Political Parties Flashcards
(317 cards)
1
Q
What is the definition of a political party?
A
A group of like minded individuals who seek to realise their shared goals by fielding candidates at election and thereby securing election to public office (P Lynch and P Fairclough in 2010)
2
Q
What two types of party are there?
A
Major parties and single issue parties
3
Q
What is the difference between major and
single issue parties?
A
• Major parties have a nationwide structure and organisation whilst minority parties are smaller
• major parties have a broad ideology with a wide range of ideas across public life whilst single issues campaign for one thing that could be national or local
4
Q
Give examples for the two types of parties
A
Major : Labour, Tories, Lib Dems
Single issue: UKIP, SNP, NHA
5
Q
What are the main purpose of political parties
A
• Representation
• Participation - members involved in shaping party and internal democracy
• Recruitment - member judged and selected in appropriateness for governing
• Policy - parties create manifestos from internal discussion and consultation
• Stability - parties mean stability in Parliament and things are able to get done. Ensures power is transferred safely and individual cannot sabotage system
6
Q
State the difference between political parties and pressure groups
A
Political parties vs pressure group
• broad policy for broad groups vs specific policy
• open membership and structure vs exclusive or select membership
•Win seats to win power vs to raise public awareness
• grassroots organisation vs grassroots bases
• internal democracy vs run by small group of individuals
• donations from across society vs donations from local community/ supports of cause
7
Q
What is the political spectrum?
A
• How parties ideologies align with concepts or ideologies
• The left and right oppose each other
• Centrists sit in the middle
• The prefix ‘Centre -‘ is used to indicate a more moderate nature of ideology whilst ‘far -‘ gives indicates extremism
8
Q
What does the left wing stand for?
A
• Social equality
• State control of sources
• Nationalisation
• Collective responsibility
• Higher taxation
9
Q
What does the right stand for?
A
• Accepts a degree of inequality
• Market control of services
• Privatisation
• Individual responsibility
• Lower taxation
10
Q
When was One Nation Conservatism
established?
A
• Under Beniamin Disraeli in 1860s - 18805
- He recognised the dangers of lassiez fair capitalism on the living conditions of the working class
11
Q
What are the beliefs of One Nation
Conservatives?
A
• Unity amongst the classes in a nation and of and organic society
• ONCs accept there will be inequality in society but that the richer are responsible for helping the less fortunate
This can be seen to be the approach of all parties
12
Q
What are One Nation Conservative ideas about • Economic
regulation
• Wealth distribution
• Individual liberty
A
• Economic regulation: regulation is needed to prevent labour exploration by employers
• Wealth distribution: organic society will exist and it is the responsibility of the rich to provide for the less fortunate
• Individual liberty: a limit on individual liberty to prevent poverty.
Stronger sense of community, moral connection through patriotism and religion
13
Q
What recent policies by the current Tories could categorise them as ONCs
A
• Rhetoric around law and order: ‘big society’, local government being relieved by social cohesion eg Free Schools under Education Act in 2011, ‘rehabilitation revolution’ and ‘hug a hoodie’
• Environmental policy: Paris Agreement (194 other nations), £3bn up to 2020 to improve env., invest £500m over next 5 years towards making cars and vans 0 emissions by 2050 preservation of environment for the future, thinking about greater good of society
14
Q
When was the Thatcher Era?
A
1979 - 1990
15
Q
What are the key ideologies of Thatcherism?
A
Neoliberal economics - loose control of the economy by the state, free market
Neoconservative social policy - authoritarian view on morality and law & order
16
Q
What are Thatcherite ideas about
• Economic regulation
• Wealth distribution
• Individual liberty
A
Economic regulation: neoliberal, believe in free market in which people are free to do as they please to make a a profit. The market decides values of goods and labour
• Wealth distribution: believe wealth is based on self sufficiency and an individuals wealth is dependant on them
• Individual Liberty: no belief in society and individual liberty is key. The rights of the individual is greater than that if the state and the state has less control
17
Q
What recent policies by the current Tories could categorise them as
Thatcherite
A
• Actual policy on law and order: Cameron called for harsher sentences for crimes, introduction of Extreme Disruption codes 2015 manifesto, for those who ‘spread poison’ of terrorism
• Economic policy: lowered corporation tax, Universal credit + bedroom tax under Welfare Reform Act 2012, aim to lower benefit by £12b benefits cute, raised 40% tax threshold to £50k to encourage confidence in the free market
• Foreign policy: renewal of trident, 2nd aircraft carrier brought into service, Voting to perform air strikes
18
Q
What is socialism?
A
• When the people own and control the means of production and is distributed evenly throughout society
• The class system is removed and whole community is raised to the same level of wealth and opportunity
19
Q
Name three main forms of socialism
A
• Marxist Leninism
• Democratic socialism
• Social democracy
20
Q
Name the key ideologies of Marxist Leninism
A
• Emphasis on the proletariat ruling the state
• Workers pushes towards revolution by more educated
• Want socialism achieve through revolution and the fall of capitalism
• Less concerned about the lowering of standard to achieve socialism
• The state = the people
21
Q
Name the key ideologies of democratic socialism
A
The same as Marxist Leninism but change happens through gradual change rather than through revolution
22
Q
What are the core values of socialism?
A
• Collectivism - goals achieved collectively as a group
• Equality - equal rights, opportunity, outcome and welfare
• Social justice - achieved without capitalism (M-L) or with regulated capitalism (moderate socialists)
• Elimination of poverty
• Class conflict and identify - say that capitalism creates a class conflict
23
Q
What is New Labour?
A
• Established under Tony Blair
• Defined as ‘the third way’ - not socialism or Conservative but somewhere in between
• Brought Labour Party more towards centre with it incorporating capitalist ideas
24
Q
What was the issue with Tony Blair and clause
IV?
A
• Clause IV obliged Labour to stand for common ownership and block private enterprise in key industries, nationalisation and support for cooperatives
• Blair removed this clause allowing Labour to campaign a more liberal/neo liberal economic campaign
25
Give ways that Blair differed from socialist view in regards to
• Wealth distribution
• Rights and obligation
• Economic responsibilities
• Private influence on services
• Liberal ideologies
• Wealth distribution: emphasis on wealth creation rather than distribution - minimum wage £3.60, a lot lower than trade unions wanted
• Rights and obligations: people needed to contribute to community, sought to impose conditions on the receipt of welfare benefits, introduced ASBOs and tougher in crimes
• Economic responsibilities: aimed to move aware from social democracy by conserving resources
• Private influence in services: enlist the public sector to deliver public services, PFI contacts contacts awarded to private fins to build new schools/hospitals
• Liberal ideologies: devolution,
Human rights act, willing to curb civil liberties in campaign again crime/terrorism eg extended time that terror suspects could be detained
26
What are key Labour policies under Jeremy
Corbyn?
• Re-nationalisation of railways
• Higher taxation
• Scrapping trident
• Luke-warn on EU membership
• Put more into the economy via public infrastructure
• End private finance in public sector
27
Name some policies in the Labour manifesto for the 2017 snap election
• Increase income tax - 45% for earners £80k+, 50% for earner
£123K+
• Extra £16bn for the NHS
• Extra £8bn for social care
• Triple lock pension
• Reinstate housing benefits for under 21s
• Free school meal for all primary school children
• Abolish tuition frees
• Build 100,000 new homes a year with some reserved for first time buyers
• Remove 0 hours contracts
• Re-nationalise Roval Mail and railways
28
Describe an example of tensions between
New Labour and Corbyn's Labour
Haringey Development Vehicle
• Haringey Council went into a 50:50 deal with a private company to build new homes in the borough (a
New Labour leaning decision)
• The program is heavily opposed by residents
• The leader of Haringey Council resigned over tensions it cause with the new image of Labour which opposes private investment
29
What are the beliefs of liberalism?
• Small state/government
• Support free market and free trade
• Support globalisation
• Heavily focused around human rights
• Hold the rights of the individual as fundamental to all policy and that right should only be restricted if others are harmed
30
What are the two types of liberalism and their focuses?
• Classic liberalism/Orange bookers - focus on economic freedoms of the individuals, lower taxes and regulation to stimulate economy
• Social liberalism - aims to address the inequalities of the hierarchical system by improving the opportunities for all to enjoy economic liberty, higher taxes to pay for welfare/education
31
How were the Liberal Democrats formed?
The alliance between the liberal party and the Social Democratic Party (an offshoot from Labour unhappy with Foot) became formal in 1988 forming the new party
32
What are the Lib Dem's policies on...
• The economy
• Welfare
• Law and order
• Foreign affairs
• Economy - commitment to eliminating deficit in a way that is fair to the poorer in society, commitment to renewable energy and the green investment bank, while in power made policy to increase basic income tax threshold
• Welfare - controlled better, curb benefits for better off pensioners (e.g. free bus travel), more to the NHS (manifesto in 2017 said this would be done by increasing income tax by 1%)
• Law and order - aim to see personal freedoms not eroded by giving authorities more power, opposed Tory Communications Data Bill AKA Snooper's Charter that monitored web history
• Foreign affairs - remain in the and single market to promote trade with EU partners
33
Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems are all seen to be the major parties in the UK. What are their features?
• Representation across whole nation
• Broadly centre looking
• Policies for all aspects of government
• Large(ish) membership
• Developed internal structure
• Established for decades
34
UKIP, the SNP and Green Party are typically seen as minor parties in the UK. What are their features?
• Generally born out of a single issue
• Found further away from the centre ground
• Less represented across the whole nation
• Less developed internal structure
35
What evidence is there that the UK is a
multiparty state?
• 2014 EU Parliament elections saw UKIP win withe 27.5% of the
vote, more than one party winning votes in the UK
• Devolved parliaments dominated by regional parties (Plaid
Cymru, SNP)
• Lib Dems have had significant number of seats in recent years
(Coalition in 2010-15)
• Increased membership and media attention to smaller parties in recent years (debate included all leader in 2017)
36
What evidence is there that the Uk remains a
two party state?
• Only been two parties with majority government
• Lib Dems have gone down in representation from 57 seats in
2010 to 12 in 2017
• FPTP - surpasses smaller parties - UKIP got 12.7% of vote (3.9 mil votes) in 2015 only got 1 seat, doesn't require a clear majority in vote only in the number MPs
37
What is adversarial politics?
• A system in which politicians refuse to agree on policies or ideologies
• Parties will disagree on the direction of government due to - general ideological differences or as a way to force the opposing party to justify their position
38
What are consensual politics?
• A system in which politicians agree on the ends of policy but disagree on the process
• Parties agree on policies in broad terms
• Conflicts can still arise but are arguably due to personality and presentation
39
When have there been consensual politics in the UK?
The Post war consensus - both parties agreed on the formation of the NHS, building a strong welfare state, mixed economy with nationalisation of key industries
• The Lib Lab consensus on constitutional reform to the lords and voting system in the 1990s until Blair got into power under FPTP
40
What evidence is there that the UK has
consensus politics?
• Increased support for minor parties which is causing a more pluralist parties
• The use of alternate voting systems in N.I, Scotland and Wales all require greater deals of consensus to pass laws
• Main parties are all broadly capitalist
• Most of the 20th century had consensus due to the world wars and post periods
• After the New Labour movement began most of the parties had similar policy until Corbyn
41
What evidence is there that the Uk has
adversarial politics?
• Traditional ideologies means parties are unlikely to agree
• Influence by class - causes massive disparity in the UK
• FPTP discourages voting for smaller parties which leads to a lack of need for bipartisanship due to government having clear majority
• Opposition is expected to oppose
• Only one official opposition who do usually have bipartisanship with all other opposing parties (fights for opposition days and committee seats)
• Arrangement of the HoC opposite benches set up for adversarial politics
42
What fraction of the time have the Conservatives been in power since 1900?
Around 2/3
43
What year did the Conservative party originate?
1834
44
What groups did the Conservative party originally draw their support from?
• The landowning aristocracy
• The Church of England
45
Origins of One-Nation Conservatism
Benjamin Disraeli (Victorian PM)
46
Values of One-Nation Conservatism
• The duty of priviliged people and those in power is to act wisely
• Moderate social reforms
• Patriotism
• Pragmatic change over time
• Paternalism
47
What is paternalism?
• Respect towards those in authority
• Limiting people's liberties for their own good
48
What does Butskellite mean?
Term which describes the post-war consensus between Labour and the Conservatives that endured until the 1970s
49
Why did the Conservatives move further to the centre following WWII?
The 1945 Labour landslide suggested a nation which needed radical reforms. With the establishment of the welfare state and NHS, the Conservatives had to accept these if they ever wanted to be elected again
50
Key ideologies of Butskellite Conservatives?
• Pro-European
• More accepting of a welfare system
51
Which Conservative PM joined the EEC in
1973?
Edward Heath
52
Which party was originally more Eurosceptic?
Labour
53
What are the values of traditional
Conservatives?
• Emphasis on key institutions such as the Church and nuclear family
• Firm immigration policy
54
Which Home Secretary promised to create a 'hostile environment' for immigrants?
Theresa May
55
Example of a backbench rebellion from traditional Conservatives?
In 2016 there was an attempt to extend the Sunday working hours.
This was squashed by a backbench rebellion.
56
What was different about Thatcherism compared to other
Conservative ideologies?
It was radical and wanted more extreme reforms. This is different to the standard pragmatic Conservative approach
57
Key values of Thatcherism
• Individual freedom, particularly economic
• Reducing trade union power
• Emphasis on personal responsibility
58
4 ideologies in the Conservative party
• Thatcherism
• One-Nation
• Butskellite / Post-war consensus
• Traditional
59
Examples of Thatcherite policies in the modern Conservative party
• Everyone who can work should work and cracking down on welfare state
• Remove influence of foreign power (EU) and focus on individual sovereignty
60
Examples of traditional Conservative policies in the modern
Conservative party
• 20,000 additional police and tougher punishments for criminals
• Points-based immigration system
• Maintain voting age at 18
61
Examples of Butskellite policies in the modern Conservative party
• Extra funding for the NHS
• Tacking climate change
62
Example of One-Nation policies in the modern Conservative party
• Maintaining pension triple lock
63
Main divisions within the Conservative party
• Europhiles and Eurosceptics
• Social liberals and social conservatives
64
What year was the Labour party formed?
1900
65
Key aspects of economic socialism
• Strong welfare state
• Nationalising industries
66
Examples of industries that were nationalised by Labour in the 1950s
• Coal mining
• Iron and steel industries
• Travel agent Thomas Cook
67
What is trade unionism?
A political movement in the Labour party which aims to strengthen trade unions and therefore create strong workers rights
68
Why has the power of trade unions decreased since the 80s?
• Conservative reforms in the 80s
• Shift in industry from the secondary to tertiary sector
69
What is globalist internationalism?
A Labour faction which is opposed to war and promotes peace and disarmament. Anti-Nationalist and believe countries should be able
to work together to achieve global change
70
What are the origins of New Labour?
A need to modernise the Labour party following 18 years of
Conservative rule. Pioneered by Blair
71
What are some of the values of New Labour?
• Accepting some of Thatchers changes and finding a middle ground between socialism and free-market capitalism
• Wanted a profitable country where profits are used to benefit society as a whole
72
What is Clause IV of the Labour constitution?
• Originally a commitment to large-scale nationalisation
• Changed by Blair to be a 'market economy which serves the needs of the nation'
73
Example of some Blairite policies in the 2019
Labour manifesto
• Raising minimum wage
• Hold a second Brexit referendum
74
Examples of some 2019 Labour policies which followed economic socialism
• Renationalising some industries such as energy and railways
• Scrapping tuition fees
• Increasing the health budget by 4.3%
75
Examples of 2019 Labour policies which followed global internationslism
• Have a humane immigration system
76
What year did the Liberal Democrats form?
1988
77
What two parties merged to form the Liberal
Democrats?
Social Democratic Party
Liberal Party
78
Why was the Social Democratic Party formed in 1981?
From a number of Labour MPs who believed that Labour had shifted too far to the left. They particularly opposed the policy of nuclear disarmament
79
What are the key values of the Liberal
Democrats?
Strong commitment to the EU and Europe
• Constitutional reform (new voting system)
• Human rights and freedoms
80
What was the Liberal Democrats' stance on
Brexit in 2019?
Wanted to completely stop the Brexit process
81
What was the Liberal Democrats' policy on voting rights in 2019?
Wanted to introduce STV for electing MPs
• Extending the franchise to 16-year-olds
82
What was the Liberal Democrat's policy on taxation in 2019?
• Increase corporation tax from 17% to 20%
• Tough action against tax evasion
83
How many seats did the Lib Dems win in
2019?
11 (-1)
84
How many seats did the Lib Dems win in
2010?
57
85
Local level structure of the Conservative party
Local Conservative Associations
86
Local level structure of the Labour party
Each constituency has a Constituency Labour
Party
87
Local level structure of the Liberal Democrats
Organised along federal lines with separate branches for Wales, Scotland etc.
88
3 stages for candidate selection (for all parties)
1. Get on party's list of centrally approved candidates
2. Apply to be shortlisted at a local branch
3. Win vote of local party members
89
Which party has pioneered all-women candidate shortlists?
Labour
90
How does the Conservative party choose their leaders?
1. MPs vote in a series of ballots to narrow the choice of candidates down to just two names
2. Party members vote between the two
91
How does the Labour party choose their leaders?
1. MPs must get a backing of at least 10% of MPs and either 5% of constituency parties or two trade unions
2. Party members vote using AV
92
How do the Liberal Democrats choose their leaders?
1. Candidates must gain support from 10% of MPs and at least 200 party members
2. Party members vote using AV
93
How did Keir Starmer win the Labour leadership in 2020?
He won over 50% of the votes in the first member ballot so there was no need for a second round of voting
94
What percentage of first choice votes did Ed Davey get in the 2020
Lib Dem leadership race?
63.5%
95
How many members of the Labour party were there in 2020?
Over 550,000 (making it the largest political party in Europe)
96
How many members of the Conservative party were there in 2020?
160,000
97
How many members of the Liberal Democrat party were there in 2020?
Over 100,000
98
Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000
All parties must register with the Electoral Commission and provide financial statements
• Parties limited at spending £30,000 per constituency
• All donations over £7.500 must be declared
99
Who was fined for breaching electoral law in
2018?
The Leave UK campaign were fined £70,000
100
3 ways in which parties can be funded
• Membership subscriptions
• Individual donors
• State funding
101
Advantage of membership subscriptions funding parties
• Fair and transparent
• Ensures no single donor undue influence
102
Disadvantage of membership subscriptions funding parties
It is not a sustainable source of revenue, particularly as party fees are often low
103
Which unions gave Labour over £3m in 2019?
Unite and GMB
104
Main issue with parties receiving large individual donations
The potential for corruption and unfair influence over government
105
Example of a donor influencing government policy
• Bernie Ecclestone donated £1m to Labour in 1997
• Labour then allowed tobacco advertising to continue at Formula
1 despite it being banned at other sporting venues
106
Example of a donor receiving a peerage
Michael Farmer had given £6.4m to the Conservative party since
2010 received a peerage
107
What are Policy Development Grants?
£2m annual grants given to parties with at least 2 sitting MPs
108
What is short money?
Paid to opposition parties in the HoC to help with their administrative work and providing effective scrutiny
109
What is cranborne money?
Paid to opposition parties in the HoL to help with their administrative work and providing effective scrutiny
110
How much funding did the Conservatives receive in 2019?
£19,300,000 (63% of total)
111
How much funding from individual donors did the Conservatives receive in 2019?
£13,300,000
112
How much funding did Labour receive in
2019?
£5,400,000
113
Should the state fund political parties? - YES
• Would allow parties to focus on representing constituents instead of pleasing donors
• Would make parties more even as the Conservatives get greater donations than other parties
• Radical reform is potentially needed as election acts haven't prevented corruption allegations
114
Should the state fund political parties? - NO
• Voters shouldn't have to fund parties they disagree with
• Donation is a democratic right (one which is constitutionally protected in the US)
• By contributing to a party, people are more politically engaged
115
Who did the Sun back in the '90s elections?
1992 - Major
1997 - Blair
116
What is an argument against the notion that newspapers determine election outcomes?
• Newspapers only reinforce existing opinions
• Newspaper circulation has significantly fallen
117
How much did each party spend on advertising in 2019?
Lib Dems - £1.3m
Labour - £1.9m
Conservatives - £0.9m
118
What is an argument against the notion that newspapers determine election outcomes?
• Newspapers only reinforce existing opinions
• Newspaper circulation has significantly fallen
119
What factors determine a party's success?
• Leadership
• Policies
• Grassroots campaign
• Strength of opposition
• Party unity
•Electoral system
120
Example of a policy which influenced the
2019 election outcome?
The Conservatives' "Get Brexit Done was much more appealing than
Labour's convoluted Brexit policy
121
How has weak leadership hurt a party's reputation?
Corbyn was seen as an extreme and weak leader which hurt the overall Labour party
122
What are the two types of minor parties?
• Nationalist parties
• Single-issue parties
123
How have the SNP influenced mainstream
politics?
Without their pressure for a 2014 Scottish independence referendum, it is unlikely that Cameron would've entertained the idea
124
How has the DUP influenced mainstream
politics?
They entered a confidence-and-supply deal with the Conservatives in 2017
125
How successful were UKIP in the 2014
European election?
Won over 26% of the vote, defeating the three major parties
126
Where do right-wing policies come from?
Liberal and Conservative idealogy, including a liberal focus on the importance of limiting excessive government, keeping taxation low and protecting individual liberty.
Emphasis is placed on law and order, strong defense (army, police etc.) and national sovereignty.
127
Where do left-wing policies come from?
Emphasis on the importance of a fair and equal society through positive state intervention.
Higher taxes on the wealthy, extensive welfare provision and greater state influence on the economy.
Socially progressive, and favours an internationalist approach to global problems.
128
What is consensus politics?
Many philosophical and policy similarities between the main political parties, therefore leading to the opposition supporting some government policies.
129
What is adversary politics?
The main parties are divided by fundamental philosophical and policy differences.
130
What is Butskellitism?
When a party that is traditionally politically leaning adopts the policies of the other wing.
Hugh Gaitskell and R.A. Butler, Labour CotE and Tory CotE respectively came together to reach full employment and a mixed economy.
131
What is a mandate?
If a party wins an election they can claim the right to implement their policies as laid out in their manifesto.
132
Who is a clear example of Butskellism?
Tony Blair under New Labour.
133
What are the differences between the Conservatives and Labour
party in reference to manifesto creation?
In the Labour Party, a National Policy Forum consults with party members over policy development.
Conservatives are more likely to have a manifesto drawn up by senior party members rather than party members.
134
What is a 'doctor's mandate?
The government is able to propose measures not included within its manifesto in response to changing political circumstances.
135
In what ways do political parties help democracy?
Without parties it would be very difficult to establish a government as each individual would be separate from others.
Political parties develop their political programmes through discussion.
Without political parties, voting in elections would be more complicated because voters would no longer be able to associate a candidate with a manifesto.
Opposition parties can hold a government accountable.
136
In what ways do political parties hinder democracy?
Reduction in voter choice as voters must associate themselves with one manifesto, despite that manifesto not 100% representing their beliefs.
MP's of a party are not able to represent their own beliefs as they must represent the views of the party (to a certain extent).
The almost tribalism between parties creates confrontational and negative approaches towards government.
Political parties give excessive power to the party membership.
The way that main political parties benefit from massively disproportionate funding ensures that they can monopolise political decision making.
137
How are political parties funded?
£2 million is allocated to each of the major parties in policy development grants.
Short money (named after Labour politician Ted Short) is allocated to opposition parties relative to how many seats they have. (£800k
is given to the Leader of the Opposition)
Cranborne money (named after Conservative peer Lord Cranborne)
subsidises the work of scrutiny carried out by opposition parties in the Hol.
138
What do policy development grants allow parties to employ?
Policy advisers
139
What do subsidies cover?
Anything outside of campaigning and election expenses.
140
How are campaigning and election expenses funded?
By party members, along with individual backing from benefactors.
141
What are some problems with current funding systems?
The Conservative party is massively advantaged as they receive huge donations from business men who see a Tory government as in their best interests.
The Labour party has a close relationship with the trade unions, and so receives a lot of funding from there.
Other minority parties are severely disadvantaged.
142
What did the Trade Union Act 2016 change in terms of Labour party income?
A new union member must now 'opt-in' if they wish their membership fee to go to the Labour party.
143
What did the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000 provide?
Greater transparency and fairness.
An independant electoral commission is established to monitor how much money politcal parties spend on campaigns.
The amount a political party can spend in any constituency is capped at £30k.
Political parties must declare any large donation (above £5k) to the electoral commission.
A party cannot receive donations from non-UK citizens.
144
Should the state fund political groups? (Yes)
The vast discrepancy in income across parties gives an incredibly unfair advantage to the Conservative party.
Controversies surrounding benefactors ('cash for honours' in which reports alleged that Tony Blair elevated donors to the HoL)
145
Should the state fund political groups? (No)
In a free democracy, people should be free to spend money on whatever they wish.
From a philosophical standpoint, stae funding suggests that parties are somehow 'servants of the state'.
If you fund one group, you must then fund them all, which leads to funding of extremist groups such as the BNP.
146
What is libertarian?
Tends to mean you are more tolerant of people's behaviour / lifestyle choices.
147
What is authoritarian?
You tend to be much less tolerant of people's individual behaviours.
You tend to be more strict against people's behaviours as a result.
148
What is protectionism?
Protects the domestic economy from foreign competition through tariffs.
149
What is a tariff?
An added tax.
150
What are the established political parties?
Conservatives
Labour
Liberal Democrats
151
What are the minority parties in the UK?
SNP
Plaid Cymru
UKIP
Green
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
152
What is traditional conservatism?
During the British Civil War, royalist supporters of the monarchy, the Cot and land-owning aristocracy resisted giving parliament greater influence and resisted giving the public greater freedom of worship.
153
Why did traditional conservatism exist?
People were fearful that going against the status quo would lead to violence and destabilisation.
154
What did Thomas Hobbes write in 'Leviathan'?
He had a very negative view on human nature, and believed that a strong government was necessary to control its citizens and to resist dangerous innovation.
He suggested anarchy would ensue, violence would be endemic, and "the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short"
155
During the time of traditional conservatism, what else what going on in the world?
The French Revolution.
156
Why was the French Revolution a problem for
Traditional Conservatives?
The egalitarian principles of the French Revolution were completely opposed to traditional conservatism.
157
Sum up Traditional Conservatism.
Closely associated with the monarchy and CoE.
The party is aware of humanity's potential for 'mob rule', so tries to have a solid government to prevent this.
158
What are the main principles of traditional conservatism?
Property
Authoritarianism
Pragmatism
Tradition
Stability
159
What followed traditional conservatism?
One-nation conservatism
160
What does one-nation conservatism involve?
The Tory party should protect and advance the interests of the whole nation.
It is much more inclusive and progressive than traditional conservatism.
161
Who concieved one-nation conservatism?
Benjamin Disraeli.
162
What did Disraeli warn against?
Britain becoming 'Two Nations', split between the rich and the poor.
163
How did Disraeli see society?
As an organic body, in which stability and prosperity could only be achieved through all classes not putting their selfish interests above the other.
164
How did 'one-nation' conservatism effect the
Conservative party?
They became more successful as they reached out to more working class support.
His principles became adopted by the party, and led to them becoming the most vote-winning political party.
165
What followed 'one-nation' conservatism?
New Right
166
Why was one-nation conservatism dropped in favour of New Right policies?
The idea of one-nation was being undermined by large-scale industrial unrest.
167
Why is the New Right interesting from a policy view?
It combines neo-liberalism with no-conservatism.
168
Who was the main driver of the New Right?
Margaret Thatcher.
169
What principle is the New Right based on from an economic standpoint?
They believe the economy best regulates itself with as little government interference as possible.
Businessmen and businesswomen best generate income, not the government.
170
What did classical economist Adam Smith say on the free market?
He referred to the 'invisible hand of the market'.
Keep taxation low to provide people with greater financial control over their lives.
Reduce inflation and interest rates to encourage investment.
Discourage 'dependancy cultures' due to a too extensive welfare state.
Limit the influence of trade unions.
171
In what ways is the New Right influenced by neo-conservatism?
Discouraging alternative lifestyles with threaten the status-quo as basis for social harmony.
Giving the government extensive powers to fight crime and disorder.
Protecting the national interest with a strong defence policy.
Emphasising the nation state as the ultimate source of the citizen's security (EU is against the idea of neo-conservatism)
172
What followed the New Right movement?
Current Conservatism.
173
What was a powerful criticism of Margaret Thatcher during her
Prime Ministership?
The Conservative Party had focused far too much on free-market principles, allowing society to divide itself (a far cry from the idea of one-nation conservatism)
174
What are the main principles of current conservatism?
Combine elements of neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism.
Have a more tolerant attitude towards alternative lifestyles.
Have a renewed focus on 'one-nation' inclusivity.
175
How did the conservatives remain committed
to neo-liberalism?
George Osborne cut the top level tax from 50p to 45p.
Pledged to cut corporation tax to 17% by 2020
Pledged to increase the threshold at which top rate tax is paid by
£50k.
Increasing the personal tax allowance to £12500.
Tory CotE pursued 'austerity measures' to reduce the budget deficit.
176
How did the conservatives remain committed to neo-conservatism?
2017 pledge to cut immigation to under 100,000 a year.
Strong national security policy (Trident Nuclear Deterrent)
An expansion to the Snooper's Charter.
Opposition to further reform of the HoL.
The Conservative emphasis on the central importance of state meant that Euroscepticism increased as a result.
177
How did the conservatives remain committed
to one-nationism?
David Cameron had an emphasis on a 'Big Society', with the introduction of a National Citizenship Qualification.
Commit the Conservatives to supporting gay marriage.
A national living wage was introduced by George Osborne.
May described Joseph Chamberlain as one of her political heroes.
May established a new department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, giving the government an increased ability to stimulate industrial growth.
178
Who is Joseph Chamberlain?
A self-made businessman who was one of the great social reformers of the late nineteenth century.
179
Who is the Labour party traditionally for?
The working-class.
180
What is Old Labour?
The version of labour closely associated with left-principles of positive intervention to create a more equal society through:
Higher tax on the wealthy
Nationalisation
Generous welfare provision
181
When was the Labour Party established?
1900
182
Why was the Labour Party established?
To represent the interests of the working class.
183
What is a common misconception about Old
Labour?
That they were a Marxist party. They never actually supported the complete revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist free market.
They contained some Marxists, but were not in and of themselves a
Marxist party.
184
What was Labour traditionally?
A compromise between democratic socialism and social democracy.
185
What are the two differing opinions within
Democratic Socialists?
Webb: the capitalist state will eventually be replaced by a socialist state as the working class gain more power.
Crosland: the capitalist state will be reformed changing existing capitalist structures.
186
What is at the core of Labour's socialist idealogy?
The idea of collectivism.
187
What is collectivism?
We achieve more by working together for the common good than by competing in our own interests.
188
What have Labour governments traditionally done in order to create a more just and fair society?
Nationalisation.
Redistributive Taxation
Supporting an extensive welfare state
Fostering close links with trade unions to protect the interests of workers.
189
Who was the first PM of a majority Labour government?
Clement Attlee.
190
When was the first majority Labour government established?
1945 - 1951
191
What is Clement Attlee's government most famous for?
The establishment of the National Health
Service.
192
What did Clement Attlee's government do during it's time in office?
Established the NHS
Nationalised 20% of the current economy (coal, steel, electricity and the Bank of England)
193
What did the Labour governments of Harold
Wilson try to achieve?
A fairer society based on government-led economic expansion.
194
How did Wilson attempt to achieve his goals of fairer society?
The Deputy PM announced a National Plan for economic growth by 25% by 1970.
Maintenance grant was established to allow poorer students to attend university.
The Open University was established to allow further education to students from poorer backgrounds.
Expansion of comprehensive education at the expense of grammar schools.
Introdution of the Race Relations Act and the Sex Discrimination Act
Massive increases for tax on the wealthy. (83% at peak under
Callaghan)
195
What followed Old Labour?
New Labour
196
Who is credited with the expansion of New
Labour?
Tony Blair
197
Who was the successor to Callaghan?
Micheal Foot
198
Which way did the Labour Party shift under
Foot?
Decisively to the Left.
199
What did Labour's manifesto include in the
1983 General Election?
Committal to further nationalisation
Increased taxation on the wealthy
Withdrawal from the European Economic Community
Unilateral nuclear disarmament.
200
How did Gerald Kaufman (Labour MP)
describe the manifesto under Foot?
"the longest suicide note in history'
201
How did the votes change under Foot?
36.9% to 27.6%
202
What did Tony Blair believe in?
The Third Way'.
A left-wing commitment to social justice with a right-wing emphasis on the value of free markets in encouraging economic prosperity.
203
What did the 'Third Way' represent?
Work for the achievement of social justice within a prosperous
capitalist society by:
Compromising between the extremes of socialism and capitalism.
Not committing to ideological principles like nationalism, redistributive taxation or class conflict.
Do not follow the socialist commitment to collectivism or equality.
Focus on a 'stakeholder society', based on inclusion and communitarianism.
Encourage wealth creation, not wealth redistribution.
Loosen ties with the trade union movement.
204
What was one of the most key moments in the development of New Labour?
Clause IV of the Labour Party Constitution was modified away from a commitment to nationalisation, accepting the benefits of a free-market economy.
205
What methods did Blair employ to follow the
Third Way?
Maintaining the taxation rate at 40%.
The state as an 'enabler' rather than 'provider'. (tuition fees are introduced)
Tough laws such as anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) to combat crime.
Most hereditary peers were removed from the HoL.
The European Convention on Human Rights was added to British law in the Human Rights Act 1998.
Independant Supreme Courts were established.
Introduction of a minimum wage in 1997.
206
Who followed Blair in 2007?
Gordon Brown
207
What was the most pressing matter of
Brown's PMship?
The Global Economic Crisis.
208
How did Brown attempt to combat the
Economic Crisis?
The introduction of a 50p top rate of taxation on incomes over
£150k
Partial bank nationalisation.
209
Who succeeded Brown in 2010?
Ed Milliband
210
What was Miliband's stance on the Blairite past of the Labour Party?
He attempted to distance himself from that past.
211
What was Miliband's stance on the Blairite past of the Labour Party?
He attempted to distance himself from that past.
212
How did Miliband distance himself from the
Blairite past?
Committed to the 50p top rate of taxation.
Demanding an energy price freeze.
Drawing a distinction between 'predatory' finance capitalism and
'producers' in industry.
213
Who followed Miliband?
Jeremy Corbyn
214
How did Corbyn lean?
Socialist.
He attended gatherings such as the Tolpuddle Martyr's annual festival.
215
Did people expect Corbyn to win the leadership?
No.
216
How did Corbyn win the leadership contest?
Miliband changed the rules to 'one-member-one-vote' resulting in a landslide Corbyn victory.
217
How far did the Labour manifesto lean to the left in 2017 in reference to prior elections?
The most socialist since 1983.
218
What did the Labour Manifesto of 2017 include?
Top rate of taxation at 50p for incomes above £123k
Taxation at 45p for above £80k
Corporation tax of 26% by 2020.
Renationalisation (railways, water, Royal Mail)
Repealing the Trade Union Act 2016 (requires 50% of a workforce to vote if a strike is to be legal)
Zero-hour contracts becoming illegal. Minimum wage should be at £10 by 2020.
Maintenance grants reintroduced.
Providing free school meals to all primary school children. (Paid for by the removal of VAT exemption for private school fees, further encouraging a more equal society)
National Investment Bank would be established to provide £250
billion to invest in the UK's infrastructure.
219
How did people expect the GE to go for
Labour in 2017?
There was an expectation for them to be crushed, but there was a swing of 9.6% to Labour.
220
How far has Labour moved back towards it's socialist roots?'
Quite far, but not completely.
Maintained the top taxation rate at 50p, rather than 83p where it stood in 1979.
Has not re-modified Clause IV, only committing to certain nationalisations rather than wholesale nationalisation.
221
When was the Liberal Democrat Party established?
Established in 1988.
But it's roots can be traced back to the Whigs of the 1850's.
222
What did Whigs support in the mid 19th century?
Reform of Parliament
Limits on Royal Authority
223
Why did the Liberal Party become a prominent force in British Politics?
Advocation for free trade and lower taxes.
Balanced budgets.
Parliamentary and Administrative Reform.
A more moral approach to foreign policy.
224
Who was William Ewart Gladstone?
The leader of the Liberal party during the 19th Century.
225
What did Gladstone describe liberalism as?
'the trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear.'
226
What happened at the start of the 20th Century in regards to the
Liberal Party?
The party became increasingly influenced by the work of T.H.
Green, John Hobson and William Beveridge.
227
What did Hobson, Green and Beveridge argue?
That government must provide adequate welfare provision for the most vulnerable in society.
228
What did Hobson, Green and Beveridge cause?
The movement towards 'New Liberalism'.
229
What did 'New Liberalism' argue?
That individual freedom and self-fulfilment required (at least) a basic standard of living.
230
What did 'New Liberalism' introduce under the leadership of Asquith?
Old-age pensions
Sickness and unemployment insurance
Both of which were paid for by higher taxes on the wealthy.
231
Why did the Liberal Party begin to decline towards the turn of the 20th Century?
The rise of the Labour party provided a more powerful alternative for the working-class.
David Lloyd George resigned as PM in 1922
232
What happened in the early 1980's to the
Liberal Party?
They entered into an electoral pact with former Labour MP's to form 'The Alliance', which they entered the 1983 and 1987 elections
in.
In 1988, they formed the Liberal Democrats.
233
Why did the Liberal Democrats enjoy more power during the early 2010's?
They entered into a coalition government with the Conservative party, giving the Deputy PM role to Nick Clegg.
234
Why is it difficult for the Liberal Democrats to enter power?
They combine the values of Liberal and Social Democrat Parties, so they cover a broad spectrum.
235
What are the liberals of the Liberal Democrat party known as?
Orange-book Liberals
236
Why are orange-book liberals known as such?
After a book published in 2004 of the same name.
It argued that Lib-Dems should reconnect with the nineteenth century commitment to free trade and free markets.
237
Why was Clegg's readiness to enter into a coalition with Cameron's
Tories met with such frustration?
Many on the left-wing side of the party saw the Tories as a bigger threat than Labour.
238
What was featured on the Liberal Democrats manifesto in 2019?
The emphasis on social justice, willingness to raise income tax by 1p and increasing corporation tax to 20%.
Opposition to the opening of more Grammar Schools.
Free school meals to all primary school children.
The most pro-European party, demanding a second referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.
Committing to taking 50k Syrian refugees by 2020.
UK's continued membership of the European Convention on
Human Rights.
Parliamentary and Constitutional Reform within the Liberal
Democrats.
Supported the introduction of proportional representation at Westminster.
239
What were the policies of One Nation
Conservatism?
Belief in social reform - 'Better drains make better people'.
Creation of a paternalistic society, with a social obligation of the privileged 'born to rule' aristocracy to look after the working class.
Patriotic foreign policy.
Creation of national unity by uniting all social classes under the patriotic banner.
'Evolutionary, not revolutionary.'
240
When did One Nation Conservatism leave the
party?
Upon the appointment of Margaret Thatcher, stimulating New Right.
241
What are the basic principles of conservatism?
A strong defence of the country.
Law and Order.
Protection of Property.
Respect for the monarchy and the Established CoE.
Respect for institutions of power.
Love of tradition.
242
What is a faction?
A strand of opinion within a party.
243
What are the main factions within the
Conservative Party?
One Nation Toryism. - Moderate, Centrist Conservatism.
244
What did each faction within the Conservative Party think on the
European Referendum?
One Nation - Remain
ERG - Leave
245
Who are the One Nation Tories represented by?
the Tory Reform Group, represented by former PM John Major, former MP Kenneth Clarke etc.
246
Who did the Tory Reform Group vote for in the Conservative
Leadership Election 2022?
Rishi Sunak, despite not representing them either.
247
How did the New Right operate?
Control public spending via tax cuts.
Mass privatisation of state industries and services. - British
Telecom, a previously publicly owned good that had poor quality as there was no competition. When it was privatised, the service improved massively.
Huge limitations to trade union power.
Very tough approach to law and order, similar to other Tories.
Protecting British Interests abroad, with a strong relationship with the USA.
Resisting the loss of more sovereignty to the EU. (Thatcher never wanted to leave the EU)
Ultimately, it boiled down to individuals standing on their own two feet and taking responsibility for themselves. 'Roll back the state'
'There is no such thing as society, there are individuals and families.' - Thatcher.
248
What did Thatcher believe in terms of economic policy?
Monetarism.
Reduce the amount of money in the economy, therefore increasing the value of the money, therefore the economy would become more efficient.
Reducing the amount of money in circulation in turn reduces inflation.
Increase interest rates, and slash public funding.
249
What was unemployment in 1981?
> 2.5 million
250
Why was Margaret Thatcher forced to resign?
The Poll Tax, everyone who lives in a constituency must pay the same tax, regardless of if you live in a council flat, or a mansion.
251
Who did the Tory Reform Group vote for in the Conservative
Leadership Election?
Rishi Sunak, despite not representing them either.
252
What happened in the early 1980's to the
Liberal Party?
They entered into an electoral pact with former Labour MP's to form 'The Alliance', which they entered the 1983 and 1987 elections
in.
In 1988, they formed the Liberal Democrats.
253
How far did Labour move back towards it's socialist roots under Corbyn?
Quite far, but not completely.
Maintained the top taxation rate at 50p, rather than 83p where it stood in 1979.
Has not re-modified Clause IV, only committing to certain nationalisations rather than wholesale nationalisation.
254
What are the main minority parties in the UK?
SNP
Plaid Cymru
UKIP
DUP
Green
255
When was the SNP established?
1934.
256
When did the SNP win its first Parliamentary seat?
1967.
257
What is the highest number of seats the SN has ever received?
56.
258
How did the SNP become the third biggest party in the Commons following the GE's of 2015 and 2017?
They won a large portion of seats in Scotland.
56/59 in 2015
35/59 in 2017
259
Why is the SNP's power limited at
Westminster?
The Labour Party seem unwilling to work with a party that has established itself as the dominant political force of Scotland.
260
Where has the SNP's most powerful policies come?
In the government of Scotland.
261
What are the most impactful policies the SN has made in Scotland?
Maintained free university tuition.
Prescription charges have been abolished.
16 and 17 year olds have been permitted to vote in local council elections and were allowed to vote in the Scottish independence referendum.
262
Why is it important to not overexaggerate the power of the SNP?
Scotland is still part of the UK, so despite their rejection of nuclear weapons, those decisions are still made at Westminster.
The Supreme Court also ruled that Scotland need not be consulted over legislation withdrawing themselves from the EU, despite their decisive decision to remain in the EU.
263
When does Plaid Cyrmu date from?
1925.
264
When did Plaid Cymru win their first seat at
Westminster?
1966.
265
Where did Plaid Cymru win their first seat?
Carmarthen by-election.
266
Where is Plaid Cymru's main basis of support?
North Wales (particularly the Welsh speaking parts).
267
What is the most seats that Plaid Cymru has won?
4 out of 40 in the Welsh Parliamentary seats.
268
What is Plaid Cymru's power within the National Assembly for Wales?
Limited, but they formed a coalition with Labour from 2007 - 2011.
269
Why did Plaid Cymru enter into a coalition with Labour?
Under the premise that the Assembly would have further devolved powers.
270
When was UKIP founded?
1993.
271
What was the first real power that UKIP had?
2004 European Parliament Elections.
272
Where is UKIP's main voter base?
Amongst the white-working class.
273
What has UKIP's main goal always been?
They were highly Eurosceptic, so campaigned to leave the EU.
274
How did UKIP broaden their support amongst the white working class?
Not only opposing the EU, but also further immigration.
275
How did UKIP do in the 2014 European
Parliament elections?
They did well, achieving 26.6% of the votes, more than Conservatives or Labour. They had 24 seats.
276
How did UKIP do in the 2015 GE?
Achieved 12.6% of all votes, but only had 1 seat due to the current voting systems.
277
How big has UKIP's affect been on UK Politics?
Massive, as they fuelled much of the Euroscepticism that caused us to leave the EU due to the referendum.
278
Why does the strength of UKIP tend to hurt
Labour?
UKIP and Labour have much of the same voter base, so if UKIP are stronger, they take more of the votes from Labour, allowing parties such as the Conservatives to take seats.
279
What were the results in the 2016 EU referendum?
52% Leave
48% Remain
280
Why are minority parties victims of FPTP?
Despite having a percentage of the vote, their votes are often too far spread across the country so they have very few seats.
281
What have the names of the Green party been?
PEOPLE
Ecology Party
282
How did the Green Party do in the 2015 UK
Elections?
3.6 of the popular vote, but only had 1 seat.
283
What did the Green Party do in the 2017 elections?
They chose not to contest many seats with a close Labour to Conservative contest in an effort to not split voter bases.
284
What is the DUP?
The Democratic Unionist Party.
285
Where is the DUP's main base of voters?
Northern Ireland.
286
When was the DUP founded?
1971.
287
What is the DUP's priority?
To keep Northern Ireland as part of the
United Kingdom.
288
What was one of the most pivotal events in peace processes in
Northern Ireland?
The agreement to power share with Sinn Fein.
They still find it difficult to cooperate in government, and as a result their power sharing broke down in 2017.
289
Why did the DUP have such a powerful base in Westminster?
The Conservatives had to ask for DUP support to avoid having a minority administration.
290
What is confidence and supply?
A minority government retains power by arranging with another party that will support it on votes of confidence and on the budget.
291
What is the difference between confidence and supply, and a coalition?
Confidence and Supply is a more informal arrangement than the coalition, as members of the smaller party do not sit in government and can vote against the government on other issues.
292
What did the DUP have to do in their CaS deal with the Conservatives in 2017?
Vote with the Conservatives on Brexit, the budget and votes of confidence.
293
What did the DUP get in return for the Cas deal?
An extra £1 billion in funding for NI
A parliamentary veto over the government's Brexit negotiations.
The Conservative government will not put pressure on the Government of Northern Ireland to adopt same-sex marriage laws, or to allow abortion.
294
What is a party system?
A system that has one-party dominance or a multi-party sharing of influence.
295
A system that has one-party dominance or a multi-party sharing of influence.
Mostly dominated by two main political parties. Conservatives and Labour.
296
What was the political landscape of 20th
Century Britain known as?
Political duopoly
297
Why was there a political duopoly for most of the 20th century?
The different social classes tended to identify with one or other of the main parties.
298
What did class-based voting mean for the working class?
Most voted for Labour.
299
What did class-based voting mean for the middle and upper class?
Most voted for the Conservatives.
300
What did class-based voting mean for the other minority parties?
It became very difficult for them to gain seats as all 3 classes were already covered.
301
Why does FPTP cause problems with minority representation?
Most parties find it very difficult to gain any representation as smaller parties lack the depth of support that larger parties have.
302
What party has had the most problems regarding FPTP?
Liberals.
303
Why have the Liberal Democrats had a problem regarding FPTP?
The Liberals have had a wide breadth of support across the country, but have never had main strongholds of support, meaning they are severely underrepresented at Westminster.
304
What did the GE look like in 1974?
37.9% Conservative - 297 MP's
37.2% Labour - 301 MP's
19.3% Liberal - 14 MP's
305
Why has party funding caused massive damage to smaller parties?
They have been unable to rely on the funding from either trade unions or big business for Labour and Conservative, respectively.
306
Has two-party dominance been eroded at
Westminster?
During the 1980's, SD was established and formed an electoral alliance with Liberal members.
Created a centrist party with wider potential appeal and upon merger to become the Liberal Democrats, the parties influence massively increased.
307
What did the Liberal Democrats vote from
1992 - 2010 look like?
1992 - 17.8% - 20 MP's
1997 - 18.8% - 46 MP's
2001 - 18.3% - 52 MP's
2005 - 22% - 62 MP's
2010 - 23% -57 MP's
308
What was a major factor into the decline of the duopoly at Westminster?
Voters voted on specific issues rather than voting on class due to growing partisan dealignment.
309
Why did the Liberal Democrats gain so much from the 2001 to 2005 election?
Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy was vehemently opposed to the Iraq War.
310
What did the SNP vote (in Scotland) from
1992 - 2015 look like?
1992 - 21.5% - 3 MP's
1997 - 22.1% - 6 MP's
2001 - 20.1% - 5 MP's
2005 - 17.7% - 6 MP's
2010 - 19.9% - 6 MP's
2015 - 50% - 56 MP's
311
Why did the SNP enjoy such an improvement in 2015?
Their high profile campaign during the 2014 Scottish Independence
Referendum led to a huge increase in voter share in 2015.
312
What did the 2015 GE spell out in terms of party models at Westminster?
A shift to a two-and-a-half party model.
313
What did the 2017 GE spell out in terms of party models at Westminster?
The Lib Dems saw a huge fall to 8.8% voter share.
The SNP lost 21 seats.
The Conservative and Labour parties saw the biggest share since the 1970 GE.
Suggests a firm shift back towards a political duopoly.
314
Why did the share of Conservative and Labour votes see a huge increase in the 2017 GE?
The nature of British Politics saw a significant switch to an adversary nature so voters now saw a clear divide between the two parties, especially with Jeremy Corbyn moving the party more left, and Boris moving the party more right than each of their predecessors.
315
What have regional assemblies done in terms of multiparty democracy?
Regional assemblies tend to be far more equal in terms of how parties are set out.
316
Why do regional assemblies have far more multiparty democracy?
Regional assemblies use proportional voting rather than FPTP sO smaller parties are more likely to get into a regional election.
317
Has the UK become a multiparty democracy?
Yes:
Devolved assemblies see more than two party democracy
Smaller parties have been highly influential in recent GE's
SN has a significant parliamentary presence
As both Tory and Labour have not won a large majority since 2005 (other than 2019), significance of smaller parties is likely to remain significant.
No:
2017 GE saw Tory and Labour have biggest share since 1970.
Labour and Conservative have 89% of seats.
Support for Lib Dems collapsed in 2015 and 2017.
FPTP supports duopoly at Westminster.
Party funding makes it difficult to break into Conservative and
Labour domination.
