Politics - UK Political parties

What is the Conservative Party also known as?

The patriotic party

Which party that started in 1834 is the most successful of British political parties?

The conservatives

What strand of conservative is associated with Victorian PM Disraeli?

One-nation conservatism

What is one-nation conservatism?

Focusing on the duty of those with power and privilege to use wisely and unite the nation by moderate social reforms and patriotism

What is a 2019 example of one-nation conservatism?

Boris Johnson in his victory speech said “members of our new one-nation government, a people’s government”

Modern state examples of one-nation conservatism?

Get Brexit done, maintaining triple lock on pensions and upping taxes for the rich

What strand of conservatism started after the 1945 labour landslide?

Butskellite pragmatism and consensus

Which strand of conservatism has a large area of consensus in many policy areas between the parties?

Butskellite pragmatism and consensus

1973 example of Butskellite pragmatism and consensus?

Edward Heath led the UK into the EEC in 1973

Modern links to Butskellite pragmatism and consensus?

Pro EU, Extra funding for the NHS with 50 million more GP surgery appointments a year

What is the traditional values strand of conservatism about?

Party’s ongoing support for traditional nuclear family and institution of marriage. Firm line in immigration policy

1993 example of traditional values strand?

John Major’s 1993 campaign ‘Back to Basics’

1988 example of traditional values?

Passing section 28 banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

Which promise of Theresa May as Home Secretary was an example of traditional values?

To create a ‘hostile environment’ for illegal immigrants

What did some conservative MPs oppose and ended in the 2016 backbench revolt?

The opposition to trading Sunday which derailed attempts to relax Sunday trading

Which strand of conservatism dominated the Conservative Party policies in the 1980s and 90s and represented conviction over compromise?

Thatcherism

What was Thatchers aims?

To promote individual freedom, to overcome overly powerful trade unions and to emphasise self-help and personal responsibility

What were some of Thatchers economic policies?

Crack down on benefit fraud, a promise to not to raise the rate of income tax VAT or NI, break power of national union of mine workers (NUM)

What was Thatchers saying on denationalising most state owned industries and encouraging council tenants to buy their own home?

‘Roll back the frontiers of the state’

Which party dates from 1900 to the Farringdon street conference and formally assumed a socialist position in 1918?

Labour

What was the origin of economic socialism?

The postwar Attlee government set up the welfare state and took state ownership of industries such as coal and even Thomas Cook

How did the labour gov in 1977 practise economic socialism?

Nationalised major parts of the shipbuilding and aerospace industries

What labour candidates practised economic socialism by pledging partial renationalisation in their manifestos?

Jeremy Corbin (2017,2019) and Keir Starmer (2024)

Origins of trade unionism as a strand of the Labour Party?

Many unions have looked to labour to protect and advance the rights for workers and trade unions have traditionally supplied most of labours funding

What happened to the trade unionism strand of labour in the 1980s and 90s?

The influence of trade unions decreased due to reforms designed to make them more democratic and making it hard to take industrial action

Origins of the globalist internationalism strand of labour?

Lots of labours policies have been committed to peace and disarmament alongside resisting fascism and racism

Early examples of globalist internationalism?

Ramsey MacDonald ( labours 1#5 PM) remained a pacifist during WW1 and many MOs fought against right-winged dictatorships e.g against republicans in Spanish civil war

What are globalist internationalists views on the EU?

Support European integration and strong emphasis on protecting workers rights across the EU

How did globalist internationalism weaken Labour in the 2000s?

By Blair’s close relationship with George W Bush and his support for the ‘war on terror’

When and why did New Labour/Third way socialism emerge?

It was Blair’s new labour project (1997-2010) and the aim was to modernise Labour and it won 3 consecutive elections

What is a recent example of conservatives following traditional values?

The majority of Conservative MPs rejected gay marriage in 2013

What type of policies did new labour include?

Thatcherite economic policy’s e.g how profits could be put to good use but Labours social values e.g justice and fairness for all

Modern examples of new labour?

More money on NHS and education (education x3), focused on eliminating child poverty, raise minimum wage wage from £8.21-£10, hold 2nd Brexit referendum

2024 examples of economic socialism?

Abolish private school tuition fees, focus on wealth creation and training schemes

2024 examples of globalist internationalism?

Asylum seekers having the right to work, repeal Rwanda scheme

2024 examples of new labour?

6,500 new teachers, cut class sizes to under 30

What are the Liberal Democrat’s core values?

Europe, environment, civil liberties, political reform, tax, education and federalism

How did the Liberal Democrat’s adopt their current name in 1988?

From the merge of liberal party and the social Democratic Party

2016 and 2019 examples of Liberal Democrat’s views on Europe?

Campaigned to remain in 2016 referendum then in 2019 manifesto ‘Stop Brexit completely’

How have the Liberal Democrat’s protected civil liberties?

Against compulsory ID cards, end bulk collection of communications and data and internet records (2019 manifesto)

What sort of political reform do Lib Dem’s want?

Want to abolish FPTP when in gov had a vote to replace FPTP with AV (rejected), want to scrap voter ID and 16-17 year olds to vote

What are the Liberal Democrat’s views on federalism?

Support a more federal system and oppose excessive centralisation of power in Westminster, want to extend devolution

What are the Liberal Democrat’s views on the environment?

Back sustainability and renewable energy, want to establish a dep for climate change + natural resources, legally binding target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to 0 by 2045

What are the Liberal Democrat’s views on taxation?

Want higher taxes on the rich as better for public services. In 2019 manifesto pledged to make corporation tax 20%

What are the Liberal Democrat’s views on education?

Abolition of student fees, often do week in student cities e.g Oxford, review of higher education finance

Which party has the least democratic structure and why?

Conservatives ad they have the least scope for direct membership participation

What does LCA stand for?

Local Conservative associations

What does OMOV stand for?

One member one vote

What does PAB stand for?

Parliamentary assessment board

What does PPC stand for?

Prospective parliamentary candidate

What does NEC stand for?

National executive committee

What is the 1st step of the candidate selection?

Get into the party’s central list of approved candidates after undergoing a selection procedure and training

What is the 2nd step of the candidate selection?

Apply to get shortlisted as the prospective parliamentary candidate by local branches

What is the 3rd step of the candidate selection?

Get adopted following a vote of the local party members

How did Labour try to increase diversity?

Used all-women shortlists

How did the conservatives try to increase diversity?

Occasionally used open primaries e.g Gosport and priority lists

How did the conservatives show central influence of the party?

Imposed a candidate shortlist on the local party in Bridgend in 2017

How did Labour show central influence of the party?

Labour NEC in 2019 fast tracked long lists of favoured candidates in several constituencies e.g Ealing North

What is the common process of choosing a leader?

2-stage system

What is stage 1 of the 2-stage system?

Candidates nominated by a certain no of MPs or local parties

What is stage 2 of the 2-stage system?

Party members or in Labours case registered supporters choose

What does the national executive committee (NEC) enforce?

Party discipline

How many members of the board of the Conservative Party are from the grassroots party?

3/18

Why was the conservative policy forum set up in 1998?

To enable more grassroots participation in policy making

What did party activists say about conservatives shortlists and Labours fast tracked long lists?

Lacked sufficient local candidates and undermined local parties having a democratic influence on the process

By the selection of MPs how many candidate options for PM do conservatives have?

2

What proportions must candidates for the leadership election acquire by the selection by MPs in the Labour Party?

At least 10% MPs/MEPs and 5% of constituency parties of 3 affiliates

What proportions must candidates for the leadership election acquire by the selection by MPs in the Lib Dem Party?

1% of Lib Democrat’s MPs, 200 members from more than 20 local parties

What system do conservatives use for the election by party members?

One member one vote (OMOV)

What system do Labour and Lib Democrat’s use for election by party members?

Alternative vote system

What proportion did Keir Starmer win in the first round of election by party members?

Over 50% no need for 2nd round

Who was an uncontested candidate in the 2016 leadership election?

Theresa May as Andrea Leadson withdrew

Who won the Labour leadership unopposed in 2007?

Gordon Brown

Who won the Lib Democrat’s leadership unopposed in 2017?

Vince Cable

Who balances their participation and involvement in a party?

Grass-roots members, MPs and instutional stakeholders

What do Labours affiliated trade unions want from grass-roots members?

To give them a say to keep support from key people

As of January 2025 how many members do labour have?

329,957

As of January 2025 how many members do Reform UK have?

170,000

As of November 2024 how many members do the conservatives have?

132,000

As of April 2023 how many members do the Lib Dem’s have?

90,000

What is the issue of the PPERA 2000 and political parties + elections act 2009?

Don’t tackle issue of how parties should be funded

What is the political parties, elections and referendums act (PPERA) 2000 about?

Parties can only spend £30,000 per constituency, regulates spending for national referendums and can issue fines, political parties must register with the election commission

Example of PPERA in action?

In 2018 Leave.EU were fined £70,000 for breaches of electoral law

What is the political parties and elections act 2009 about?

Strengthened provisions of PPERA, increased powers of the electoral commission, made it so major donations/loans can only come from UK residents

What newspapers are conservative-leaning?

The sun, daily express, daily mail, daily telegraph and the times

What newspapers are labour/lib dem leaning?

Daily mirror, the guardian, Sunday people, the observer and the daily mirror

What must all broadcast news reporting must be?

Balanced and fair

What is one of the BBC charters aims?

‘To provide impartial news and information.’

What did the sun say about Jeremy Corbyn?

‘Jeremy Corbyn is the most dangerous man ever to stand for high office in Britain - use your vote to stop him’

What did the daily mirror say in the 2019 election?

‘Banish the Blues by voting Red this Thursday’

The suns decision to switch support in 1997 generated how many votes for labour?

Around 525,000

The suns decision to switch support in 2010 generated how many votes for the conservatives in 2010?

Around 550,000

How has media influence changed recently?

Decrease in newspaper circulation and increase in use of social media

What conservative ad was only seen by female users?

‘We’re recruiting 20,000 more police and giving them the powers they need to keep you safe’

From Oct 2018 to May 2020 what was Labours total spend on 7,647 Facebook ads?

£1,219,315

From Oct 2018 to may 2020 what was the conservatives total spend on 20,887 Facebook ads?

£999,730

What factors affect parties and their electoral outcomes?

Relevance of main policies, leadership, activists, strength of opposition, party unity and electoral system

In 2019 what proportion of vote share and seats did the SNP win?

48 seats and 45% of vote share

What would’ve happened if Cameron didn’t have pressure from the powerful SNP in 2014?

He wouldn’t of held a referendum for Scottish independence