Political Parties - History and development of Labor

Question 1

Old Labour (Clement Atlee 1940s)

Answer 1

Strong TUs - Collectivism protects workers interests
Extend welfare - Promote equality of opportunity, reduce inequalities
Industry nationalised (coal, steel) - Control capitalism
Free education, anti discrimination

Question 2

New Labour (Third Way) (Blair 1997)

Answer 2

Anti nationalisation - Clause 4 removed. General free market
TU weakened - Thatcher like
Focus on potential of individual - Education funding 40M
Corp tax down to 31%
Minimum wage - Motivates off benefits
Tough on crime ASBOs
Wrote off much international debt ,Iraq war involvement
Devolution & Const. Reform - Outlet of electoral reform experimetation to stick to promises, HoL Her peers

Question 3

Labour under Brown

Answer 3

• Treasury supporting banks
• Nationalised failing banks during 2008 to restore confidence
• Brown proposed to maintain public spending despite eco downturn
• Brown did not try to reposition or redefine party
• Attempted to attack cons. Austerity plan (Bedroom tax which cut benefits for spare rooms, targeted soldiers and disabled)

Question 4

Labour under Miliband

Answer 4

Miliband

• Continued commitment to blairs business focus but also tried to please workers, calling for responsible capitalism (no exploitation of workers)
• Crackdown on tax avoidance, more funds to NHS
• 2015 election pledged to reduce deficit, reducing borrowing
• however was seen as tax and spend leader
• Argued he was not left enough

Question 5

Jeremy corbyn and modern labour

Answer 5

Investment in infrastructure - 30B to NHS 
Re-nationalisation (Opposed blair)
Anti benefit cuts - Hurt poor the most
Anti pay discrimination - Demanded publishing of audits 
Raised corp tax to 26%
Progressive Tax - Top 5%
Invested in 10k police
Anti nato - However supports trident
Supports immigration 
Abolish tuition fees