Small parties

• SNP:

  • 2015 GE: SNP won 56/59 Scottish seats in Westminster
  • They want a second Scottish Independence referendum
  • Since 2021, the SNP has seen a considerable decline in opinion polling due to a number of scandals involving the party’s leadership.
  • Nicola Sturgeon resigned as leader in 2023 and, shortly after, was arrested in connection with an investigation into the party’s finances.
• UKIP/Brexit/Reform party:

  • Pro-Brexit
  • Despite winning 3.8 million votes in 2015, they only won 1 seat. 
  • After the Brexit vote in 2016, UKIP began to wind down, losing 84% of their vote share between the 2015 and 2017 General Elections.
  • Former leader, Nigel Farage created the Brexit party, which is now renamed to Reform UK
• Reform UK:

  • Reform UK policies: an elected House of Lords and adopting a proportional electoral system for general elections. 
  • They have drained a lot of support from former Conservative voters who feel disillusioned by the party’s leadership.
  • Evaluation (support for Reform may benefit Labour in next GE)
• DUP:

  • Unionist, Northern Irish party
  • Only party in Stormont to campaign for Brexit
  • Wants to avoid a hard boarder with Ireland
  • Went into Confidence and Supply with May Government in 2017
  • 2017: 28 seats in Stormont vs 27 Sinn Fein seats
• Evaluate the claim that 'minor parties are unimportant in the UK'

  How to tackle question:

  Unimportant? = Don't make a difference on the electorate, not necessary, don't represented. (Choose 2/3 different definitions)

  Define terms - minor parties= DUP, SF, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru - they have representation

  Other minor parties - UKIP, MRLP, Reform

  What to look at= Devolved assemblies vs Westminster.
• Evaluate the claim that 'minor parties are unimportant in the UK'

  A01

  • Defining who the parties are and what they do, specify whether they are important in the context of Westminster (DUP confidence and supply, hung parliament, May. Or small majorities, Lib-Dem coalition)
  • In context of devolved assemblies: Greens have MSPs in Scotland + have a coalition with SNP in Scotland. - Would not have a gov in Scotland without the Greens. Plaid Cymru has had a coaltion with Labour in Wales.
• Evaluate the claim that 'minor parties are unimportant in the UK'

  A01:

  • In terms of media: Reform sparks populist debates: Harsh immigration policy
  • Monster Raving Looning party - takes vote away from major parties.
  • UKIP - Issue voting - exploited the weakness of the Conservative party. In 2015 Cameron lost 4 million votes to UKIP
• Evaluate the claim that 'minor parties are unimportant in the UK'A01:

  
  

  
  

  How are they unimportant?

  • The main party can never legislate as they can never be in government
  • In devolution the power always comes from Westminster.
  • Dominant party system in devolved assemblies: Labour has been in power in Wales since 1999.
  • Major parties swallow up small parties.