Political Parties

Cards (72)

  • political party - group of like-minded individuals who seek to achieved shared goals by sending candidates at elections
    • securing election to public office
  • ideology - set of beliefs/ideas that people have on economic, social and political issues
    • distinguishes between left (extreme communism) or right (extreme fascist) tendencies
  • left-wing ideologies: likely to be progressive, favour social justice, believe the state should provide welfare, taxation should be used to help redistribute income
  • right-wing ideologies: value tradition + economic freedom, believe people should be able to look after themselves
    • value capitalism + believe welfare creates dependency culture disincentive for people to work
    • believe in freedom to succeed over equality
  • manifesto - pre-election policy document which party sets out series of policy pledges + legislative proposals
    • planned to put in place once elected
  • mandate - right of governing party to put in place polices set out in manifesto
  • Salisbury Convention - HOL doesn't block/wreck legislation promised in manifesto governing party
  • function - work/operate in a particular way
  • feature - important aspect of something
  • mainstream parties
    • Conservatives
    • Labour
    • Liberal Democrats
  • niche/minor parties: have distinctive focus on limited set of issues
    • may be ignored by mainstream parties
  • nationalist/regional parties: represent shared cultural identity of people in certain area
    • some radical parties on the right, have had success pursuing nationalist agenda
    e.g. UKIP's withdrawal from the EU
  • UKIP declined after 2016 Brexit Referendum, as it lost its niche in the UK, leaving EU
    • support base distinctive - MC Eurosceptics + WC voters who felt left behind by economic and cultural change
    • Conservatives become pro Brexit Party, so issue no longer niche BUT mainstream - pressure led David Cameron to call EU referendum
  • MPs paid from general taxation
    • allowed to claim benefits/expenses to cover cost of living in Westminster +their constituency + traveling
  • Right wing ideas: PART 1
    • strong position on law and order
    • stress national unity and patriotism
    • acceptance of private sector involvement in the provision of public services
    • lower levels of taxation to encourage private enterprise + create incentives to work
  • Right wing ideas: PART 2
    • support for free market in goods, finance and labour - including reducing trade union power
    • state shouldn't interfere with working of economy
    • keeping welfare benefits low - incentive for people to work and not become dependent on the state
  • Left wing ideas: PART 1
    • support measures designed to create equality of opportunity
    • stress equal rights for all groups in society
    • strong support for welfare state
  • Left wing ideas: PART 2
    • redistributing income from rich to poor - through taxation and welfare
    • support for workers' rights and trade union power
    • state should support industries vital to society and economy
  • Features of Political Parties:
    • members hold broadly similar political views
    • seek power/influence on those who hold power
    • have formal membership
    • usually have organisation whose purpose is to develop policies and recruit candidates for election
  • Functions of Political Parties: PART 1
    • provide organised opportunities for people to participate meaningfully in politics
    • when in opposition, they call government to account
    • educate general public on political issues
  • Functions of Political Parties: PART 2
    • recruit people who can stand for election to represent institutions - at local, regional + national levels
    • manage election campaigns, presenting electorate with choices between sets of policies
    • convert political demands into practical political programmes of action/ political ideas and aspiration into policies
  • UK resistance to the state funding parties - meet election costs from voluntary subscription of membership + fundraising
  • 2000 Political Parties, Election and Referendum Act: attempt to overcome perception that party funding is an undemocratic feature of UK political system
    • donation more than £5000 has to be declared and the details published at regular intervals
    • amount party spend capped at £30,000 in constituency
    • independent electoral commission set to supervise party spending on electoral campaigns
  • Short money - publicly funded to support opposition parties carry out parliamentary business (e.g. policy research)
  • Cranbourne Money - provides funds to support main + second-largest opposition party and cross-bench peers
  • "cash for peerages" - wealthy individuals loaned money to Labour party, and had been nominated for honours
    • exploiting loophole which only regulated outright gifts
  • Why is funding controversial?
    • funding by large donors may give them secretive and unaccountable influence
    • part donations verge on being corrupt, as some give with the expectation of receiving an honour (e.g. peerage/knighthood)
    • decline of party memberships = relying heavily on donations from rich benefactors
  • FOR - State funding of parties
    • play important role in representative democracy and deserve public funding
    • removed disparity in resources available to different sized parties
    • encourage public participation and recruitment to parties
  • AGAINST - State funding of parties
    • increased funding may lead to greater state regulations + reducing party independence
    • hard to decide level of support required for parties to qualify for funding
    • taxpayers resent compulsory contributions to parties
    • isolate parties from wishes of voters
  • Labour Party History: "Old Labour"
    • their 1918 constitution, CLAUSE 4 committed campaign for "common ownership" of the means of production, distribution + exchange
    • nationalise key industries + services in interests of community rather than profit
  • Key Labour Principles
    • nationalise + redistribute of wealth
    • provision of improving welfare state services - largely rejected more free market approach associate with Thatcherism/New Right
    • post-war Labour government (1945-79) were social democratic - didn't try abolish capitalism, but aimed to manage so didn't exploit workforce
    e.g. creation of comprehensive schools
    • defeat of last "Old Labour" MP James Callaghan caused division between moderate social democrats + radical left-wing members - lost on hardline socialist programme then elected centre left
  • Labour Part Today: "New Labour"
    • began to move away from hard left position due to recognition old industrial base of country disappeared - people became more affluent
    • dropped unpopular policy proposals (e.g. CLAUSE 4) + role of trade unions downgraded

    • aimed go find "third-way" between old-style socialism + free market capitalism
    • became more pro-European as EU adopted policies protecting workers' rights
    e.g. Blair won landslide victory May 1997 - strong emphasis on managing public image to ensure Labour demonstrating unity + discipline
  • Similarities between "Old" vs "New" Labour
    • nationalisation
    • minimum wage
    • belief in the NHS
  • Features of "Old" Labour
    • comprehensive education (NL wouldn't disagree)
    • universal benefits
    • anti-trident (nuclear weapons)
    • close working relationship with trade unions
  • Features of "New" Labour
    • devolution
    • prison as a measure of punishment
    • low taxation
  • Miliband was the leader of Labour from 2010 - 2015
  • Corbyn was the leader of Labour from 2015 - 2019
  • Starmer is the leader of Labour from 2019 - present
  • Modern Labour Policies: Economy
    Miliband - opposed cuts to public expenditure imposed under coalition
    + proposed increased investment in economy
    Corbyn - focus on public ownership of industries, total opposition to austerity + support nationalisation of public utilities
    Starmer - promotes policy "Common Ownership", public services should be in public hand + not making profit from shareholders
  • Modern Labour Policies: Law and Order
    Corbyn - takes softer line focusing on retaining civil liberties + keeping human rights act as it is
    Starmer - increase funding + support for services (e.g. youth centres + intervention programmes) as cuts fueled anti-social behaviour + violent crime