Political Parties

• Left Wing views on society

  • Redistribution of income
  • Rehabilitation over punishment (crime)
  • Collectiv -ism
• Left wing view on the economy

  • Strong economic planning led by the Gov
  • Nationalised industry
  • High tax
  • Big gov - high gov spending
• Functions of political parties

  • Making policy
  • Representation
  • Selecting candidates
  • Identifying leaders
  • Campaigning
• Making policy is an important role when a party is in opposition and is seeking to replace the gov. e.g. The Labour party has a National Policy Forum to consult with party members over the development of policy. Before 2017 GE, the NPF and the elected National Executive Council worked closely with the leadership and senior members of the parliamentary party to aggregate a manifesto.
• Representation is an important function of political parties as it ensures the opinion of everyone in society are given a mouth piece. In the 2017 GE, 82.4% of those who voted felt that their political opinions were represented by the conservative party (42.4%) or labour (40%)
• Campaigning is an important function of political parties as it acts as a form of political education for the public. Party activists will deliver leaflets, canvass voters on their doorstep and arrange political hustings so that voters understand the choice between the candidates. Parties are increasingly using social media and the internet to interact with voters both between and during the election. Conservatives spent £16 million on the 2019 campaign.
• Short money was first introduced in 1974 by Labour. It's money paid to the opposition parties to ensure they can properly fund their parties. Depends on number of MPs not votes
• The Electoral Commission look at where donations are coming from and regulates them.
• Types of funding

  • Party membership
  • Trade Unions
  • Public funding
  • Donations
• Party membership - Party members pay a subscription to join a party to generate funds. In 2014 membership income was 23% of the Green Party income, 15% of Labour's income but just 2% of the Conservatives income. Labour introduced a registered supporters' scheme where people would pay £3 and that would allow them to vote in leadership and deputy leadership elections