UK politics Flashcards by Will Ortlund

Who cant vote

Under 18s
EU citizen
Lords
Prisoner

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Why should voting be made compulsory

Voting is a social duty aswell as a right
Provide parliament a more accurate representation of the population
Politicians would have to consider opinion of everyone

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Why should voting remain voluntary

Undemocratic to take away the choice
Doesnt consider deeper reasons people may not vote (emotional)

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Voter turnout in 2019 general election

67.3%

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How many referendums have there been this century

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Brexit referendum turnout

72%

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Scottish independence referendum turnout

84%

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Stonewall

Prominent LGBT activists/ pressure group

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Sectional interest groups

Represent a particular group in society

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Insider pressure groups

Group with privileged access to govt decision making

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Outsider pressure groups

they have no advantage and must seek support in other ways

for example
public support

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Functions of pressure groups

Protect the interest of minority groups
Protect causes ignored by parliament
Inform and educated the public about key issues
Give citizens other ways to get involved in politics besides voting

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Methods of pressure groups

Civil disobedience
Illegal action
Lobbying
protests

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Fabian society think tanks

They deal with issues concerning social justice and equality

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Responsibilites of citizens

jury duty
Paying taxes
voting

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Where do rights come from

European convention of Human Rights 1950

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Free market

a market that is free from government interference

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One nation

A paternalistic (protecting others) approach

Adopted by conservatives after Disraeli coined it

keep the people happy

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Thatcherism

Free market
distrust of power of government
right of individuals to dictate they own life

Thatcherism is very traditional (family and church)

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New labour on the economy

emphasis on wealth creation over distribution
capitalism and pro-business

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2015 opinion poll

Predicted a Labour SNP coalition. “Hung parliament”

inaccurate but it caused voters to vote anything but labour to avoid sap power

66% majority in GE

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Evidence of Media influencing voting

“its the sun wot won it” 1992- surprised conservaitve win
“ will the last person to leave britain if labour wins, will you please turn out the lights” -conseravtives in 1979, brought thatcher to power
2015, miliband bacon sandwich

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What is direct democracy?

Study These Flashcards

A system where citizens make decisions directly, often via referendums.

What is representative democracy?

Study These Flashcards

A system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

Name two advantages of representative democracy.

Practical for large populations; representatives are often more informed.

democratic deficit?

A situation where democratic institutions or processes fall short of democratic principles, e.g. lack of accountability.

All 3 referendums this century

2016 EU referendum 2014 Scottish Independence referendum 2011 AV referendum

What are pressure groups?

Organisations that aim to influence public policy without seeking election.

What is the difference between sectional and cause pressure groups?

Sectional groups protect the interests of members (e.g. BMA); cause groups promote a specific cause (e.g. Greenpeace).

What are think tanks?

Organisations that research and propose policy ideas.

Lobbying

Attempting to influence politicians and policy on behalf of interest groups or businesses.

What is the ideology of the Conservative Party?

Centre-right; emphasis on free markets, tradition, and national sovereignty.

What is the ideology of the Labour Party?

Centre-left; emphasis on social justice, equality, and public services.

What is the ideology of the Liberal Democrats?

Centrist; support civil liberties, electoral reform, and pro-EU policies.

What are minor parties? Give an example.

Smaller parties with less influence; e.g. Green Party, SNP.

What is party funding, and why is it controversial?

Money from members, donors, and businesses; can lead to undue influence from wealthy individuals.

What reforms have been introduced to party funding?

Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 – set rules on donations and spending limits.

What is partisan dealignment?

Voters becoming less loyal to a single party over time.

What electoral system is used in UK general elections?

First-Past-the-Post (FPTP).

Name one advantage and one disadvantage of FPTP.

Advantage: Clear outcomes and strong governments. Disadvantage: Disproportionality.

What is the Additional Member System (AMS)?

A hybrid system combining FPTP and proportional representation; used in Scottish Parliament.

Where is the Single Transferable Vote (STV) used?

Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

How does the Supplementary Vote (SV) work, and where is it used?

Voters rank top two candidates; used for London mayoral elections.

What is proportional representation?

Electoral systems where seats match the proportion of votes.

What is a safe seat?

A constituency that regularly elects a representative from the same party.

What are the main sociological factors influencing voting behaviour?

Class, age, gender, ethnicity, and region.

What is class dealignment?

A decline in the association between class and party support.

How has age influenced recent UK elections?

Younger voters tend to support Labour; older voters more likely to vote Conservative.

What is the impact of media on voting behaviour?

Shapes public opinion, frames issues, influences perceptions of leaders and parties.

What is the significance of opinion polls?

They indicate likely election outcomes but can be inaccurate or influence voting behaviour.

Give an example of media influence on an election.

The Sun's support for Labour in 1997 or its switch to Conservative in 2010.

What is tactical voting?

Voting not for a preferred candidate but to prevent another from winning.

Franchise

the rights to vote "have the franchise" suffrage means the same thing

2017 Donations to parties

Conservatives: £25mil Labour: £10mil Lib Dems: £5mil

FTPT arguments for retention 4 reasons

-Stood test of time -the 2011 referendum on it decisively rejected change -Produces a clear winner and strong govt -quick and simple

Why should fptp be changed 4 reasons

-Not proportional -Leads to wasted votes -encourages tactical voting -unlegitimate, party doesnt always have a majority

1997 election key points

Blair's labour won against Major Labour won 43% of the vote cons 30% Opinion polls predicted labour to lose, but they kept campaigning

UK politics Flashcards

(57 cards)