Comparison

• structural: electoral systems

  • terms of office
  • UK - change with Act of Parliament, PM no term limit, call snap elections
  • US - change with constitutional amendment, 22nd amendment has 2-term limit
  • elections
  • UK - devolution increased regional assemblies
  • US - primary and caucuses
  • electoral systems
  • UK - majoritarian or FPTP. Regional and European Parliament until 2020 use AMS or SV. Coalition government
  • US - majoritarian or FPTP. No coalition government
• rational: electoral systems

  • core voting groups
  • UK - 2020, Cameron reduce immigration. 2019, Labour promise abolish Universal Credit
  • US - Trump’s Mexican border. 2020, Democrats “for the many not the few”
  • social media
  • UK - 2019, Labour target women over 55
  • US - Trump post 2,000 Facebook ads about immigration
  • swing states
  • UK - 2019, 36 / 61 constituencies Johnson visited were marginals
  • US - 2020, 40% Biden’s visits to Midwest Rust Belt states
• rational: electoral systems differences

  • UK - focus on the general elections and have referendums eg EU and Scottish independence
  • US - opponents of Wallace said, “if you liked Hitler, you’ll love Wallace”. Trump chants “lock her up” to Hilary Clinton. More time campaigning between elections
• cultural: electoral system

  • personalities
  • UK - 1945, Churchill after war. Thatcher and Blair
  • US - Trump outsider but Make America Great Again
  • candidate selection
  • UK - down to party members
  • US - primaries and caucuses
  • voting behaviour
  • both - youth more liberal. Ethnic minorities towards Labour / Democrat. Conservatives and Republicans hard to win wealthy middle-class and well-educated voters
  • US - religious right. Ethnic minorities mobilised to win Texas and Florida
• structural: two-party systems

  • majoritarian or FPTP
  • UK - opposition party, US - House / Senate Minority Leader
  • UK - candidates need £500 deposit and nomination with 10 signatures
  • US - ballot access laws so candidates need many signatures and average 15% on 5 polls. Hard without televised debates
• rational: two-party system

  • vote for main parties to not waste vote
  • UK - tactical voting eg 2019 St Albans, voted for Lib Dems instead of Labour to win
  • UK - no primaries, people defect. 2019, Chuka Umunna and Heidi Allen left main parties, started Change UK Party before joining Liberal Democrats
  • US - high-profile independent candidates eg Trump and Sanders align with main parties
  • US - primaries under main parties emphasise personalities and direct appeal to voters
• cultural: two-party system

  • UK - parliament two-party except during party realignment eg 1920s, Labour became main opposition instead of Liberals
  • US - historically two-party. Libertarians founded in 1971 and Green Party in 1980. Third parties rise and disappear eg Wallace’s American Independent Party
  • Regional diversity
  • UK - culture of devolved regions so nationalist parties eg SNP and Sinn Fein seek independence
  • US - country diverse so 2 national parties with distinct regional characteristics. Not seek independence as union in Civil War
• Significance of third parties

  • UK - 2019, 2 main parties got 75% votes
  • US - 2020, Trump and Biden got 98% votes
  • balance of power
  • UK - 2010-15, Lib Dem and Conservative coalition
  • US - bipartisan support
  • representation
  • UK - devolved assemblies use different voting system
  • US - co-optation of policies eg Democrats took Green Party’s Green New Deal
• party policies: similarities (Conservatives and Republicans)

  • lower tax for businesses and individuals, trickle down economics
  • strong armed force
  • strong nation state eg Eurosceptic and America First
  • individual freedom
  • abandon principles for pragmatism and national interest eg Trump and Johnson pass Covid emergency support
• party policies: similarities (Labour and Democrats)

  • reduce economic gap
  • better public services eg Blair’s “education, education, education” and Obamacare
  • international cooperation eg pro-EU and Obama reduce military in Iraq
  • multiculturalism eg Race Relation Act 1965 and support from African-Americans
• party policy: differences

  • policy
  • Republicans more conservative on social issues eg Cameron introduce same-sex marriage
  • Democrats oppose socialist healthcare eg Sanders Medicare for All but UK support NHS eg Brexit save £350 million for NHS
• party policy: differences

  • ideology
  • Labour from Webb and Clause IV inspired by Marx
  • Conservatives follow Burke and Disraeli’s one nation
• party policy: differences

  • party leaders
  • Thatcher and Reagan agree on free market and oppose USSR
  • Bush and Blair agree on Iraq and Afghanistan war
  • Obama rejected 5 requests for meeting Brown
  • Trump and May not interact
• unity: UK

  • backbench rebellions eg 2013, same-sex marriage had more support from Labour than Conservatives
  • 2016, Corbyn lost vote of no confidence
  • Thatcher separate moderates (wets) and supporters (dries)
  • Major had divisions over Europe
• unity: US

  • hyper partisanship. Geographical divide but loyalty with key voters eg Obamacare and Trump’s impeachment
  • president seeking second term not face primary challenge
  • 2019, Democrat primary divide between progressive (eg write off student-loan debt and Medicare for All) and centrists
• structural: campaign finance

  • expenditure caps
  • UK - £30,00 per candidate
  • US - limit hard money (direct donations) but individual spending uncontrolled
  • state funding
  • UK - government does voter registration and free postage
  • US - matched funding died after 2008 McCain
  • pressure groups
  • UK - Charity Commission ensure not donate to parties
  • US - PACs and Super PACs
  • law
  • UK - Communication Act 2003 says TV airtime not bought for political ads
  • US - 2020, $10.8 billion to buy airtime
• rational: campaign finance

  • interest groups and donors
  • UK - happens less but 2016, banker paid £160,000 to play tennis with Johnson and Cameron
  • US - NRA give donations to Henry Cuellar and Blue Dog coalition
  • political success
  • UK - 2016, Trump spent less than Clinton but won
  • US - 2016, Remain spent more than Leave for Brexit but lost
  • disproportionate
  • UK - swing states eg Florida
  • US - digital ads target specific demographics
• cultural: campaign finance

  • UK - history of donors. Cash for Honours scandal
  • US - Biden sent invitations for virtual receptions for donors. Right to spend in 1st Amendment