The functions of political parties

How to Conservative leaders get in?

They use a two stage system where MPs vote to narrow the choice down to 2 candidates and then the members vote. For example, Johnson beat Jeremy Hunt in 2019 by 30,000 votes to become the party leader.

How many members were in the Labour party in 2019?

550,000

How many people supported Corbyn’s proposed policy of the nationalisation of the railways?

73% of Labour voters wanted this and 59% of the pop supported this.This policy aimed to bring the railways back under public ownership.

An example of when ministers and advisors create policies for the gov, not the members

Dominic Cummings introduced “skunk works” s projects are often used to explore new policy ideas, develop innovative solutions to complex problems, or address controversial issues without the usual scrutiny of political debate or bureaucracy. The IEA with trickle down economics idea to Liz Truss.

When and why was Labour formed?

Formed in 1900 to represent trade unionists and the working class

How have populist parties allowed for more people to feel represented?

Populist parties often focus on the concerns and needs of ordinary people, claiming to represent the "common man" against the elite. They engage disenfranchised voters by addressing issues that traditional parties may overlook.

An example of a populist party?

Reform UK. They want to “stop the boats” and deport illegal immigrants and if necessary, pick up illegal migrants out of boats and take them back to France. It is estimated that 37,000 people crossed the channel in small boats in 2024. Another example is the Brexit Party, which emerged to advocate for the UK's departure from the European Union, appealing to voters' nationalism and sovereignty.

Why and how has Labour’s representation changed and what are the reactions to this

Labour now represent a broader base as they claim to represent the national interest of the population. This resulted in many left - wing Labour members feeling that the leadership was too middle class and didn’t actually represent the workers. For example, he introduced tuition fees and the expansion of the private finance initiative, which made many socialists feel alienated from the parties core values.

How many votes did Boris Johnson win over Jeremy Hunt in 2019?

30,000

How many of the most recent Conservative PMs have been unelected and unopposed?

The past 3 of 6 contests, the winners Howard, May and Sunak have been unelected and unopposed, meaning that their members had no choice. This has been seen as undemocratic as the party members haven’t had a say.

Why is the argument weak that the membership for Labour was 550,000 in 2019 making them the biggest party in western Europe?

Their membership has decreased to 370,000 in 2024 due to the internal conflicts within the party, decreasing their support.

What are the memberships of the Lib Dem and Conservative parties in 2024?

Lib dem have 100,000 and Conservative have 160,000

Definition of a manifesto?

A pre - election policy document in which a party sets out a series of policy pledges and legislative proposals that it plans to enact if returned to office. It outlines the party's goals, vision, and commitments to voters.

Definition of a mandate?

The right of the governing party to pursue the policies it sets out in its general election manifesto. They have a democratic right and legitimacy to implement their policies

Example of a mandate forming a strong government who can pass laws with few obstacles

The Conservatives under Johnson “got Brexit done” with no amendments in just three weeks in January 2020 after Johnson was elected. Allows for decisive and quick action.This mandate enabled the government to implement its Brexit strategy effectively.

Example of whether governments have a mandate to carry out policies if they gain less than 50% of the vote

Boris Johnson only gained 44% of the vote, meaning that 55% of the public that voted, voted for “Remain” or 2nd referendum parties.

What types of government can’t a mandate apply to?

Can’t apply to a coalition government or a minority government as they have to make significant compromises on their manifesto policies. Theresa May got her Brexit withdrawal policy rejected 33 times due to her minority government.

Example of the policy differences between Labour and Conservative in their manifestos?

Labour promised to fix social services and Conservatives promised “tax cuts”

An example of when a party didn’t stick to their manifesto promises

In 2003, Labour introduced tuition fees which went against their socialist policies

An example of when a party introduced policies that are not mentioned in their manifesto

Cameron cut police budgets by 25% and Johnson/Sunak introduced the Rwanda deportation scheme which was quite a right wing policy.

Judgement on whether manifestos are useful?

They are very useful because it allows voters to choose between parties and understand what their views are. What would they base their vote on if they didn’t have anything to go off?

Judgement on whether mandates are useful?

Useful as people vote parties in for a reason, so they have democratic legitimacy to pass these policies. This is a more democratic approach however still shows a flaw within the voting system

An example of when the HoL passed through the governments legislation due to the Salisbury doctrine even though they may not have agreed with the view?

Many of the HoL members supported “Remain” however passed the Brexit legislation

Example of when the HoL became more rebellious and why is this weak?

The HoL have become more rebellious and defeated aspects of the Illegal Migration bill (Rwanda). However, as this wasn’t a part of the Conservative manifesto, the HoL had a right to make amendments and not pass it straight away.