The structures and functions of the main parties

Question 1

What is the most internally democratic party?

Answer 1

Lib dems

Question 2

The party with the least scope for direct membership participation is?

Answer 2

Tories, Labour in the middle somewhat

Question 3

Formal structures and Policy making

Conservative local level structure?

Answer 3

Local Conservatice Associations, sometimes with ward branches below them

Question 4

Conservative Local level policy making system?

Answer 4

Local conservative Associations play a key role in organising the grassrotts of the party, and in planning local campaigning and selecting candidates

Question 5

Labour local level structure?

Answer 5

Each constituency has a Constituency Labour Party (CLP). Many aso have council ward level Branch Labour Parties (BLP).

Question 6

Labour Local level policy making system?

Answer 6

CLP takes the lead in local and national election campaigns

Question 7

Lib dem local level structure?

Answer 7

The Lib dems have local branches but are also organised along federal lines with seperate national parties for England, Scotland and Wales

Question 8

Lib dem Local level policy making system?

Answer 8

Local branches take the main role in running constituency level campaigns and can also submit motions to conferance for debate

Question 9

Tory National level structure?

Answer 9

• National HQ is at Westminster
• Day to day running of the party is undertaken by the Board of the Conservatice Party, made up of representatives from each section of the party, including MPs and local associations

Question 10

Tory National level policy-making system?

Answer 10

• The conservative Policy Forum was set up in 1998 to enable more grassroots participation in policy-making, although its role is advisory as opposed to binding
• In general, the Tories have left the writing of the manifesto to their leader and trusted advisiors

Question 11

Labour National level structure?

Answer 11

• Base is in London and day to day running is undertaken by the National Executive Committee (NEC)
• The NEC enforces party discipline and can, on occassion, expel members for breaking party rules
• It has the final say over the selection of parliamentary candidates
• The NEC is comprised of around 40 members adn automatically includes representatives from the parliamentary party, affiliated trade unions, CLPs, local councillors and Young Labour

Question 12

Labour National level policy making system?

Answer 12

Until the 1990s’ the annual conferance was the sovreign policy-making body, but its role has since diminished

Question 13

Lib Dem National level structure?

Answer 13

• The party has national headquarters in London
• The Federal Board (FB) is the national governing body
• It comprises 35 voting members including the party president, the leader and three other MPs/peers, the chairs of the three national parties, a Young liberals representative and 15 members directly elected by party members

Question 14

Lib Dem National level policy-making system?

Answer 14

• Process largely replicates the party’s federal structure
• Motions debated and passed at conferance become official national party policy

Question 15

Candidate selection

What’s the first step of the process?

Answer 15

Hopefuls must get onto the party’s central list of approved candidates after undergoing a selection procedure

Question 16

What’s the second step?

Answer 16

Once on their party’s central list, they must then apply to get shortlisted as the prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) by local branches

Question 17

Finally, they get adopted via?

Answer 17

A vote of the local party members

Question 18

What have the parties sought to do in recent years?

Answer 18

Increase the diversity of their candidate pool, particularly in the areas of gender and ethnicity

Question 19

Leadership elections

Under what system do they all operate?

Answer 19

A two-stage system, whereby candidates must initially be nominated by a certain number of MPs/local parties

Question 20

Selection by MPs/Conservative Party?

Answer 20

• MPs vote in a series of ballots to narrow the choice of candidates down to just two names
• E,G, 2022 Liz Truss

Question 21

Election by party members/Conservative Party?

Answer 21

Party members make the final pick on a one member, one vote basis. Johnson won in 2019 with around 2/3 of the vote

Question 22

Selection by MPs/Labour Party?

Answer 22

• Candidates must first secure the backing of at least 10% of Labour MPs/MEPs, and also either 5% of constituency parties or at least three affiliates
• In 2020 in the race to succeed Corbyn, Emily Thornberry failed to get sufficient support from the affiliates section so was unable to proceed to the first round of the vote
• Starmer, Long-Bailey and Nandy all qualified

Question 23

Election by party members/Labour Party?

Answer 23

Party members and registered supporters vote on an OMOV basis using the alternative vote system to make the final choice. In 2020, Starmer won 50% of the vote in the first round

Question 24

Selection by MPs/Lib Dems?

Answer 24

Candidates must gain support from at least 10% of other Lib Dem MPs, and be supported by at least 200 members from more than 20 local parties

Question 25

Election by party members/LIb Dems?

Answer 25

Party members vote on an OMOV basis using the alternative vote to make the final choice. Ed Davey won the leadership race in 2020