established political parties

preserving the status quo - one-nation conservatism

• One-nation conservatives support traditional institutions (e.g. the Church, the family, the class system) and the enduring rules of British society

• The Conservative Party believed in pragmatically dealing with issues whilst looking to maintain the status quo and gradually improving on what already exists

• Institutions like the Church are important, and so must be preserved to moderate society

role of the state - one-nation conservatism

• One-nation conservatism is a paternalistic ideology

  • Supporters believe that the rich have an obligation to look after the poorest and those who can’t take care of themselves

• This type of conservatism supports a Keynesian mixed economy, but if required the state can intervene

• Working internationally with other countries, and greater integration with Europe, are also supported

the new right - thatcherism

• Thatcherism was part of the New Right movement

• The New Right movement combined an orthodox conservative state with a neo-liberal state

• Orthodox conservative ideas: social policy and law and order

• Neo-liberal ideas: the free market, monetarism and less regulation

• During the 1970s and 80s the New Right movement was popular on the right, with scholars and think tanks writing about neo-liberal ideas

key aspects of thatcherism

• Thatcherism argued for the importance of individual needs over society

• Thatcherism proposed a small state where the role of the government and state intervention is reduced

• Thatcherism supported self-reliance

• Thatcherism endorsed business deregulation and industry privatisation

• Thatcherism supported reduced trade union powers

• Thatcherism placed importance on national sovereignty

• Thatcherism supported fewer taxes and making the welfare state smaller by limiting benefits

thatcherism vs. one-nation conservatism

• One-nation conservatism has a more pragmatic approach compared to Thatcherism’s assertive and dogmatic (uncompromising on principles) approach

• One-nation conservatism favours small and gradual changes, but Thatcherism supports a radical approach to change

• One-nation conservatism focuses on looking after the needs of society, while Thatcherism focuses on individual needs

• One-nation conservatism supports a mixed economy whilst Thatcherism supports a free-market economy

2010 election campaign - david cameron

• The 2010 Conservative manifesto made policy promises, but was argued to lack substance

• Policies included:

  • Stronger economic management, with tax and spending cuts and deficit reduction

  • Replacing the HRA with a UK Bill of Rights

  • Accepting EU principles, but staying opposed to the transfer of powers away from the UK

  • Tougher exams and reduced state control over schools

coalition government - david cameron

• The 2010 election resulted in a hung parliament

• The Conservatives entered into an agreement with the Lib Dems to form a coalition

• The government’s policies included reducing benefits, deficit and spending cuts, and a referendum on the Alternative Vote system

• The economic policy came from the Conservatives, but the political reform policies were mostly from the Lib Dems

• The coalition ended in 2015

impact of brexit - theresa may

• The Conservatives had achieved little notable change after successfully winning the 2015 election with much focus on the EU referendum

• Under May a significant amount of work has been focused on preparing for Brexit and negotiating a deal for Britain’s withdrawal from the EU

• Brexit talks have divided the Conservative party and May’s cabinet, with ministers resigning over decisions regarding Brexit

policy proposals - theresa may

• Regional government - May decided not to put in place the previous government’s proposals for elected mayors in cities and abandoned the ‘northern powerhouse’ plans

• Environment - May replaced the government Department for Energy and Climate Change with departments preparing for Brexit, the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Department for International Trade

• Education - May put forward proposals in favour of grammar schools which allowed Comprehensives to become grammars

2017 GE - theresa may

• Theresa May called a snap election in 2017 to strengthen her majority for the upcoming Brexit talks

• The Conservative Party lost its majority, and so entered into a ‘confidence and supply’ deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)

• This means that the DUP agrees to support the government in budget votes, and not vote against the government in a vote of no confidence

ideologies - old labour

• Old Labour had a political ideology based on socialism and when the party had strong links with trade unions, socialist societies and the working class

  • Included a belief in nationalism, opposition to capitalism, a belief in equality and redistributing wealth to the poor from the wealthy, continually investing in welfare services and greater state control over the economy

clause IV - old labour

• Some of the Old Labour ideas were outlined in the Labour Party’s 1918 constitution

• Clause IV outlined the party’s belief in the need for wealth to be redistributed and in state ownership of main national industries

1983 manifesto - old labour

• Michael Foot (leader in the 1983 general election) proposed a manifesto which clearly demonstrated ideas of ‘Old Labour’ including policies for greater state control of industries, more workers rights and nuclear disarmament

  • The manifesto was described by Labour MP Gerald Kaufman as ‘the longest suicide note in history’ after Labour lost the election

• Some believe that the 1983 loss was because of the party’s left-wing ideas

ideologies - new labour

• New Labour advocated a number of key ideas:

  • Reduced trade union power in the party and decreasing the reliance on them for funding

  • Increasing the party leader’s power over areas such as candidate selection, making policy and party structure

  • Moving away from traditional Labour policies on tax and spending

  • Acceptance of Conservative privatisation programmes

  • Acceptance of devolution and of membership of the EU and NATO

  • Support for private schools and healthcare

clause IV - new labour

• Under the leadership of Tony Blair, Clause IV of the party constitution which outlined key socialist ideas was reworded

policies - gordon brown

• Labour’s main ideology under Brown was to increase the state’s role in both the economic market and society

  • Some high street banks were nationalised

  • Brown put in place an economic policy focused on managing the deficit without introducing cuts to public services

• Brown’s economic policy was similar to the ‘tax and spend’ policies of Old Labour

policies - ed miliband

• Miliband was labelled ‘Red Ed’ after his party leadership election victory, due to the support he received from the trade unions

• Miliband suffered a significant electoral defeat in the 2015 election

  • This led to the left-wing faction of the party calling for it to return to its socialist roots and those in the right-wing faction stating the need to return to the principles of New Labour

policies - jeremy corbyn

• Corbyn advocated for:

  • Reducing wealth inequality and promoting a more equal society

  • Placing pease as the core objective of the foreign policy

  • National education for all

  • Achieving full employment and increasing job security for workers

• Under Corbyn, Labour was greatly divided between its left and right

  • Progress - believed in New Labour values

  • Momentum - supported Corbyn

coalition government - nick clegg

• Despite increased popularity, the Lib Dems lost seats in 2010 and joined the Conservatives in a coalition government

  • The coalition meant that the party broke election promises such as not increasing tuition fees

  • The Lib Dems were a moderating force in the coalition government and blocked some Conservative policies - such as inheritance tax cuts

2024 conservative ideas - economy

• Cut employee National Insurance from 12% to 8%

• Abolish self-employed National Insurance

• Introduce triple lock plus to keep state pension below income tax threshold

2024 conservative ideas - law and order

• Recruit 8,000 more police officers

• Increase sentence for serious crimes (e.g. murder minimum from 15 to 25 years)

• Tougher penalties for low-level crime

2024 conservative ideas - welfare

• Find £12 billion in welfare savings

• Keep triple lock (pensions rise by inflation, wages or 2.5%)

• Reduce long-term sickness benefits spending

2024 conservative ideas - foreign policy

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030

• Continue military and financial support for Ukraine

• Uphold Rwanda scheme to send ‘illegal migrants’ abroad

• Maintain NATO alliance

2024 labour ideas - economy

• No increase in income tax rates

• No increase in National Insurance

• No increase in VAT

• Add VAT to private school fees

2024 labour ideas - law and order

• Recruit 13,000 extra neighbourhood polices and PCSOs

• Introduce respect orders

• Reduce violence against women and girls

2024 labour ideas - welfare

• Focus on getting people into work rather than long-term benefits

• Introduce a ‘Youth Guarantee’ (all 18-21 year olds in work, training or education)

• Improve Access to Work scheme

2024 labour ideas - foreign policy

• Maintain nuclear deterrent

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP

• Continue military + financial support for Ukraine

• Seek closer cooperation with the EU

2024 lib dem ideas - economy

• Raise £8.4 billion by increasing Bank Levy and Corporation Tax surcharge on banks

• Increase Digital Services Tax from 2% to 6% on big tech companies

• Increase R&D investment to 3% of GDP by 2030

2024 lib dem ideas - law and order

• Scrap police and crime commissioners

• Recruit 8,000 more community police officers

• End prison overcrowding by expanding capacity and using more rehabilitation

2024 lib dems ideas - welfare

• Scrap two-child benefit cap

• Introduce free personal care in England

• Increase Carer’s Allowance and expand eligibility

2024 lib dems ideas - foreign policy

• Rejoin the EU single market

• Increase UK aid spending back to 0.7% of GNI

• Create more safe and legal routes for refugees

2024 reform uk ideas

• Leave the ECHR to allow stricter border control

• Cut corporation tax from 25% to 20%

• Scrap Net Zero target

• Introduce tax relief for private healthcare

• Abolish the House of Lords (replaced with elected chamber)

2024 greens ideas

• Introduce a wealth tax

• Replace FTFP with proportional representation

• Replace HoL with elected chamber

• Scrap two-child benefit cap