8 - Political Parties

Question 1

Labour Party Structure?

Answer 1

• Constituency Labour Parties
• Contains Scottish + Welsh Labour
• National Executive Committee

Question 2

Conservative Party Structure?

Answer 2

• Constituency Conservative Associations
• Contains Scottish + Welsh Conservatives
• 1922 Committee (backbenchers)
• Board of the Conservative Party

Question 3

Lib-Dems Structure?

Answer 3

• Federal structure
• Local, regional and national parties of England, Scotland, Wales
• Federal Board

Question 4

How do the CONS appoint their leaders?

Answer 4

• MPs vote on candidates until two left
• All members vote on final two with OMOV

Question 5

How do Labour appoint their leaders?

Answer 5

• Labour Party makes nominations
• Candidates need 20% PLP support and 5% local party support
• All members vote with OMOV

Question 6

How do the Lib-Dems appoint the leaders?

Answer 6

• Candidates need 10% MP support and support from 20 local parties
• All members vote with OMOV

Question 7

How are Parliamentary candidates chosen?

Answer 7

1) Candidates nominated by central party organisation
2) Local party selects from the list
3) Constituency members vote to select candidate

Question 8

How have the parties tried to diversify Parliamentary candidates?

Answer 8

1) All-women shortlists
2) Priority lists
3) Open Primaries (all voters can vote)

Question 9

Party Funding Key Legislation

Answer 9

1) Pol. Parties, Elections & Referendums (PPER) Act 2000 - Electoral Commission must be registered with + donations over £7,500 must be declared
2) Pol. Parties & Elections (PPE) Act 2009 - Electoral Commission can investigate funding & all sources must be from the UK

Question 10

Benefits of state party funding?

Answer 10

1) “Clean money”
2) Equality between parties
3) Allow MPs to spend more time with constituencies (Only 54% of time)

Question 11

Drawbacks of state party funding?

Answer 11

1) Could be manipulated by the govt
2) Draw parties away from real world
3) Always inequalities in funding if based on vote share

Question 12

How has Labour Party ideology changed under its leaders?

Answer 12

1) Clause IV
2) “Third Way”
3) Corbynism

Question 13

How has Conservative Party ideology changed under its leaders?

Answer 13

1) One-nation
2) Neo-liberalism
3) Rise of euroscepticism

Question 14

How has Lib-Dem Party ideology changed under its leaders?

Answer 14

1) Social democracy
2) “Orange-book”
3) Europhiles

Question 15

How is the UK a two-party system?

Answer 15

1) Strongly entrenched since WW2
2) FPTP
3)

Question 16

How is the UK a multi-party system?

Answer 16

1) Third Party “spoiler effect”
2) Main parties draw from third party policy
3) Govt success of third parties

Question 17

How do parties play a vital role in UK politics?

Answer 17

1) Stable and predictable
2) Provide representation
3) Group together voters

Question 18

How do political parties not play a vital role?

Answer 18

1) 2 party system unrepresentative
2) Major parties sometimes indistinguishable
3) Funding

Question 19

Roles of political parties?

Answer 19

1) Representation
2) Recruitment (filter)
3) Policy formulation
4) Stable government

Question 20

Policies of Labour? (2019)

Answer 20

1) Repeal Trade Union Act 2016
2) Cut NHS private provision
3) Raise NMW to £10
4) Hold second EU referendum

Question 21

Conservative Policies? (2019)

Answer 21

1) No raising tax
2) 20,000 police officers & inc. sentencing
3) Maintain pension triple-lock

Question 22

Lib-Dem policies? (2019)

Answer 22

1) Attempt to prevent Brexit
2) Defend ECHR
3) Lower voting age to 16
4) Reinstate maintenance grants