Political Parties Flashcards
- Evaluate whether elections are won by the opposition or lost by the government [30]
points
campaign
media
party leader
manifesto
- Evaluate whether elections are won by the opposition or lost by the government [30]
campaign
LOST BY GOVERNMENT 1 - Campaign
- 1997 election campaign the Conservatives brought themselves down because of ‘Tory Sleaze’ and ‘Black Wednesday’. The former is evidenced in the 1994 ‘cash for questions’ affair, where Tory MP’s were paid by journalists to raise certain questions in Parliament. ‘Black Wednesday’ was when the Tory government had to pull out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism as they could not maintain the value of the pound, costing over £3 billion
- One could argue it was still mainly the victory of the opposition with Tony Blair criticising the negative campaigning of the Tories with their ‘New Labour, New Danger’ posters and putting on a more positive campaign themselves
- Overall, it was the damage the Tories did to themselves that caused this issue
- Evaluate whether elections are won by the opposition or lost by the government [30]
media
WON BY OPPOSITION 1 - Media
-During the 2017 GE the pressure group Momentum used social media cleverly to build up support for Corbyn and increase Labour’s membership. Indeed, the Tories failed to replicate this success online with their constant repetition of ‘Strong and Stable’ alienating many. Because social media gives an equal platform to all parties to the electorate, Labour realised this and capitalised
However, media newspapers tend to reflect and reinforce political views, rather than lead them. E.g. readers of almost tabloid Conservative papers such as the Daily Mail (over 1.5 million in circulation) don’t tend to change their views as a result of the paper. Thus, the loss of seats the Conservatives had in 2017 (NOTE THEY STILL WON OVERALL) cannot be squarely blamed on the media
- Evaluate whether elections are won by the opposition or lost by the government [30]
party leader
LOST BY GOVERNMENT 2 - PARTY LEADERS
- For example, in 2010 Labour leader Gordon Brown was heard calling a Rochdale pensioner a ‘bigot’. This scandal led many to believe Brown was incompetent and not fit to be PM. When PM slips up it is likely to be more impactful than when the opposition does so due to the media attraction granted to the leader.
- However, in 2017 labour leader Corbyn’s scruffy look and better capabilities at connecting with young people makes it seem like because of party leaders, elections are really won by the opposition rather than lost by the government
- Evaluate whether elections are won by the opposition or lost by the government [30]
manifesto
WON BY OPPOSITION 2 - MANIFESTOS
-During the 1997 election Blair put forward a more balanced manifesto - on crime, he described how Labour would be “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”. The manifesto also proposed a Freedom of Information Act to increase transparency. This manifesto was a stark contrast to the Tories who proposed installing far more CCTV in the UK to increase government surveillence. Thus, manifestos give the opposition a chance to gain the upper-hand on government.
However, one could argue that it was the Tory leader John Major’s own fault for hs inferior manifesto - it barely mentioned tackling Tory sleaze.
Evaluate the extent to which the UK still has a two party system. [30]
points
devolved
media
rise of small party votes
ge election
Evaluate the extent to which the UK still has a two party system. [30]
devolved
POINT 1 AGAINST - Devolved countries, election results
- 2016 Scottish Assembly, SNP most popular party with 63 seats.
- 2016 Welsh Election, Plaid Cymru got 12 seats.
- 2019 European Elections 29 Brexit Party seats
- With increasing desire for powers at local level and further devolution this is likely to become increasingly important.
-However, turnout in European election is low, 37% in 2019
Evaluate the extent to which the UK still has a two party system. [30]
media
POINT 1 FOR - Two party dominance in the media
- Media acts as a way of promoting a party, carrying considerable weight. E.g. Sun backing the winner of every general election since 1979. Capitulated in 1992 with the infamous “it’s the Sun wot won it”
- The Daily Mail has 1.5 million circulation and it’s readers strongly backed the preferred party, 74% in 2017.
- No major media outlet openly supports a smaller party
-Disillusion with party politics. E.g. 2nd Brexit referendum over 2 million signatures.
Evaluate the extent to which the UK still has a two party system. [30]
rise of small party vote + seat
POINT 2 AGAINST - RISE OF SMALL PARTIES VOTE SHARE + SEATS9
- 1979, third party seats were at 11 and the two main parties won 95.8% of seats
- This peaked in 2005 when third party seats won by the Lib Dems under Charles Kennedy were 62 and the two main parties won just 85.6% of seats
-However, some would say these parties are simply concerned with short term issues. E.g. UKIP concerned with Brexit seeing their 3.8 million votes in 2015 fall to just 590,000 in 2017. Furthermore, SNP concerned with Scottish Independence, following the 2016 Scotland Act which granted further powers to Scotland such as over taxation saw their votes fall from 56 in 2015 to 35 in 2017
- Overall, however, despite this drop third party seats in the recent election was 35, far higher than 11 in 1979 even despite the dip.
- Say how this has influence as shown in 2010 when Lib Dems formed coallition with Conservatives
- This is likely to increase further in upcoming elections due to fall out of brexit negotiations with both corbyn and may heavily blamed
Evaluate the extent to which the UK still has a two party system. [30]
ge election
POINT 2 FOR - General Election results. GE results
- 2017 GE, Labour and Conservatives won 579 out of 650 seats, making the voices of smaller parties in parliament largely irrelevant
- In 2015, UKIP and Greens received over 5 million votes between them and received just two seats. Therefore, it’s an issue of electoral system rather then lacking support for minority party
-2011 AV referendum rejected an electoral change by 68%, it’s likely that it will remain dominated by 2 parties for a while as there’s little sentiment for change.
Evaluate the extent to which the Labour Party has abandoned ‘New Labour’ [30]
points
economic policy more radical
shared thirst for constitutional reform
foreign policy
shared protection of human rights
Evaluate the extent to which the Labour Party has abandoned ‘New Labour’ [30]
economic policy more radical
POINT 1 FOR ABANDONING - ECONOMIC POLICY IS MORE RADICAL
- New Lab = Continued privatisation (removing clause IV) introduced tuition fees, cut corporation tax (from 33% to 28%) and minor tax increases for top 5% (extra £4.1 bn per annum)
- Corbyn = renationalise rail, energy companies and Royal Mail, scrapping tuition fees, raise corporation tax (from 19% to 26%) and steep tax increases for top 5% (Raising extra £6.4bn per annum)
COUNTER - Corbyn has wary about reviving Clause IV and the rise in corporation tax is still the lowest in the G20
Evaluate the extent to which the Labour Party has abandoned ‘New Labour’ [30]
shared thirst for constitutional reform
POINT 1 FOR NOT ABANDONING - SHARED THIRST FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
- New Lab = reduced hereditary peers and devolved power to Scot/ Wal/ NI. Little interest in reforming electoral system.
- Corbyn = reduce HOL, remove all hereditary peers and make it elected. Not opposed to a second Scot referendum. Little interest in reforming electoral system.
COUNTER - New Lab held back from removing all hereditary peers and had no interest in Votes for 16s (unlike Corbyn)
Evaluate the extent to which the Labour Party has abandoned ‘New Labour’ [30]
foreign policy
POINT 2 FOR ABANDONING - FOREIGN POLICY APPROACH
-New Lab = no interest in military disarmament. Little hesitation to intervene militarily (Afghan 2001 + Iraq 2003). Action legitimate even minus UN consent
-Corbyn = personally sworn never to use Trident nuclear deterrent. Opposed Cameron’s intervention in Syria 2015. Supports no action minus UN consent.
COUNTER - Miliband (leader at the time) supported intervention in Libya. 2017 manifesto promises to renew military trident.
Evaluate the extent to which the Labour Party has abandoned ‘New Labour’ [30]
shared protection of human rights
POINT 2 FOR NOT ABANDONING - SHARED PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
-New Lab = Human Rights Act 1998 incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. Equality Act 2010 made discrimination on any grounds illegal
-Corbyn = pledge to restore legal aid, opposition to Trade Union Act 2016, a digital bill of rights and insistence on protecting and improving workers rights post Brexit.
COUNTER - Corbyn far more keen on trade union rights than New Labour who did not restore union strength after 18 years of Tory rule.
