what makes a political party successful?

what are the factors?

• leaders

• campaigns

• media

• policy

• party unity

• opposition

• wider political context

party leaders:

• David Cameron:

  • seen as effective party leader

  • more popular than his own party + other party leaders

  • first sitting Tory to increase party’s vote since 1955

  • However:

    • fractious relationship w/ own party, Brexit ref more about party divisions than the country

• Tony Blair:

  • strong leader w/ good media presence

  • tight control over party’s messaging

  • delivered 3 election victories, reform of clause iv n saw off 4 tory leaders

  • However:

    • highly contention decisions eg war in Iraq n higher tuition fees

campaigns:

• 2017 campaign altered voting patterns.

• Labour achieved a 20% swing in the polls.

• 40% of Labour voters were initially undecided or considering other parties.

• However:

  • 2017 = Exceptional case.

  • Typically, the leading party in pre-election polls prevails.

  • 2019: Consistent gap between major parties, with a notable decline in Lib Dems and Brexit Party support during the campaigns.

media:

• Blair-led Labour: Tight media strategy.

• The Sun's switch from Conservative to Labour under Blair.

• Growing importance of effective social media strategies, exemplified in Labour's 2017 polling success.

• However:

  • media support doesn't guarantee success.

  • theresa may had strong backing in 2016.

  • party didn't secure a large majority in 2017.

policy:

• thatcher's key policy: 'right to buy.'

• johnson's crucial slogan: 'get brexit done.'

• However:

  • in 1992, doubts persisted about kinnock's leadership despite labour's policy review.

  • media aggression fuelled questions about his ability to be prime minister.

  • campaign mistakes, like the sheffield rally, may have boosted conservative voter turnout.

party unity:

• 1983: conservative landslide over a divided labour party.

• 2019: divided conservatives unite to defeat an internally divided labour party.

• However:

  • despite internal divisions, conservatives led in 2010, 2015, and 2017.

  • remained the largest party in the house of commons.

opposition:

• blair's labour faced a weak conservative party.

• conservative infighting over europe and thatcherism.

• leaders struggled to connect with the public.

• However:

  • 1992: labour faced a divided conservative party.

  • conservative public image damage.

  • conservatives won against expectations.

wider political context:

• 1983: falklands war victory boosted thatcher and conservatives.

• black wednesday 1992 & 2008: global economic crash damaged major and brown.

• economic management reputation loss led to election defeat.

• However:

  • events can derail parties, but united, strong leadership with right policies can succeed.

  • tony blair's labour won 2005 despite increasing backbench rebellions.