduced the NHS 1948 and expanded social security
What was New Labour’s ‘Third Way’?
- centrist blend of market-friendly policy with social justice
- accepted capitalism but used its benefits for social investment
How did Tony Blair’s government apply Third Way ideas?
- introduced minimum wage, invested in schools and hospitals and reduced child poverty
- kept income tax low
- appealed to middle-class voters and helped labour win three elections in 1997, 2001, 2005
How has Labour changed under Keir Starmer?
- shifted from Corbyn’s socialist policies to a more moderate, business-friendly approach
- focus on economic stability and public services
How has Keir Starmer distanced Labour from the Corbyn era?
- ruled out renationalisation of utilities
- emphasised law and order
- pledged green investment without high borrowing
What are the Liberal Democrats core beliefs?
- liberalism
- emphasising civil liberties, proportional representation and social justice
How did the 2010 coalition affect the Liberal Democrats?
- led to a major loss of credibility
- especially after backing a rise in tuition fees after pledging to oppose it
What was the result of the 2015 for the Lib Dems after the 2010 coalition government?
- Collapsed from 57 seats in 2010 to 8 in 2015
- showed the risks of compromising core principles
What are the key elements of party structure?
- leadership
- membership base
- policymaking process
- local branches
How did Corbyn’s leadership affect Labours membership structure?
- 2015 - 2020
- membership grew to over 500,000 due to grassroots support
- but also deepened factional divides within the party
What are the main sources of party finance?
- donations (individual/corporate)
- party membership
- state funding e.g. Short Money
- fundraising events
What is Short Money and why is it important?
Short Money is state funding provided to opposition parties in the Commons to support their parliamentary work
What is the impact of Short Money?
- helps maintains functioning opposition
- allows for greater scrutiny due to funding for researchers and staff
What are the controversies around party funding?
- Large donations can lead to accusations of corruption or undue influence
- debates continue over whether parties should receive more state funding to reduce this risk
What was the ‘cash for access’ scandal?
- 2011
- revealed that major conservative donors had been offered access to 10 Downing Street
- Peter Cruddas claimed that donating 250,000 or more would give access to private dinners with David Cameron, access to influence policy
Why was the ‘cash for access’ scandal significant and what was the impact?
- Critics said it undermined democracy and favoured wealthy elites
- public trust in political parties, especially the Conservatives, was damaged
- calls for reform of political funding laws and more state funding to reduce reliance on large private donations
What is a party system?
A structure of competition between political parties
What are the different types of party systems?
- two-party system
- multi-party
- dominant-party
How has the UK party system changed?
- changed from strict two-party system to a more fragmented one
- especially in devolved areas like Scotland and Wales
How has the SNP shaped the Scottish party system?
- Since 2007 the SNP has dominated Scottish politics
- winning repeated majorities and advocating for independence
What is the impact of minor parties on UK politics?
- shape debates
- influence party policies
- bring attention to neglected issues
- despite limited seats due to FPTP
How did UKIP influence British politics despite few seats?
- UKIP never won more than one MP
- pressured the Conservatives into calling the 2016 Brexit referendum
How have the Green Party influenced policy despite minimal seats?
- highlighted climate change as a key issue
- pushed major parties to adopt net-zero goals and invest in renewable energy
