The role played by minor parties in political debate and setting the political agenda Flashcards
Define political agenda
Political Agenda:
- Issues that are the subject of decision-making and debate by those with political power
What do nationalist parties, especially the SNP, have?
Strong concentrated regional followings
In 2019, how many seats and total vote did SNP win in Scotland?
48 seats and 45% of the total vote
Without the SNP what would have Cameron definitely not entertained?
A referendum for Scottish independence in 2014
What’s Northen Ireland’s party system largely based on?
Nationalist/Unionist divide
What vote share did the Conservatives get in Ireland 2019?
0.7%, therefore Ulster politics is entirely dominated by ‘minor’ parties
When was the significance of Ulster Parties cast into the spotlight?
When the DUP ended up holding the balance of power in Westminster after the 2017 general election and struck a ‘supply and confidence’ deal with the Conservatives
Which types of parties are also far from insignificant?
‘Single issue’ parties such as the Green party, UKIP and the Brexit party
How did Eurosceptic parties do in European Elections?
Particularly well
How did UKIP do in the 2014 European election?
Nigel Farage’s UKIP won just over 26% of the vote
How did Farage’s newly formed Brexit party do in the 2019 European Parliament election?
Clear first with 31% of the vote, while the Green party pushed the conservatives into a humiliating fifth
How did Nigel Farage’s high profile impact the Conservatives?
They were never able to ignore the debate over the Uk’s future relationship with the EU
Why shouldn’t the Green party be ignored too?
Whilst posing less of a threat to the main progressive parties, it has ensured that environmental issues remain on the political radar
