UK Deomcracy And Particaption: Particaipation Thorugh Membership Flashcards
How many members in the Labour membership ?
485,000
How many members in the conservative membership ?
180,000
How many members in the SNP membership ?
126,000
How many members in the Lib Dem’s membership ?
115,000
How many members in the Green Party membership ?
48,500
How many members in the UKIP membership ?
29,000
How many members in the Plaid Cymru membership ?
10,000
The membership of the conservative, labour and Lib Dem constituted what percentage of the electorate ?
1.7%
In the 1950s how many memberships were there for conservative and Labour ?
Conservative could boast around 2.8 million members
Labour had in excess of 1million members
Overall what is the conclusion of participation when it comes to memberships ?
While there is a clear decline in the number of formal members of political parties, the picture is arguably not terminal decline, labours membership grew considerably in the years after 2014 and the steady decline in Conservative Party membership has also levelled off
What social class do a majority of members in party membership belong to ?
Higher social classes
Figures in 2019 show this for Lib Dem’s and UKIP what percentage is it ?
Lib Dem’s= 85%
UKIP=65%
More than what percentage of current Conservative Party member are aged 60+
53%
What percentage of 18-24 yr olds make up the overall of labours, Lib Dem’s and Conservative memberships ?
4% and 6%
Define partisan dealignment ?
The process whereby individuals become less partisan and predictable in supporting a particular political party
What other factors is cited as evidence for a participation crisis ?
Volatility of voters
Why has social class become less reliable ?
Voters have been more prepared to shop around and vote according to policies and personalities as opposed to traditional tribal loyalties
Which two parties had topped the polls in the last two European elections contested in the UK ?
UKIP and Brexit Party
How many seat did the Green Party gain in the 2019 electoral election ?
Nearly 200 seats
How many new councillors did independent gain in the same election ?
600
Does this suggest a political crisis ?
Not fully because its merely disillusionment with some of the more established parties
Show me evidence of participation growth ?
In 2019 Conservative and labour vote share was 75% and 82% in 2017 while in 2010 it was just 65%
How can the growth of partisan dealignment be due to a decline of traditional notion of class ?
British politics and parties were once dominated by class but this is no longer the case
Arguments for a participation crisis in UK politics ?
-turnout has been low in many recent elections
-membership of political parties has declined sharply in the past half century
-partisan dealignment suggest that voters increasingly feel no affiliation to a particular political party
-disillusionment with politicians has increased since the 2009 expenses scandal
-political apathy is particularly marked among 18-24 year olds who are less likely to vote or join a political party than older voters
-many modern politcal participation method amount to slacktivism and not true activism
