factors affecting policy

• what are the factors affecting policy-making?

  • manifesto pledges
  • personal convictions
  • outcomes of referendums
  • results of deals with other parties
  • response to national crises
  • mounting pressure from the public and media
  • changing social and cultural attitudes
• Give an example for manifesto pledges and promises

  • Extending free childcare - 2017 manifesto conservatives promised to offer working parents of 3-4 year olds 30 hours free childcare a week instead of 15 hours - only those earning less than £100,000
• What is the analysis for extending free childcare - Manifesto pledges?

  increased number of parents in work and paying taxes. Conservatives stuck to their pledges and implemented them quickly
• what is an example of personal convictions of the PM?

  • privatisation and the scale of council houses - Thatcher gave council house tenants the ‘right to buy’ which allowed them to buy their houses at a substantially reduced rate
• analysis of Privatisation of council houses

  • in 1981 England and Wales had 5.4 million household in social housing and it was carried on by many subsequent governments
• give an example of an outcome of a referendum affecting policy making

  • Brexit - Cameron promised to hold a referendum -> went ahead in 2016 -> 52% for 48% against leaving the EU. Cameron resigned, May took over, resigned, Johnson took over
• what is the significance of Brexit affecting policy making?

  • loss of support and trust in the conservative party after 3 PMs. Cameron stuck to his pledge even though he didn’t support it
• give an example of results of deal with minority parties affecting policy making

  • 2011 AV referendum - 2010 coalition between conservatives and lib dems. Compromise between the want for electoral reform from Lib Dems. it was defeated
• analysis of the 2011 AV referendum

  • wasn’t the reform that the Lib Dems wanted and the conservatives wanted no reform. compromise demonstrated the willingness to carry out policies from both parties to serve the public
• give an example of responses to national crises impacting policy-making

  • COVID 19 - Johnson had to respond quickly to the pandemic with emergency legislation. Early response was limited but became more extensive as time passed
• analysis of COVID 19 on policy making

  • loss of faith in conservatives after it came out that they broke MANY of their own restrictions. People applauded Johnson’s decisiveness but then said he wasn’t doing enough and not quick enough. Emergency policies often don’t get enough scrutiny
• example of mounting pressure from the public and media on policy making

  • climate change policy - one of the most significant public movements was for drastic action over the climate - extinction rebellion etc
• analysis of climate change affecting policy-making

  • 2019 gov pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions to almost zero by 2050 after previously pledging to cut them by 80%
• example of changing social attitudes on policy making

  • 1960’s liberalisation of public attitudes - rapid social change. attitudes to same-sex marriage and women’s rights. Harold Wilson’s gov legal changes reflected social attitudes -> Divorce reform act 1969
• analysis of 1960s liberalisation of public attitudes on policy making

  • a lot of the time policies have reflected social change which demonstrates how social change can have an influence but it can be ignored