Political Parties Flashcards
What are the four functions of a political party?
Representation
Participation
Formulating policy
Providing government
What is meant by representation as a function of political parties?
They represent the views of people with a certain set of beliefs. Lots of individuals and pressure groups can perform the use functions but parties bring order to the political system
What is meant by participation as a function of political parties?
In order to win power/influence parties encourage people to participate, to vote and to join a party. All parties allow members to select candidates
What is meant by formulating policy as a function of political parties?
Parties generate policies that embody the ideas for which they stand for. They put forward a manifesto in which outlines their ideas.
Give an example of the function formulating policy
In the 2015 general election the NHS was a key battleground
Conservatives promised to give people access to their GP 7 days a week
Labour promised to give appointment times within 48 hours
What is meant by providing government in terms of a function of political parties?
The winning party at a general election is invited to form a government. They control parliaments business trying to make their manifesto into law. If a prime minister loses confidence within their party they become vulnerable
Give 5 of the 10 costs involved in running a party
Conferences £500 registration fee Social media (promote page) Offices in all regional constituencies Employees wages (administrators/researches) Security Campaigning/advertising Travel Think tanks Legal expenses
How are MPs paid?
They are paid from general taxation with a basic salary of £76,000
What are MPs allowed to do in terms of financing?
They are allowed to claim expenses for example travel cost and living in Westminster
How do parties finance elections?
They are allowed to spend volunteer-membership subscription fees and allowed to fundraise in their constituency.
How are the opposition allowed to finance elections?
With membership subscription fees, fundraising events as well as Short money. Short money is special state provision
Why is there controversy to funding political parties?
Powerful interests offer financial support for political influence. They offer political honours like peerage to their most generous benefactors
What was promised in 1997 in relation to party funding?
Blair promised party funding would be whiter than white. Previously funding was sketchy and activities that had taken place hid their funding or not declared spending
What happened in 1998 in relation to party funding?
1998 - The Ecclestone Affair
What was meant by the Ecclestone Affair?
Blair introduced a law that banned tobacco companies sponsoring sporting events, previously it was socially acceptable. Blair however gave an exception to formula one, it was revealed chair of formula one Ecclestone had donated a million pounds to Labour in he last election hat helped them to win. They were forced to give back the money and the exception was soon overturned.
What act was act introduced in 2000 in response to funding scandals?
Political parties, elections and referendums act
What were the three things that were triggered by the Political parties, elections and referendums act in 2000?
Parties spending during elections was capped at £30,000 per constituency
Donations of £5,000 nationally or £1,000 to a particular party has to be declared
Donations from those not in the electoral roll were banned.
What was the problem with the political parties, elections and referendums act?
There was a loophole, donations could be given in the form of loans. It became a scandal that people could get loans for peerages.
What report followed that suggested improvements to political spending?
2007-Phillips report
What did the 2007 Phillips report lay out?
It was a radical reform suggestion on political spending, however as of yet no policies have been passed
- Cap of 50,0000 on donations from a group/individual
- union members have to sign forms confirming donations, previously in a £10 membership fee, £3 would go to a political party
- Ban on political advertising
Which group would be least affected by the Philips report?
The Labour Party because trade unions could give donations individually as “gifts”
What happened in 2015 in terms of party financing?
2015 - Election Expenses Scandal
What were the allegations against the Conservatives in the 2015 Election expenses Scandal?
- They had undeclared receipts for hotel rooms
- They stayed at Royal Harbour Hotel on account of national spending to stop Farage winning Thanet South
- They put activists in battlebuses and put them up in travel lodges overspending on their capped £30,000 budget
What were the laws broken by the Conservatives in 2015 election expenses scandal?
Representation of the people act 1983 - Candidates must file there expenses complete with a signed declaration
20 Conservatives were embroiled to have committed fraud
What were the allegations against Labour in the 2015 election expenses scandal?
Labour express took activists to marginal seat and they had undeclared expenses part of so called national campaign.
What were the name of the buses Labour used?
NUS
Woolas Wagon
West Mid Wheels
Why was the election expenses scandal a problem for Theresa May?
It could tilt the balance as the marginal seat could split the Conservative UKIP vote so labour would win. Thanet South was a marginal seat with UKIP
What and when was the Trade Union Act?
Trade Union Act - 2016
Limits labours money from trade unions. Members must accept to funding a political party.
Why did labour disapprove of the trade Union Act?
They believed they would lose out on £3,000,000 a year
What did critics argue Labour over with the Trade Union Act?
Critics said that increased party membership would offset the amount they were sought to lose
Who are the three donators of the Conservatives election campaigns?
Cash Donators 18.6%
Hedge Funds
Bankers 6.5%
Who was the most generous hedge fund benefactor of the Conservatives in 2015?
Alexander Fleming, now Peer
He donated £1.2 million
Who was the most generous benefactor of Labour during the 2015 election?
Unite
The trade union gave £1 million in the first week of the election
What are the 6 arguments for parties being state funded?
- Parties play and important representative role in democracy creating parliamentary diversity and stimulating debate so they should be properly funded
- It would remove the disparity in recourses available to different sized parties
- It would curb the possibly corrupt influence of private bankers on party policy
- Parties struggle of membership fees as they’ve dropped since 1950
- Labour would be less reliant on trade Unions
- It makes it easier to limit spending in elections
What are the 6 reasons for not allowing parties to be state funded?
- Increased state funding could lead to calls for greater regulation reducing party independence
- It is hard to decide how much support a party should have to qualify for funding
- It could isolate parties from public wishes
- Taxpayers would resent compulsory funding to parties of which they disapprove
- Wealthy individuals are still able to get hold of politicians anyway
What are the three factions of Conservative ideology?
Traditional Conservatism
One Nation Conservatism
Neo-Liberalism/New Right
Who founded traditional Conservatism?
Edmund Burke
What is the ideology of traditional Conservatism?
- Sceptical about human nature, as humans are inherently selfish
- Society needs strong institutions to contain people’s desires such as empire and the monarchy
- Pragmatism over dogmatism
- State should uphold the law but government should be limited
Who founded one nation Conservatism?
Benjamin Disraeli
Why was One Nation Conservatism formed?
Benjamin Disraeli contemplated the growing divisions between the rich and the poor in the 19th Century
What is the ideology of One nation Conservatism?
- The moral duty/ role of the wealthy is to act benevolently and protect those most vulnerable
- Policies should address both classes in society
- Values pragmatism and paternalism
Give three policies Brought about I response to One Nation Conservatism?
Better factor/housing regulation
Free primary education
Legalising trade Unions
Who introduced NeoLiberalism / New Right?
Margaret Thatcher
Why was Neoliberism introduced?
To gain radical reform from left wing challenges like trade unions and create a party that unlike One Nation wasn’t seeking compromise
What is the ideology of NeoLiberalists?
Reduce state intervention in the economy
People should be in charge of themselves
What are the 5 key policies of the Thatcher government?
Privatisation Deregulation of financial markets Closing mines Cut taxes Cut welfare
What was involved with Thatchers policy of privatisation?
Privatisation - selling of shares of business and putting them in private ownership
- Take out monopolies
- Competition would drive down prices and increase standard
- She Privatised Gas, Electricity and BT
- she sold 1 1/4 million council homes generating £18 billion
What was involved with Thatchers policy of deregulation of the financial markets?
She made it easier to get credit and mortgages, banks could lend more money
What was involved with Thatchers policy of closing mines?
Governments had been subsiding mines because they were no longer making profits, she shut 20 mines losing 20,000 jobs
What was involved with Thatchers policy of tax cuts?
Before cutting taxes the top tax payers paid 93% tax
This would put money in people’s own back pockets so people can look after themselves and are not reliant upon the state