Political parties examples: Flashcards
What do parties do when they are seeking power?
- A manifesto
- Party proposals.
- Major parties often have deep ideological convictions.
What does a manifesto ensure?
-Responsibility for their time in government.
What does the number of parties contesting seats show?
- increase.
- SNP in 2019 election 48 seats
- Plaid Cymru- 4 seats.
What does the ineffectiveness of policy making mean for the voter?
- Lack identity and choice for voter- meaning lower turnout.
- Labour and conservative dominate at 365 and 203 labour- lack of real choice
How do parties act as a training ground for future party leaders?
- Debating issues.
- Canvasing.
- testing political skills and leading a constituency.
Examples of Boris Jonson’s previous experience
- Foreign secretary
- London Mayor
- MP for Uxbridge.
What was the issue with Tony Blairs experience?
-Only part of the shadow cabinet and no experience of government .
What is the issue with parties training leaders?
-Popularity and not competency-Tony Blair, Boris Johnson.
Who choses party leaders and why is this a problem?
- Membership is 2% of population- undemocratic.
- Lead to out of touch- Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson (small band of membership paying conservatives).
- Used to be a secret ballot- Tony Blair widely popular and not radical
What percentage of people have a very strong attachment to a party?
9% in 2015 down from 44% in 1964.
What has the turnout been like after 1997?
59% in 2001, 66% in 2015, 67% in 2019.
What does the lower membership levels suggest?
-Less able to get the public to participate.
Examples of party representation? (what do parties do to represent everyone)
- Respond to public demands and claim a popular mandate to turn them into polices.
- Conservatives typically protecting middle class and business, labour supporting working class.
What are catch all parties?
Parties that develop policies that will appeal to a large amount of the voters.
How has political parties representation been compromised in terms of political ideology (labour)?
- Labour targeting uncommitted voters
- weakening TU links
- representing social groups prevented.
Who is seen as more effective at representation?
Pressure groups.
How has modern labour been influenced by old labour about the economy?
- Income tax for top 5%
- Removing Tory cuts for corporation tax.
- Nationalisation
How has modern labour been influenced by new labour say about the economy?
Both Climate justice -clean air act
-economic justice at the heart of its policy
Examples of minor parties?
- BREXIT
- Green
- UKIP
- Pladd Cymru
Example of policy formation enhancing democracy?
- Manifesto outlining responsibilities- holding them accountable.
- Main parties have ideological convictions giving a meaningful choice.
Example of policy formation NOT enhancing democracy?
- Conservatives and labour are dominating seats- no real choice people think vote does not matter.
- Parties sometimes lack ideological identity making it difficult to choose- old/new labour.
Example of the recruitment of leaders enhancing democracy?
- Future politicians gaining experience through canvassing, MP’s, debating issues. Working their way up.
- Parties pick who is chosen- picking experienced politicians- May and Johnson.
Examples of the recruitment of leaders NOT enhancing democracy?
- Parties choose those who win elections- popular rather than competent- not necessarily country running skills.
- Party members now choose, party membership 2% of population. Jeremy Corbyn widely out of touch from the rest of gov and BJ.
Examples of representation in parties enhancing democracy?
- Parties link with public demands- they can claim a public mandate to carry out policies.
- ‘catch all parties’- appealing to wide amount of voters.
Examples of representation in parties NOT enhancing democracy?
- Moving away from traditional groups- Tony Blair distancing from trade unions- rep reduced,
- Pressure groups more successful at this.
Examples of “old labour” influences on modern labour economy?
- Increasing income tax for top 5%.
- Stopping corporation tax cuts.
- Public services in public hands.
Examples of “new labour” influences on modern labour economy?
- Climate justice and economic justice- clean air act.
- Importance of generating wealth- opposed immediate tax hikes on business in fear of economic recovery.
Examples of “old labour” influences on modern labour welfare?
- Abolish universal credit and replace it with poverty ending alternative- social justice.
- Supports abolition of tuition fees.
Examples of “new labour” influences on modern labour welfare?
- Social inclusion- minimum standard of living.
- Equality of opportunity- not so much equality of outcome.
Examples of “old labour” influences on modern labour FP?
- No more illegal wars- prevention of military intervention act- vote of parliament,
- Anti-EU.
Examples of “new labour” influences on modern labour FP?
- Keir stammer commitment for NATO and nuclear deterrent.
- Accepting freedom of movement of people in EU after BREXIT.
Examples of how labour and conservatives are the only parties with consistently high votes?
- No other party in total power since 1922.
- 1997-Labor 418 seats- no minor party has ever even got close.
Examples of minor parties starting to play a role and having higher votes?
- Lib Dem, Conservative coalition in 2015.
- Theresa May and DUP supply and confidence deal.
- 75.5% of vote went l or c in 2019 compared to 97% in 1951.
Examples of labour and conservatives dominating agenda?
- 2017-19, 41- government bills and only 15 PMB’s.
- Minorites cannot set the agenda because they are not in government and therefore cannot deliver promises.
Examples of other parties dominating agenda?
- BREXIT- Nigel Farage and the BREXIT party. Without winning seats.
- SNP- Scottish referendum permittance.
Examples of L&C covering a large voter spectrum.
- New/Old Labour, One Nation/New Right Conservatives
- Major parties can cover minor issues- Boris Johnson- pushing BREXIT and green ideas.
Examples of minor parties representing the underrepresented.
- Caroline Lucas in Westminster green- represents environmentalism.
- formation of Alba Party reflects that major parties do not account for the whole political spectrum
Examples of minor parties destabilising main party support?
SNP- 42 Seats in Scotland 2010.
Lib Dems took Labour and Conservative Party voters in the 2019 General election and the Brexit Party took red wall voters.
Examples of minor parties never winning general elections?
- Labour Party gained 3 times as many votes as the Liberal Democrats and more than 4 times than the SNP in 2019.
- Not been another PM since 1922.
Examples of party reliance on smaller parties?
- 2015-2010 lib dem conservative coalition.
- Confidence and supply deal TM.
Examples of minor parties not being important just anomalies?
- Tony Blair, Boris Johnson, Major, Thatcher majorities.
- Cameron got rid of lib dems. in re-election.
Examples of the government being a two party system in general election?
- Conservative and labour parties dominate 2017 combined if 82.4%
- Two main parties have funding- labour able to spend 1m on social media.
Examples of the breakdown of a two party system in elections due to breakdown of class voting/ identification?
- Between 1974 and 2015- libdems had 20% of votes cast.
- 2/4 election from 2010-2019 did not deliver a majority.
Examples of the main parties dominating agenda?
- Key policies formulated by gov.
- Media always on main party leaders.
Examples of agenda being shaped by minor parties (2)
- EU referendum and BREXIT referendum all emerged from minor parties.
- UKIP and BREXIT taking main party votes.
Examples of the key elections taking place in Westminster?
- 87.3% of votes l&C in 2019.
- Ultimately the gov takes big decisions, SNP wants a referendum but it has not happened yet.
Examples of outside Westminster the fragmentation of two party system?
- Scottish parliament SNP- when it used to be liberal labour. Minority gov in 2016.
- Welsh parliament had a range including labour, liberals and PLAID CYMRU.
Examples of how the political party success depends on media?
-Tony Blair media presence- print media and the sun. Labour social media strategy- 20% swing.
Examples of how the political party success DOES NOT depends on leadership?
- Cam popular with public but not party especially over Europe.
- Tony Blair made some controversial choices like the Iraq war and introducing tuition fees.
Examples of how the political party success DOES NOT depends on Policy ideas?
- Despite move to moderate policy plan- people did not like Neil Kinnock- media response.
- Media response from triumphalist Sheffield rally.
Examples of how the political party success DOES NOT depends on media?
- Theresa May positive support at the beginning but did not win majority in 2017.
- Labour and JC- poor media but relatively good results.
Examples of how the political party success depends on leadership?
- David Cameron seen as effective. Popular with everyone.
- Tony Blair strong leader with media presence, new messaging and three election victories.
Examples of how the political party success depends on policy ideas?
- Maggie T’s right to buy for WC people- improving circumstances.
- 2019- Conservative ‘get brexit done’
