The Labour Party Flashcards

1
Q

in 1900 what percentage of the Labour Committee’s affiliated

  • membership
  • Party conference
  • Income was from the unions ?
A

94%

  • 80%
  • similar percentage
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2
Q

What happened in 1918 which gave the Labour party an opportunity to launch a serious electoral challenge?

A

All men aged 21 and over right to vote

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3
Q

What was the most important part of the 1918 Labour constitution? what did this mean?

A
  • Clause 1V

- Clear commitments to public ownership of key industries and the redistribution of wealth

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4
Q

What evidence of the 1970’s suggest ideological factions within the Labour Party?

A

PrimeMinister James Callaghan, right of the party, public sector demands had to be resisted
-Michael Foot&Tony Benn, left of the party, favoured greater wealth distribution

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5
Q

What happened in 1979 as a result of Labours defeat?

A

Following the Winter of Discontent, those on the left of the party took control, leadership of Michael Foot

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6
Q

What was the biggest negative of the leadership of Michael Foot in the 1983 general election ?
What did Conservatives say about this ?

A

He created the most left wing manifesto in history.

‘the longest suicide note in history’

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7
Q

What did the 1983 manifesto include? (5)

A
  • commitment to state control of ALL major industries
  • tighter regulations of business
  • enhanced workers rights
  • support for unilateral nuclear disarmament
  • Withdrawal from NATO
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8
Q

Which 3 Labour leaders began the New Labour movement ?

A

1) Neil Kinnock
2) John Smith
3) Tony Blair

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9
Q

when was Clause 1V removed from the parties constitution ?

A

1995

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10
Q

Why did some people oppose Blair in the New Labour movement?

A

They believed that he was abandoning the socialist principles by which the party was founded

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11
Q

What are the role of Labour party members? (2)

A
  • Selecting candidates for local elections

- Send delegates to the General Committee of the Constituency Labour Party (CLP)

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12
Q

What does the CLP do ?

A

-Plays a key role in organizing at constituency level

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13
Q

What is the National Exectutive Committee (NEC) for labour ?
What does it do?(3)

A

The main organ of the national party

  • Oversees preparation of policy proposals
  • Final say on parliamentary candidate selection
  • Enforces party discipline
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14
Q

What is the power of the Constituency Associations and how does this differ in power to Labour ?

A
  • Organise party at grass-roots level
  • Planning election campaigns
  • selecting parliamentary candidates

-Constituency Associations do not have the same free rein in selecting parliamentary candidates

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15
Q

How did labour conferences change from 1997?

A

Party adopted a 2 year policy making cycle

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16
Q

What was the system in place under the 2 year cycle?

A

The National Policy Forum appointed policy commissions to make proposals, then formalised in National Executive Committee before passing to party conference for approval

17
Q

How is the 2 year cycle change better for the Labour party?

A
  • Party leader more control

- Avoids surprise conflicts which make party appear internally divided

18
Q

How does Labour select a labour leader?

A

1/3rd votes held by parliamentary party (MEP’s)
1/3rd votes held by affiliated organisations (unions)
1/3rd votes cast by members of constituency members (OMOV)

19
Q

When was the Labour party created?

A

at the start of the 20th century