Labour And Conservatives Are The Only Parties That Matter Flashcards
(8 cards)
Themes
Success in elections
Ability to play a role in gov
Impact over policy
Theme 1- success in elections
For minor parties don’t matter
FPTP greatly reduces the power and relevance of minor parties.
This was the case despite the core vote of the 2 main parties decreasing from over 80% in 1979 to just 57.4% in 2024, which has not been reflected in seats. In 2024, labour and tories won 81.8% of seats.
Reform is the most striking example of smaller parties being harmed by FPTP. 2024= 14.3% votes but 5 seats.
Not only does FPTP lead to a 2 party system despite growing support for minor parties, it also gives the winner a major ‘winners bonus’, where their seat share significantly outstrips their vote share.
2024, labour won 33.7 votes but 63.2% seats.
This is a strong argument as the FPTP system makes gaining enough seats in order to play a meaningful role in parliament for minor parties to become elusive.
Theme 1 -election success
Against- minor parties do matter
In 2024GE, there was a clear return to a multi party system in terms of vote share, stretching the FPTP system to its limits to maintain a 2 party dominance.
Parties other than L or. Won a combined 42% votes and also picked up an sig number of seats.
In particular, the libdems won a record of 72 seats. The fact that they increased their number of MPs by 61 shows how vulnerable2 party dominance is
Indeed, this is a valid argument as even though they r underrepresented in term of seats currently, if their support continues to grow exponentially, it could catapult them in terms of seats won in future elections, particularly for Reform who finished 2nd in 98 constituencies
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Overall, it is undeniable that in terms of success in seats L and C r dominant due to FPTP favoring them. Howver, their importance is limited as minor parties are gaining support exponentially, which harms the 2 party dominance.
Theme 2- ability to play a role in gov
For- minor parties don’t matter
L and C have always been in gov since the end of ww2, either on their own or as a major partner in a coalition.
E.g. both parties have won an sig majority that has enabled them to dominate parliament and pass legislation w legitmacy in the last 2 elections
in the Welsh parliament, the LP has dominated and always have been in gov since devolution.
This argument could be strengthened as Even in a coalition major parties have always dominated gov and policy. 2010= Tory were able to pass austerity policies whilst libdems failed to scrap tuition fees, rather they raised them.
Theme 2- ability to play a role in gov
Against- minor parties do matter
This argument can be refuted as Minor parties have had a lot more electoral success in devolved bodies and have been able to wield an sig amount of power over policy.
e.g. SNP have been in power in Scotland since 2007, made sig changes e.g. scrapping prescription and tuition fees.
Minor parties also play sig role as junior partners in coalitions
E.g. the libdems drove policies thru such as increasing the perosnal allowance and introducing the recall of MPs act which played a major role in the UKs constituting reform .
Overall, minor parties do matter as thy r able to play a very sig role in gov and devolved bodies especially in Scotland however th r able to do so much less in the UK as it is Westminster parliament that dominates it on a macro scale which gives them an insignificant role in a coalition
Theme 3- impact over policy
For- mar parties don’t matter
Even when minor parties do influence policy, it is up to the 2 main parties to determine the exact nature of these policies and water them down to an exact.
E.g. in Plaid Cymru had to work w the Labour Party to sign the 2021 cooperation act where the 2 parties have to agree on 46 policy areas.
This is a strong argument as even when minor parties do have influence, it is often temporary and reverts back to the major parties to ensure that policy making aligns with their views and political philosophy.
It could be said that major parties are broad churches that represent a range of voters and policy positions to enable them to gain sig support
E.g starmer shifted the LP from soft left to right
Theme 3- impact over policy
Against- minor parties do matter
Minor parties have sig indirect influence over policy, through threatening the 2 main parties electorally w the ‘spoiler effect’, using their platform and public support to put issues on polical agendas, acting as pressure groups that use the electoral process to pursue their aims.
E.g. in 2024 GE, reform threatened the LP on immigration which influenced the party to adapt a much tougher stance on immigration.
Feb 2025 where starmer made the path for Britishcitinzenship more difficultby doubling residency requirements to 10 yrs.
Moreover, even though they have a small number of MPs minor parties can influnce 2 major parties to alter their agenda to fit their goal.
Green Party= force L and C to adopt a net zero approach
