The Labour Party

Question 1

What does the Labour Party stand for? - The Labour Party

Answer 1

Labour traditionally stands for collectivism, support for the working classes, social justice, socialism, redistributive taxation and state intervention.

Question 2

How was the Labour Party formed? - The Labour Party

Answer 2

The Labour Party was formed in conjunction with the trade union movement, aiming to support the rights and interests of workers. Founded in 1900.

Question 3

What is Clause IV? How did Tony Blair alter this and change Labour’s main values? - The Labour Party

Answer 3

Clause IV is Labour’s commitment to the nationalisation of large industries, meaning any profits are reinvested in public services. Tony Blair abolished this, changing the party’s commitments towards the middle classes from workers.

Question 4

What were pre-Blair economic policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 4

Callaghan: 83% top rate of income tax.
Foot: control of prices of goods, return an ‘industrial democracy’ by restoring the strength of unions.
Kinnock: private investment in railways to aid their development, 50% top rate of income tax.

Question 5

What were pre-Blair welfare policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 5

Foot: 3% increase in healthcare budget every year, equality between men and women, improvement to unemployment benefits.
Kinnock: £1bn NHS investment over 2 years, expand nursery provision to children.
Wilson: introduced the Open University.

Question 6

What were pre-Blair law and order policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 6

Foot: prioritise crime prevention, introduce limits to police search powers and the powers of arrest.
Kinnock: increase numbers of police officers, relieve officers of non-law and order roles.

Question 7

What were pre-Blair foreign policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 7

Foot: advocated for withdrawal from the EEC, state-promoted stimulation of trade, investment and international economic growth.
Kinnock: stand up for ‘freedom where it is oppressed’ internationally, remain within the EEC due to its economic advantages.

Question 8

What were New Labour economic policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 8

Maintained Thatcherite levels of income tax, partial encouragement of privatisation, maintained weak unions in line with Thatcherite principles, create an independent Bank of England.

Question 9

What were New Labour welfare policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 9

Introduction of privatisation of aspects of the NHS to boost competition, rejected expansion of selective schools, limits on class sizes to 30 pupils, introduction of tuition fees.

Question 10

What were New Labour law and order policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 10

New Labour pledged to be ‘Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime’, decentralisation of the CPS, fast-track prosecution of persistent young offenders, recruit 6,000 more police officers, introduced the Civil Partnership Act.

Question 11

What were New Labour foreign policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 11

Negotiate the Good Friday Agreement and police the Irish peace process, strengthen the UK’s commitment to NATO, Promote ‘Middle-Eastern democratic reform’ which led to the Iraq War.

Question 12

What were Ed Miliband’s economic policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 12

Miliband wanted a 50% top rate of income tax on incomes over £150,000, freeze energy bills and prices, introduce a British Investment Bank, cut UK deficit.

Question 13

What were Ed Miliband’s welfare policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 13

Recruit 8,000 more GPs, 20,000 more nurses, repeal healthcare privatisation and cap profits from the service, scrap the bedroom tax.

Question 14

What were Ed Miliband’s law and order policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 14

Safeguard the jobs of 10,000 police officers, scrap police and crime commissioners, new commissioner for domestic and sexual abuse.

Question 15

What were Ed Miliband’s foreign policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 15

No further EU integration without a referendum on the issue, reform the EU to work for Britain.

Question 16

What were Jeremy Corbyn’s economic policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 16

£10 minimum wage for all full time employment, nationalise energy, water, industries, Royal Mail, rail and broadband, strengthen the unions.

Question 17

What were Jeremy Corbyn’s welfare policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 17

Cut NHS privatisation, stop state pension age rises, introduce a national social care service, scrap universal credit system.

Question 18

What were Jeremy Corbyn’s law and order policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 18

Recruit 22,000 police officers, bring prisons back under public ownership to increase quality of admin, restore legal aid for certain cases, no cap on net migration.

Question 19

What were Jeremy Corbyn’s foreign policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 19

Hold a second referendum on Brexit, maintain the Trident nuclear defence system, net zero climate change target by 2030, grant EU nationals the right to remain.

Question 20

What are Keir Starmer’s economic policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 20

Increase the top 5% of earners’ tax burden, reverse cuts to corporation tax, public ownership of rail, mail, energy and water, strengthen the power of trade unions.

Question 21

What are Keir Starmer’s welfare policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 21

Abolish universal credit and replace it with a credible system, ‘defend’ the NHS and invest in public services, suggestions of an increased private sector role in the NHS to reduce waiting lists.

Question 22

What are Keir Starmer’s law and order/foreign policies? - The Labour Party

Answer 22

Law and order: defend the rights of immigrants, promote ‘peace and human rights’.
Foreign: introduce an act preventing illegal wars.

Question 23

What is Momentum and what are their beliefs? - The Labour Party

Answer 23

Momentum is a socialist/Marxist group formed with the aim of maintaining Jeremy Corbyn’s policies and (initially) leadership. They campaign for large-scale wealth redistribution, public industrial ownership, state regulation of finance, abandoning Trident and an increased minimum wage.

Question 24

What is Blairism? What are its beliefs? - The Labour Party

Answer 24

Blairites believe that ‘popular’ New Labour policies should be retained. Advocate free market economics involving the private sector to create wealth, continued privatisation, authoritarian police, EU integration, reduced dependency culture.

Question 25

What is Blue Labour and what are its beliefs? - The Labour Party

Answer 25

Blue Labour is a conservative-leaning faction of Labour, arguing that working classes support more right-wing values. Support socially conservative policies, an isolationist and economically nationalist approach and free markets. Opposes excessive large business.

Question 26

What is the current influence of Momentum like? - The Labour Party

Answer 26

Momentum has been incredibly successful in recent years, utilising cheap and powerful advertising to promote a socialist cause. However, it currently is trying to sustain an ailing aspect of the party as it moves more towards the centre.

Question 27

What is the current influence of Blairism like? - The Labour Party

Answer 27

Blairism has fallen into the wilderness under Corbyn and, to a lesser extent, Miliband, yet may see a return to prominence under the leadership of Starmer. This may prove conducive to the rise of centrist ideas which had previously been marginalised.

Question 28

What is the current influence of Blue Labour like? - The Labour Party

Answer 28

Blue Labour has largely been marginalised under modern Labour, with more progressive social policies. The Party appears fixated on liberal, progressive social values aimed to promote social justice. Has had some increased influence in Eurosceptic, working class areas.

Question 29

What is democratic socialism? - The Labour Party

Answer 29

Democratic socialism is a moderate socialism aiming to achieve its aims through democratic means. Wants to mix state control of some industry and business with market capitalism, whilst maintaining state welfare, major industry and small business.

Question 30

Summarise the Labour values of equality and class conflict - The Labour Party

Answer 30

Equality: the seeking of wealth redistribution to create a fairer society without the worst inequality and injustice.
Class conflict: issues between working and middle classes cannot be reconciled and that government should support working classes.

Question 31

Summarise the Labour values of equality of opportunity and collectivism - The Labour Party

Answer 31

Equality of Opportunity: everyone should have equal life chances regardless of background or upbringing.
Collectivism: goals are best achieved collectively than individually. This is seen through state welfare, unionism and the cooperative movement.

Question 32

Summarise the Labour values of common ownership and trade unionism - The Labour Party

Answer 32

Common Ownership: public ownership of major industries on behalf of the people.
Trade Unionism: championing of workers and their rights against employers. Restores balance of power in favour of the many.

Question 33

Summarise the Labour values of statism and welfarism - The Labour Party

Answer 33

Statism: central state playing a major role in controlling economic activity and achieving social goals. Ensures equality.
Welfarism: every member of society being protected by a welfare system, contributed to by everyone.