UK Politics: Political parties Flashcards
The development of Political parties
Conservative Party paraded it’s credentials as the ‘patriotic party’z a century ago, this translated to string support for the British empire. By 21st century this became Euroscepticism & wariness of too much sovereignty to the EU.
Labour Party was the party for the working classes & preached the gospel of wealth distribution & public ownership. By 21st century, this became general commitment to social justice.
The development of the Conservative Party
-began 1834 & was most successful.
-held office for 2/3rds of period since 1900.
-drew fire support from aristocracy & privileges of Church of England.
-one nation conservatism.
-buskellite pragmatism & consensus.
-traditional values.
-Thatcherism.
-policies today.
-divisions within party.
One nation conservatism
-associated with Victorian PM, Disraeli.
-unite nation with moderate social reforms & patriotism.
-‘the palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy’.
-Johnson’s speech “members of our new one nation government, a people’s govt”.
-embraced state protecting vulnerable through public services without penalising the rich with high income tax or seeking to dismantle free market capitalism.
-privilege & inequality (wealth) is natural & duty comes with.
Buskellite pragmatism & Consensus
-after 1945 Labour landslide & development of the welfare state, party accepted Labours reforms.
-the ‘Buskellite’ conservatism’ was pro-European & they were keen to join what was the European Economic Community (EEC), now the EU.
Traditional values
-support the traditional nuclear family& marriage.
-more right wing.
-firm line on immigration policy.
-Majors speech ‘Back to basics’ “self discipline & respect for the law & accept responsibility for yourself.”
-passing on Section 28 in 1988, banning promotion of homosexuality in schools.
-May promised to create a ‘hostile environment’ for illegal immigrants.
-opposition of some conservatives for Sunday trading. (Backbench revolt in 2016).
-critics argue this embraced elements of racism e.g. Powell’s 1968 ‘Rivers of Blood speech’.
Thatcherism
-conviction over compromise.
-promoted individual freedom, especially economic to slay the ‘dragons’ of overalls powerful trade unions & to emphasise self-help & personal responsibility.
-aim was to denationalise most government owned industries & encourage council tenants to buy their own homes.
-lower taxes.
-broke power of National union of Mineworkers (NUM).
-confident & assertive foreign policy overseeing Falklands victory in 1982.
-won a hard fought financial rebate from the EU
The policies & principles of the Conservatives today
2019 policy pledges:
-extra funding for the NHS (50,000 more nurses & 50 million more GP surgery appointments).
-20,000 additional police officers & tougher sentencing.
-get Brexit done.
-no raising rate of income tax.
Divisions within the Conservatives
Until 2019, successive Tory leaders were divided between leavers & remainers.
-May tried to placate both wings but her deals were rejected in several occasions & she suffered a record number of ministerial resignations.
-Majority of MPs rejected Cameron’s bill to legalise same sex marriage in 2013 (supported by opps).
The development & policies of the Labour Party
-Origins traced back to Farringdon St conference of 1900.
-Alliance between trade union members & socialist groups.
-Aimed to get working class representation in parliament.
-Adopted clause IV in 1918 which wanted to abolish capitalism, have nationalisation.
-Originally revolution style but still parliamentary & constitutional.
-economic socialism
-trade unionism
-globalist internationalism
-new Labour/third way socialism
-clause IV
-policies today
Economic socialism
-postwar Atlee government, set up the welfare state ,took state ownership core industries (coal mining).
-other Labour governments nationalised several industries including shipbuilding & aerospace industries in 1977.
-Thatcher saw sale & Blair never renationalised them.
-Corbyns manifesto included partial denationalisation.
-Shows labours historic pledge to redistribute wealth for the many not the few.
Trade unionism
-right to struke & trade union recognition in the workplace.
-trade unions supplied most of labours funding & sponsored some MPs.
-due to deindustrialisation the influence of unions decreased.
-power weakened by conservative reforms in 1980s which made unions more democratic & harder for them to take industrial action.
-Blair didn’t reverse.
-Corbyn increase influence of unions.
Globalist internationalism
-peace & disarmament.
-Macdonald labours first leader was a pacifist during WW1.
-strong body in grassroots movement opposed to nuclear weapons & advocating nuclear disarmament.
New Labour/ Third way socialism
-Blair wanted to modernise Labour & move it to the centre.
-wanted triangulation & accepting Thatcherite policies but retaining labours values of social justice & fairness.
-emphasis on use of profits for justice.
-“Education, education, education.”
-eliminating child poverty.
-Blair won 3 consecutive general elections.
-some saw Third way as a betrayal & sell out, ie. Corbyn.
The Labour Party & Clause IV
-reflected socialist goals & language of Marx involving commitment to large scale nationalisation.
-newly modified clause read “dynamic economy serving the public interest..reproduce the wealth the nation needs” compared to OG “secure for workers”.
-repealed the clause as it was too leftist & Blair modernised it.
Policies & principles of Labour today - Policy pledges
-second Brexit referendum.
-raise minimum wage from £8.21 to £10 ph.
-increase health budget by 4.3%.
-bring forward the net zero target on carbon emissions putting UK on track for net zero carbon energy in 2030s.
-strengthen trade unions right of entry to workplaces to organise, meet & represent members to recruit.
repeal Trade union act 2016.
-asylum seekers have the right to work, access public services & always treated humanely.
Policies & principles of Labour today - Strand of Labour most reflected
-slightly Blairite with clear desire to remain in EU.
-somewhat Blairite with emphasis on fair capitalism & social justice.
-economic socialism- Blairite accepted private sector.
-globalist internationalism- caring for planet.
-trade unionism- shift from Blair where Tory’s anti-union laws were untouched.
-globalist internationalism- reflects Labours emphasis on human rights.
Outcome of Labours 2019 election
-very left wing.
-electorate rejected & Labours share of votes fell from 40% to 32%.
-“longest suicide note in history.”
-Brexit referendum redo wasn’t popular especially in traditional Midlands & northeastern strongholds.
-Corbyn was not popular.
The development & policies of the Lib Dem’s
-until 1920s they were the conservatives main rival.
-their leader Gladstone stood for free trade, religious toleration, self help & more ethical foreign policy.
-party suffered a split over Irish home rule 1885/6.
-more divisions during wartime coalitions.
-received third party status by 1930s.
-after merge of Libs & SDP, they gained their name (1988).
-progressively centrist party with committment to Europe & the EU.
Lib Dem’s 2019 manifesto pledges
-stop the Brexit process completely.
-defend HRA 1988 & resist attempts to withdraw from ECHR.
-use STV and introduce proportional representation.
-give 16 year olds the vote.
-reinstate maintenance grants for poorer students so living costs aren’t a barrier at university.
Lib Dem manifesto values & principles
-very pro-EU & remain defenders.
-civil liberties - pforecting civil liverties & didn’t want a security state, e.g. Labour proposing compulsory ID cards was scrapped by 2010 govt.
-political reform- succeeded in coalition of proposing AV referendum. want fair & representative government.
-education- abolition of tuition fees, party has done well in student cities (Oxford/Cambridge).
The current state of the Lib Dems
-after coalition, the party was punished when in 2010 they won 57 seats but only 8 in 2015 election.
-after demise of Change UK party, some MPs switched to Lib Dems.
-coalition meant abandonment of policies (ie. abolishing tuition fees).
-some critiqued Swinson “it feels like she’s running a presidential campaign when no one really knows her.”
The structures & functions of the main parties
-formulation of policy & manifesto.
-selecting candidates for elections & leader.
-the most open & internally democratic is seen to be Lib Dems.
-all parties display shift towards centralising power.
Party structure meaning
The organisation of political parties at both local & national level.
Local level structure: Conservative
Local conservative associations, sometimes with ward branches below them.
Local level structure: Labour
Each constituency has a constituency Labour Party. CLP & many council ward level have Branch Labour parties (BLP).
Local level structure: Liberal Democrat’s
Have local branches but are also organised alongside federal lines with separate national parties for England, Wales & Scotland.
Local level policy-making systems: Conservatives
LCA play a key role in organising the classrooms of the party & planning local campaigning & selecting candidates although with less autonomy in the latter than previously.
Local level policy-making systems: Labour
CLP takes the lead in local & national election campaigns.
Local level policy-making systems: Liberal Democrats
Local branches take the main role in running constituency level campaigns & can also submit motions to conference for debate.
National level structure: Conservatives
-The National HQ is Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) at Millbank, WM.
-day to day running of the party is sme by Board of the Conservative parties with representatives from each section of party (MPs & local associations).
-only 3 of its 18 members are from grassroots (overseen by Annual Convention).
National level structure: Labour
-National base in Victoria St, London.
-ran by National executive committee (NEC).
-NEC enforces party discipline & can expel members for breaking party rules & has final say over selection of parliamentary candidates.
-compromised of around 40 members (from traduce unions, CLPs, local councillors & Young Labour).
National level structure: Liberal Democrat’s
-national headquarters in Great George St, London.
-the Federal Board (FB) is the national governing body.
-compromises of 35 voting members (party president, leader & 3 other MPs/peers, chairs of 3 national parties, a councillor, a young Liberals representative & 15 elected by party members).
National level policy-making systems: Conservatives
-conservative policy forum set up in 1998 to enable more grassroots participation in policy-making (advisory).
-manifesto written by leader & advisors.
-Major won with 1992 manifesto “it was all me”.
National level policy-making systems: Labour
Until the 1990s, the annual conference was the sovereign policy-making body but it’s role has since diminished.
National level policy-making systems: Liberal Democrats
-this process largely replicates the party’s federal structure.
-motions debated & passed at conference become official at national party policy.
-polices that affect the whole UK/England are voted on by the Lib Dem Federal conference while Scottish, Welsh & regional conferences set policy that only affects their own area.
Candidate selection
-hopefuls must get onto party’s central list of approved candidates after undergoing a selection/vetting procedure.
ie. Conservatives must pass a Parliamentary assessment board which tests skills such as communication & motivational leadership.
-then, once on central list, they must apply to get shortlisted as the prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) by local branches.
-finally, they then get adopted following a vote of local party members.
In an attempt of diversity;
-Labour made use of all women shortlists.
-Conservatives have used open primaries & priority lists.
Selection by MPs: Conservatives
-MPs vote in series of ballots to narrow the choice of candidates to 2 names.
-in 2019, 9 MPs secured enough support to stand but after a succession of votes by Con MPs, 7 were eliminated leaving Hunt & Johnson on ballot.
Selection by MPs: Labour
-candidates must secure backing of at least 10% of Labour MPs/MEPs & either 5% of constituencies or at least 3 affiliates (2 must be trade unions).
-in 2020, Thornberry failed to get support from the affiliates in a race with Corbyn.
-Starmer, Long-Bailey & Nandy all qualified to stand in 1st round of the vote of party members.
Selection by MPs: Liberal Democrat’s
Candidates must gain support from at least 10% other Lib Dem MPs, & be supported by at least 200 members from more than 20 local parties.
Election by party members: Conservatives
-party members make the final pick on 1 member.
-one vote (OMOV) basis.
-Johnson won a clear victory in 2019 with 2/3rds of the vote, after 16 regional Justin’s before party members & several televised debates.
Election by party members: Labour
-party members & registered supporters vote on an OMOV basis using AV system for final choice.
-2020, Starmer won over 50% of 1st round so no need for 2nd.
Election by party members: Liberal Democrat’s
-party members vote on an OMOV basis using AV for final choice.
-Davey won race in 2020 with 63.5% of the vote.
Extra info
The current state of regulation
Unlike the USA, campaign finance is tightly regulated in the UK via 2 key pieces of legislation, the Political parties, Elections & Referendums act (PPERA) 2000 & the Political parties & Election act (PPEA) 2009.
Political parties, Elections & Referendums act 2000
-all political parties must register with the Election Commission & provide regular returns of their income & expenditure.
-strict limits on party spending in run up to election, £30,000 per constituency.
-parties have to declare large donations (over £7500).
-regulates campaign expenditure for national referendums & can issue fines to parties that break the rules.
-2018, Leave.EU fined £70,000 for breaches of electoral law.
Political Parties & Elections act 2009
-strengthens provisions of PPERA by increasing powers of the Electoral Commission & placing further requirements on parties & donors to clarify the source of donations.
-only can come from UK residents.
Membership subscriptions
-agreed to be the fairest & most transparent method of funding.
-large numbers playing small numbers ensures no single donor gets undue influence.
-problem is that party memberships aren’t by themselves large enough to sustain finance required to professionally fund & run national campaigns and advertisement.
Individual donors
-all main parties rely on generous individual donors.
ie. Blair relied on chief executive of Formula 1 group.
-mostly they rely on trade union (GMB & Unite) who gave over £3million in 2019.
-Conservatives have generous donors raising more than £5.67million in the 1st week of 2019 election campaign.
-problem with reliance on donors is the potential for corruption, & undue political influence & access.
-1997 Ecclestone’s £1million donation to Labour led some to suggest it was repaid by a delay in the intro to ban tobacco advertising in Formula 1 motor facing.
-openDemocracy found that 20% of an elite group of Tory founders who donate in excess of £50K received honours after donating. E.g. Farmer (hedge fund manager) who gave over £6.4million received peerage.
State funding
-parties can receive public funds through Policy development grants (£2million in total annually).
-they can also receive Short (commons) & Cranborne (lords). Money which is paid to opposition parties to help with administrative work in providing effective scrutiny of the govt.
-indirect help through free television airtime for alert election broadcasted & free postage during elections for 1 piece of campaign literature.
Should the state fund political parties? Yes
-state money would be ‘clean’ without dependence on donors who may expect things in return.
-provides greater equality (Conservatives our raised all rivals in 2019).
-encourages people to vote.
-enables politicians to focus on representing all constituents & developing policies that all benefit from instead of just potential donors.
Should the state fund political parties? No
-voters shouldn’t fund parties they dmt agree with, could be used for health & education.
-politics should be treated as an extension of the free market & the right to donate is a democratic right (if it’s open & identified).
-funding based on the existing share of the vote strengthens larger parties making it harder for smaller parties to get off ground.
The extent to which a multiparty system exists in Britain
-2019 election, 87% of the seats held by the 2 largest parties on a combined vote share of nearly 76%.
-however, in 2010, combined Tory/Labour vote was only 65%.
-no fewer than 10 parties won seats in the last EU elections in 2019.
-Scotland has 3-4 party politics.
-many local authorities have hung councils with no party in overall control, ie. 2019 council elections, i dependants won over 1100 council seats.
-unelected lords is a multiparty chamber with no party in majority overall & more cross benchers than either Labour or Lib Dems.
The UK party system - is it changing? (article)
The fast rise & fall of the 2 party system (article)
Traditional liberalism
‘Laissez faire’ attitude with minimal government interference & free market economics, compared to neo-liberalism (positive liberty)
Non-partisan media & Nuances
-terrestrial TV governed by strict rules on impartiality and all broadcast news reposting must be fair (political neutrality).
-one of BBC charter’s principles is “to provide impartial news and information.”
Nuances:
-Ofcom has found that BBC is seen by some as representing a white, middle class and London-centric point of view that is not relevant to their
lives.
-May 2023,YouGov’s biannual public opinion tracker reported that only 22% of people think the BBC “is generally neutral”.
Tabloid’s relationship with Political parties
-rarely shy in expressing political viewpoints.
ie. Dec 2019, the Sun branded Jeremy Corbyn ‘the most dangerous man ever to stand for high office in Britain’.
-The Sun have also claimed credit for poll successes= ‘It’s the Sun Wot Won It’ after Major’s win in 1992.
which was then retracted and called ‘tasteless and wrong’ by Murdoch.
-One study argued that The Sun’s switch to New Labour generated around 525k extra votes for Labour and 550k for Tories.
Modern media war
-decline in national newspaper circulation and media is more online.
-parties are more in control and less reliant on tabloids.
i.e own adverts.
ie 2017 & 19 targeted Facebook ads about Tory & NHS in marginal seats like Stroud and Abingdon.
-Gender targeted by Tories= one advert text read over 250,000 times about recruiting more policy for safety.
How much did main parties spend on ads?
listed in Facebooks Ad Library Report 2018-20:
-Lib Dems and Labour over 1 million
-Tories around 999,000.
Factors affecting electoral outcomes
-Relevance and attractiveness of main policies= ‘Get Brexit Done’ resonated more with voters.
-Leadership= (strong personality and good communication) May repeating ‘strong and stable govt’ made her seem robotic whereas Corbyn appealed to youth when appearing on stage at Glastonbury 2017 & 19.
-Committed activists: local campaigners gaining party support in constituency.
-Strength of opposition: Lib Dem’s overall vote fizzled out with Jo Swinson’s ‘Stop Brexit approach’.
-Party unity: Johnson removed whip from 21 tory rebels whereas Labour remained heavily factionalised.
-Electoral system: Lib Dems are disadvantaged, got 11% vote but 1.7% seat.
Minor parties & have they reshaped politics?
-never likely to win WM elections but play a part in political agenda.
Reshaping politics:
-can form coalition govts/supply and confidence agreements when there is a hung parliament.
-concentrated support in single issue parties.
i.e Green party.
-strong alternative views to govt.
ie Lib Dem/reform UK.
-holding balance of power ie DUP
-impacting electoral map ie SN
-impacting policy.
i.e UKIP&Brexit, SNP&Devolution.
Examples of Minority party influence: Single-issue parties (Brexit party)
-Nigel Farage announced that they would not stand in seats won by Tories in 2017 and only opposition
seats.
-evidence suggests even if they didn’t do this, may not have affected result as they stood in strong
Labour majorities.
-UKIP and Brexit party fared well in European elections as Eurosceptic parties: UKIP won over 26% vote in 2014 and Brexit won 31% in 2019.
Examples of Minority party influence: Single-issue parties (Green party)
-only one seat in parliament since 2020 but they pushed conservatives to 5th place in European elections.
-impact on environmentalism + social issues.
Examples of minority parties: Nationalist parties (SNP & Plaid Cymru)
SNP:
-Labour had been the dominant party in Scotland until SNP won Scottish Parliamentary elections, 2011, Labour lost support after 2014 independence referendum and lost 41 seats by 2015.
-influenced Cameron to push for independence ref in 2014.
Plaid Cymru:
-4/40 Welsh seats and just over 10% of vote.
