political parties basics (incl funding)

whats a political party

• political party is a group of people with similar ideas and beliefs who have come together to work to achieve their aims.

• The ideas of a political party are written down in a document called a manifesto.

• The party manifesto provides the basis for action should a party win an election.

types of political parties

• mainstream parties

  • conservative, labour, LibDem

  • address all policy issues rooted in an ideological perspective

• nationalist parties

  • SNP, Plaid Cymru

  • parties that campaign for the nation’s independence. built on the identity of being a nation

• single issue parties

  • UKIP, Green

  • parties that are focused on a particular issue

functions of political parties

• making policy

  • also known as aggregation- Identifying the wide range of demands made from individuals in society and then converting these into policy

• representation

  • Labour was developed to represent working class and TU members. Tory party to protect interests of the middle/upper classes (gentry/aristocracy)

  • Now parties are aiming to appeal to all groups and represent national interest

  • rise of single issue parties like Green which aren’t necessarily representative

• choosing candidates

  • parties choose candidates for constituencies

• identifying leaders

  • picking who will lead the party and therefore become PM

  • each party has different methods for picking a leader

• political education

  • Inform the people about the political issues of the day, explaining main areas of conflict and outlining their own solutions to the problems identified

  • Education also involves teaching public about how the political system works

    • Greens raised awareness about environmental issues

    • UKIP made the role and position of the EU a source for debate

    • Labour has raised awareness of the issues of low pay etc

• reinforcing consent

  • All the main parties support the political system of the UK, of parliamentary democracy.

  • By operating and supporting this system, parties are part of the process that ensures the general population conents to the system

political parties enhance democracy

• representation

  • Parties represent different ideologies and interests, giving voters real choices.

    • The Green Party campaigns for environmentalism, while Reform UK focuses on immigration and Brexit-related issues

  • Voters can align with parties reflecting their views, enhancing pluralism and participation.

• participation

  • Parties encourage public engagement through membership, campaigns, and activism

    • Labour's membership surged during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership (over 500,000 in 2017), increasing political involvement.

  • Active members influence policy and candidate selection, deepening democratic engagement.

• policy development

  • Parties develop manifestos, allowing voters to make informed choices.

    • In 2019, Conservatives promised to "Get Brexit Done"

  • Clear policy alternatives support informed democratic decisions.

  • most parties consult civil servants, advisory units, committees and private advisors before making policy - enhances representative democracy

political parties undermine democracy

• confusing policy

  • parties can promise policies and later U-turn with no legal consequences.

    • Conservatives promised no tax rise in 2019 but later increased National Insurance.

  • Reduces trust in the democratic process.

• two party system dominance

  • FPTP favours Labour and Conservatives, marginalising smaller parties.

    • In 2019, Lib Dems got 11% of the vote but only 1.7% of seats.

  • Distorts representation and limits voter choice, undermining pluralism.

PARTY FUNDING

how are parties funded?

• Donations from party supporters and money that comes from party memberships.

  • during 2024 GE campaign labour got over £9.5mil from donations alone. more than all the other parties combined, Tories at £1.8mil

  • donations from Sainsbury, Unison etc

  • Labour received significantly less from trade unions than it did in previous elections

  • In 2019, the party declared £5m from unions. In 2024, it was £2.4m, with £1.49m coming from the public sector union Unison and the rest from six other unions.

• public funding

types of public funding

• short money

  • money given to opposition parties from the HoC to help them in their parliamentary work and scrutinising the gov

  • the amount given is based on how many seats they secured in the last election

    • 2024 GE - Tory got £3mil, Greens £300k

• cranborne money

  • money given to opposition parties from the HoL to help with costs

What were the provisions of PPERA - Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

• A spending limit was added -> how much a political party is allowed to spend in the regulated period depends on how many candidates are standing for the party.

What were the provisions of PPEA - Political Parties and Elections Act 2009

Donations over £11,180 need to be reported

What is the role of the Electoral Commission

• The Electoral Commission is an independent body that oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. They work to ensure the integrity of the political system.

Why is party funding controversial?

• Because political parties often get uneven spreads of funding and this leads to varying campaigns -> makes the election campaigns more exclusive and unfair as it should be dependent on manifesto policies not on how much was invested into the campaign.

• Some political party investors are rewarded with roles in parliament as a result of PM patronage (as seen w/ Starmer’s wife accepting clothes from peer in HoL)-> this is undemocratic as unelected individuals are able to influence the political system purely because of their money investments.

how could party funding be reformed

• Parties could receive a set (reasonably low) state funding for election campaigns but any external donations that are made, have to go through the Electoral Commission if they exceed £1000. This includes any type of company, cooperation or individual who donates.

• An overall cap on external party donations should be brought in so no individual political party gets a exceedingly large amount of donations which unbalances the playing field for elections.

YES there should be state funding

• reduces influence of wealthy donors

  • Public funding can limit reliance on big private donations that may distort policy.

    • The Conservatives received millions from business donors; critics argue this skews priorities.

  • Public funding promotes fairness and reduces corruption risk.

• makes it fairer for all parties

  • Smaller parties would have more resources to compete, enhancing pluralism.

    • In 2019, Labour and Conservatives spent over £16 million, while Greens spent under £1 million.

  • Public funding supports electoral competitiveness and voter choice.

• increases transparency

  • State funding can be closely monitored, reducing shady financing.

    • The “Cash for Honours” scandal (2006) damaged trust in party funding practices.

  • Transparent public funding can restore trust in politics.

NO there shouldn’t be state funding

• could reduce accountability

  • If parties rely on public money, they may become less responsive to members and voters.

  • Could weaken grassroots activism and party–public engagement.

• difficult to allocate fairly

  • Deciding how much each party gets can be controversial. Should it be based on past votes, seats, or membership?

  • Risk of reinforcing the power of established parties and excluding new or smaller ones.

• unfair for parties to get both donations and state funding

  • during 2024 GE campaign labour got over £9.5mil from donations alone. more than all the other parties combined. adding state funding would put small parties like Green who only got £160k at a disadvantage