Types of political party in the UK Flashcards
what are the three mainstream parties in the UK
- Labour Party
- Conservative party
- The Liberal Democrats
How was the Labour Party formed
by trade unions and socialist organisations at the start of the 20th century
How was the Conservative Party formed
emerged from the Tory group within parliament in the mid 19th century
how were the Lib Dems formed
came into being as a result of the merger between The Liberal Party and The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1988
what are the two types of minority or ‘niche’ party
- Nationalist
- Single-issue
what is a nationalist party’s aim
Nationalist parties aim to preserve and promote the shared cultural identity and language of indigenous populations within a specific geographical area.
example of a nationalist party trying to gain independence for their nation
Scottish National Party (SNP)
example of a nationalist party trying to pursue more limited regional goals
Meybon Kernow
Why are the British National Party (BNP) distinct
The British National Party (BNP) is distinct in that it promotes what it claims are the common values and lifestyle of all indigenous UK peoples.
Examples of Single-issue parties
- Green Party
- UKIP
- Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern Party
How do some single-issue parties differ
- Some, like the Green Party, offer broad policies rooted in a specific ideology.
- Others focus on a single issue (e.g. UKIP on the EU) or even a specific policy (e.g. Prolife Alliance on abortion).
what is a specific example of a Local single-issue party
the Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern Party, whose candidate Dr Richard Taylor won in 2001 and 2005.
what are focus groups
groups that parties will come to and ask what they think about policies and other legislation to ‘test the waters’
