Political parties (NOT EXAM)

Question 1

Name all the functions of political parties

Answer 1

Representation, Participation, Elections, Government, Organisation, Education

Question 2

Representation

Answer 2

Represent the views of large sections of the society.

Question 3

Participation

Answer 3

Enable citizens to participate in the political process and shape their future lives.

Question 4

Elections

Answer 4

Offer the electorate choice

Question 5

Government

Answer 5

Run the country

Question 6

Education

Answer 6

Educate the generate public

Question 7

One Nation Conservatism

Answer 7

Sought to introduce social reforms to reduce social inequalities with the rich fulfilling an obligation to the needs of the poor.

Question 8

Thatcherism & New Right

Answer 8

combined ideas of Neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism. Favoured the individuals compared to the state as shown by the free-market economics, reduced welfare and lower taxes. Believed in ‘traditional values’ and nationalistic in character.

Question 9

Cameron’s Conservative Party (2005-2016)

Answer 9

Cameron was a fresh new leader who seemed to care more about the socially disadvantaged, LGBTQ community and was very pro-Europe. He adapted well to the coalition although maybe he would have carried out more right wing policies if not tied down by the Lib Dems. He achieved winning the Scottish independence referendum. He will most likely be known for Austerity in response to the budget defecit and losing the EU election.

Question 10

Pragmatic

Answer 10

opposed to fixed political principles

Question 11

dogmatic

Answer 11

strict undeniably true ideologies that do not shift

Question 12

Example of Neo Liberalism George Osbourne

Answer 12

2012! Remained committed to low taxation as a way of maximising economic growth. In 2012 George Osbourne (chancellor of Ex) cut top rate of taxation from 50p to 45p.

Question 13

Neo Liberalism

Answer 13

Supporting free market and withdrawal of government authority in peoples lives and businesses.

Question 14

Free market

Answer 14

Economic market ruled by supply and demand with very little state intervention

Question 15

Neo Conservative example regarding immigration

Answer 15

in 2017 manifesto Conservatives promised to cut immigration to under 100,000 people a year.

Question 16

Cameron on Gay Marriage One nation

Answer 16

Cameron used his authority as PM to commit party support to Gay Marriage. Lib dems did a lot of the work but Cameron did publicly support and personally support the legislation to legalise gay marriage. However, most conservatives voted in 2013 against or abstained.

Question 17

neo-liberal example of conservatives regarding taxation

Answer 17

Boris Johnson pledged to reduce taxation on higher earners. The 40% threshold would start at earnings above £80,000 instead of £50,000

Question 18

May’s one nation quote

Answer 18

'’We do not believe in untrammelled free markets. We reject the cult of selfish individualism”

Question 19

How did May come across?

Answer 19

Mixed messages - she wanted to create an industrial strategy and set a cap on energy prices. however, she also wanted to reintroduce grammar schools and repeal the legislation that banned fox hunting

Question 20

Social Democracy Labour party

Answer 20

1954- 1994 Social Democracy. Believed in EQUALITY, and therefore tax and welfare should be used to make people more equal, COLLECTIVISM, strong trade unions are needed to defend workers’ interests, SOCIALISM, Key industries should be nationalised, control Capitalism, SOCIAL JUSTICE, all should have access to decent standard of living so protection of discriminated, oppressed and vulnerable essential. CLASS DIVISIONS must be recognised and fixed. Control unemployment and highly progressive tax and welfare laws.

Question 21

The Old labour party

Answer 21

founded in 1900. commitment to peaceful pure socialism. which overthrows capitalism

Question 22

Social Democracy

Answer 22

Seeks to reform capitalism not overthrow it completely.

Question 23

Manifesto

Answer 23

Parties produce a manifesto when campaigning which lays out what they want to do. This will form the core ideas in the Queen’s speech at the beginning of a new parliament.

Question 24

Mandate

Answer 24

The authority to govern the country and means you have power to enact manifesto commitments. Eg Cameron had a mandate to fulfil his mandate commitments of EU referendum after he won an election in 2015.

Question 25

Cameron Speech quote

Answer 25

“We will govern as a party for one nation, one United Kingdom. That means ensuring this recovery reaches all parts of our country, From North to South, From East to West.”

Question 26

New Labour (third way)

Answer 26

INDIVIDUALISM, low income tax to be retained to encourage work, home ownership encouraged. FREE MARKET, no more nationalism and some further privatisation, Trade unions weakened. WELFARE STATE, increased spending on health and education, SOCIAL JUSTICE, minimum wage. COMMUNITARIANISM, all have responsibility for community together - care for environment, voluntary work etc.

Question 27

1983 Labour party

Answer 27

Michael Foot as leader - decisive move to the left. manifesto was described as “longest suicide note in history” by Labour MP. They committed to further nationalisation, higher taxes on the rich, withdrawal from European Economic Community. In the 1983 GE Labour’s vote share dropped from 37% to 28%.

Question 28

Labours movements in 1983-1994

Answer 28

Neil Kinnock (1983-1992) and John Smith (1992-1994) took the party much more central.

Question 29

‘Third way’

Answer 29

idea developed by philosopher Anthony Giddens. According to Giddens the Third way is a compromise between the extremes of communism and capitalism. . In short, Labour should focus on achieving social justice within a prosperous capitalist economy.

Question 30

New Labour (big moment) + blair’s relationships

Answer 30

in 1995 Clause 4 of Labour’s Costitution was modified so that the party abandoned its commitments to nationalisation and accepted the benefits of a free market economy. Blair was at odds with left wing MPs such as Tony Benn and Jeremy Corbyn who believed he was abandoning true socialism.

Question 31

Tony Blair Quote on socialism

Answer 31

“Socialism for me was never about nationalism or the power of the state…it is a moral purpose to life, a set of values, a belief in society, in cooperation, in achieving together what we cannot achieve alone.”

Question 32

example of Blair being very central/right economically

Answer 32

Thatchers’ chanc of Ex Nigel Lawson has lowered the top rate of taxation to 40% in 1998. Blair had kept it at 40% on the basis that the economy would grow faster if the wealthiest in society are creating the wealth.

Question 33

Brown and Miliband leftist policies

Answer 33

When Blair resigned, in response to the economic crisis Brown raised tax to 50p on incomes over £150,000. as well as partial bank nationalisation. this was in response to economic crisis but when Miliband came into power in 2010 he kept the policy and demanded an energy price freeze.

Question 34

Momentum

Answer 34

Was created in 2015 after the election of Jeremy Corbyn and believd in the principles ispired in Karl marx’s vision of human beings. Their influence can be seen in the 2017 election campaign slogan ‘for the many, not the few.’ The 2017 labour manifesto was the most socialist since 1983.

Question 35

Corbyn’s manifesto and quote on tax

Answer 35

50p for people earning over £123,000. 45% on those earning £80,000. + corporation tax would be increased to 26% by 2020. Corbyn stated “There is a social crisis looming in Britain that cannot be resolved by continuing tax giveaways to the wealthiest of our society.”

Question 36

Corbyn manifesto on nationalisation

Answer 36

Re-nationalisation would take place. Railways, water companies, mail would all be re-nationalised as they should are essential services they should be controlled by government for the public interest not to be used for profit.

Question 37

Jeremy Corbyn quote on trade unions

Answer 37

“the labour party will never ever apologise for the closeness of our relationship with the trade union movement”. “you are our family.”

Labour is committed to repealing the Trade Unions Act 2016 which requires 50% of the workforce to vote in a ballot if strike action is to be legal.

Question 38

Corbyn on min wage and work

Answer 38

believes 0 hour contracts should be abolished so they will be guarenteed a number of hours to work each week and the minimum wage would be raised to £10 by 2020.

Question 39

Swing to labour in 2017 election

Answer 39

9.6% swing to labour (still crushing defeat)

Question 40

Corbyn’s other left wing views

Answer 40

Supports soft brexit if any brexit(which many old labour MPs do not eg michael foot and tony benn they were highly eurosceptic), Supports unilateral nuclear disarmament (even though Clement Attlee is responsible for establishing the nuclear deterrent)

Question 41

Financial how Labour have not returned to old ways

Answer 41

still at 50p top rate taxation instead of 83% where it stood in 1979.

Question 42

Corbyns support within the party

Answer 42

In 2016 following the EU vote where Corbyn acted as an unenthusiastic Remainer, 172 labour MPs supported a no confidence vote in his leadership while only 40 labour MPs supported him. Feb 2019 8 labour MPS left to form the Change UK party.