Politics paper 1 Political parties

List main functions of parties

• campaigning

• selecting candidates

• mobilising consent for government

• policy formation

• representation

• providing the personnel of government

• electing a leader

Main methods of party funding: up to ____ per party is available in grants from the electoral commission

£2 million

Main methods of party funding: ____ money and ______ money

short money and cranborne money

Voters loyalty to parties has declined in recent years. Statistics?

1964 - 44% of voters have a ‘very strong attachment’ to a party

2005 - 10% have a ‘very strong attachment’ to a party

In 2000 the Blair government passed the  Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act. As a result of the act, · the amount that a party could spend was capped at £______ in a constituency 

£30,0000

In 2000 the Blair government passed the  Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act. As a result of the act, donations of more than £_____ (nationally) or £_____ (to a constituency party) had to be declared, and parties had to publish details of donations at regular intervals 

£5,000 , £1,000

In 2000 the Blair government passed the  Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act. As a result of the act, donations from individuals ______________ were banned. 

not on the UK electoral roll

When was the ‘cash for honours’ scandal and what was it?

2006-07, Tony Blair nominated several men for peerages after they loaned lots to the Labour party, led to Blair being questioned by police (no charges brought). Was later decided that loans would be subject to the same rules as donations.

Due to membership, what was the richest political party in 2017? And how much did they generate from subscriptions for their party?

the Labour party, generated £16.1 million

the largest ever single donation by a living person to a British political party:

Reform UK has received a £9m donation from Christopher Harborne

Short money distributed to all opposition parties, and amount depends on …

how many seats and votes parties won at the previous election

Cranborne money does what?

subsidises the work of scrutiny carried out by the opposition parties in the House of Lords

Short money key statistics 2025/6

Conservatives - £5.5 million
Reform and Greens got - £400k

Who was recommended for a peerage by Boris Johnson after a donation? (name, donation, year)

Peter Cruddas, £3 million, 2021

How much does the Phillips Report recommend for state funding and why is this important

£25 million, meaning the required increase in taxes would be comparatively small

Evidence that money doesn’t guarantee electoral success (arguments against state funding)

Reform UK spend £5.5 million in 2024, compared to £1.7 million of the Greens, but they won 5 and 4 seats respectively

When was the 2 child benefit cap scrapped and what are the statistics?

April 6 2026, 480k families get an average rise of £4,100 a year

Labour progress on recruiting 13,000 extra neighbourhood police?

Have achieved 80% of planned first year increase

Gorton and Denton by-election stats

Green won a seat that had been Labours since 1906. Green won 40% of votes cast, Reform won 28%

Green party 2024 results

6.7% vote, 4 seats

Established parties continue to dominate: main parties still make up what percentage of elected MPs in 2024?

90%