Political parties Flashcards
Stuff for an intro
‘It is therefore accurate to say that the UK remains a two-party system in terms of seats but is a multi-party system in terms of votes’
Thatcher’s New Right policies
Monetarism and Dealing with a recession
- As inflation was at around 11% when Thatcher in power, based on theories of Milton Friedman (belief in monetarism and how money supply influences inflation most, so incr money supply = good), inr base rate to 30% to discourage lending. inflation ended up peaking at 20% in 1980 anyway
- Chancellor Geoffrey Howe in 1981 incr tax and decr spending during a RECESSION (against Keynesian which is more govt interv) unemployment incr but did achieve target of low inflation
Home ownership
- Housing Act 1980 allowed council tenants to buy council homes @ discounted price. manifesto pledge in 1979 to establish UK as “property-owning democracy”
Privatisation and Deregulation
Trade Union Legislation
Defence
New Right= econ libertarian (completely free) and socially authoritarian
What is the New-Right movement and how does this link to the conservative party policies today?
Combination of Neo-conservatism and Neo liberalism
- Neo conservatism aims to restore the authority, national identity and a society informed by Judeo-Christian morality - so tough on immigration, more defense, anti-permissive social policy (anti LGBTQ) and promotion of nuclear family structure
- Neo-conservatism aims to extend individual freedom by ‘rolling back the frontiers of the state’, free market creation
- Advocate for low taxation more control of government spending, no ‘nanny state’ and deregulation and privatisation of public services carried out by the government
Evaluate the importance of party unity in party success
Party Funding issues
Labour:
- public funds dropped to just over 11% of total income bc of incr reg of trade unions
How did the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act regulate party funding in 2000s?
- Donations over £500 declared must
- donations over £7500 to be placed on electoral register
