The Role Played By Minor Parties

Question 1

What are nationalist parties?

Answer 1

-SNP
-Plaid Cymru
-NI divisions

Question 2

What is the SNP?

Answer 2

-has strong concentrate regional followings
-SNP largest Scottish party in terms if seats at Westminster + Scottish parl
-2019 won 48 seats + 45% of total vote in Scotland
-without pressure from SNP Cameron wouldn’t have entertained referendum for Scottish independence 2014

Question 3

Plaid Cymru?

Answer 3

-wales Plaid Cymru won 4/40 Welsh seats + secured just over 10% of vote

Question 4

NI divisions?

Answer 4

-NI own party system in nationalist/unionist divide
-3 main PP absent from Ulster politics
-Ulster politics largely dominated by ‘minor parties’ like DUP + UUP
-significance — Ulster owe ties cast when DUP held balance of power in Westminster after 2017 gen elec + struck ‘supply + confidence deal with cons

Question 5

What are single issue parties?

Answer 5

-green party
-UKIP
-Brexit party

Question 6

Eurosceptic parties?

Answer 6

-UKIP - Brexit party
-they fared well in European elections - won those in 2014 + 2019
-2014 Farage UKIP won over 26% of vote defeating 3 main parties - his new Brexit oath won 2019 European parl elections by bigger margin finished clear first over 31%
-green party pushed cons into humiliating fifth place

Question 7

What is the wider impact?

Answer 7

-many argue eurosceptic pushed cons party into more resolute position on Brexit to avoid losing votes + seats
-but eurosceptic only one Westminster seat, Clacton when Tory mp Carswell deflected UKIP + won by-election
-ongoing attraction of these parties meant cons never ignore UKs future relationship with EU
-green party shouldn’t be ignored either - although less of threat it has ensured environmental issues remain a political radar