Chapter 2 - Political Parties

What is a political party

• An organisation of people with similar political values and views which develops a set of goals and policies that it seeks to convert into political action by obtaining govt office, or a share in govt or by influencing the govt currently in pwr

• May pursue its goals by mobilising public opinion in its favour, selecting candidates for office and competing at elections

How is vote share distributed in 2024 vs 1950

1950: Clear 2 party system as seen by the turnout and seat share

• TO: 84%

• Labour: 46.1%

• Cons: 43.3%

• Liberal party: 9.1%

2024: Much more of a multi-party system

• TO: 59.9%

• Labour: 33.7%

• Conservative: 23.7%

• Liberal Democracy: 12.2%

What are the functions of Political Parties

• Policy-making:

  • Increasingly outsourced to 'think-tanks' and special advisers - especially important when PPs are in opposition

• Representation:

  • Shift from representing a specific section of society

  • Claiming to represent the national interest + also emergence of 'populist parties' as well as 'issue parties' representing a particular cause

• Selecting candidates: All levels of election

  • National office/regional committee

  • Local constituency - party activists/officers

• Identifying leaders:

  • Combination of existing leaders, MPs and party members

• Organising/contesting elections:

  • Key role for activists, including 'GOTV' (Get out the vote - increasing voter turnout

• Reinforcing consent (hidden function):

  • Mutual support for political process - parliamentary democracy

  • Jo Cox MP 2016, David Amess MP 2021 (Both murdered MP’s)

What is aggregation

• A process undertaken by political parties, of converting policies, demands and ideas into practical policy programmes for government.

• Involves eliminating contradictions and making some compromises.

What is populism

• A political movement, often represented by a political party that appeals to people’s emotions

• Supporters typically among sections of society that feel as though they have not been represented by conventional politics/politicians

What makes a left-wing party

• Policies conform to “socialist” principles

  • Redistribution of income from rich to poor through both taxation and welfare

  • Public ownership and state control of key enterprises

  • Elimination of privilege - replacing it with equal rights and equality of opportunity

What makes a right-wing party

• Policies conform to conservatism:

  • Promotion of individualism

  • Withdrawal of the state from economic and social control

  • Low personal and company taxation

  • Strong authoritarian position on law and order

  • Patriotism and nationalism

What is the significance of the mandate for Government

• Provides the winning party with the legitimacy and authority to enact its manifesto policies - Strengthens govt

  • E.g.2024 GE gained a mandate to remove hereditary peers from the HoL which they then did in March 2026

• The PM and other leaders of the ruling party can use the doctrine of the mandate to enforce party discipline when voting in the HoC and/or devolved assemblies.

  • This is because all the governing party MPs, back-benchers and the government, were elected to Parliament on the same mandate

What is the significance of the mandate to the electorate

• Signifies that voters provided informed consent to the winning party

• Can be used to hold parliament to account

What is the significance of the Mandate to Parliament

• Allows Parliament to hold govt to account

What is the significance of the mandate to MP’s

• All MP’s are bound in by the mandate

What are the weaknesses of the doctrine of the mandate

• Relies on a single party winning the election outright

  • When there is a coalition, one parties manifesto no longer applies

  • If there is a minority govt, they can’t legitimately claim a mandate

Factfile: Labour party

• Party leader:

• Deputy Leader:

• Number of Westminster MP’s:

• % of seats in the HOC:

• % Vote share in 2024 GE:

• Treasury SM:

• Foreign Office SM:

• Home office SM:

What are the guiding principles/origins of Old Labour

Early days - 1990s

• Not a socialist party (never attempted to abolish capitalism) - more democratic socialists

• Equality (of opportunity) & Social justice as essential values

• See society in terms of class conflict

  • The interests of the 2 great classes can’t be reconciled so govts must favour the interests of the disadvantaged working class

• Collectivism - concept that many of our goals are best achieved collectively rather than individually.

  • Includes co-operative movements

• Nationalisation: Common ownership of major, strategic industries, run by the state on the behalf of the people

• Trade-unionism: recognised that workers were weak compares to employers - thus supporting TU’s were vital in restoring the balance of power between them

• Statism: Central state could play key role in controlling economic activity and securing social goals

What are the guiding principles/origins of new Labour

• 1990s - the present (?)

What are the Labour party’s main ideas on welfare

Old labour:

• Welfarism: Every member of society should be protected by a welfare system to which all should contribute

  • Led to the creation of the NHS in 1948 under Attlee

• Equality as a key value, thus they support a redistribution of income to reduce the worst inequalities and provide equality of opportunity

What are the Labour party’s main ideas on foreign affairs

What are the labour parties main ideas on the economy

Old Labour:

What are the Labour parties main ideas on law & order

What are the factions of the Labour Party