Are parties good for democracy
Representation
People's representatives. Provide candidates for Westminster; elected by people for people. however
'winners bonus' is exacerbated by parties under FPTP. Con 37% votes vs 51% seats in 2015. UKIP in 2015
12.6% of vote but no seats. Johnson originally...
UK parties essay plans
Are parties good for democracy
Representation
People's representatives. Provide candidates for Westminster; elected by people for people. however
'winners bonus' is exacerbated by parties under FPTP. Con 37% votes vs 51% seats in 2015. UKIP in 2015
12.6% of vote but no seats. Johnson originally only elected by Tory party members which is
unrepresentative !! Also growing cynicism that parties aren't representative and are selfish, eg. Cameron
giving his supporters peerages before leaving. Overall ineffective
Holding govt to account opposition parties scrutinise through votes, PMQs, debates - issues include
under Starmer Gavin Williamson, UC, partygate. Heidi Allen used her maiden speech to attack her own
govt over tax credit cuts. However fusion of powers means the party in government will have an elected
dictatorship - after winning 80 seat majority in 2019, conservatives got withdrawal from EU through
despite criticisms from public. Overall ineffective
choice between programmes eg choice between 'Back Boris' or Corbyn. However, Corbyn has been
replaced by Starmer who is more centrist and there is now little to separate them - largely 'levelling up'.
Two party system drowns out truly radical ideas so choice is limited. Overall parties actually oversimplify
and polarise so bad in this respect
Participation get people involved in politics through focus groups, campaigning, branch meetings.
Corbyn got people involved with Momentum. Local Labour branches such as Stretham got members to
vote very democratically for the candidates. Manifestos, campaigns, etc make it easier for people to
understand political issues. However overall membership remains low - less than 1m are party members
overall. People can also be disillusioned by party moving in opposite direction to them
Overall encourage participation by making issues understandable
Evaluate the view that the current Conservative Party has moved away from Thatcherism
Economy and provision of services
Key Thatcherite ideals = neoliberal, dependency culture, individualism, small welfare state, small state,
small public spending. Cons today reflect this in UC £20 cut, 2019 manifesto promising not raising
NI/VAT/IT. Benefit reduction eg throiugh bedroom tax. 2021 budget Sunak cut air passenger duty for
international flights. However on the other hand elements of one nation - broke NI freeze campaign
pledge, Sunak 170bn investment programme in 2020 budget. on Welfare Cameron ring-fenced health
spending and 2019 manifesto promised increase in per-head pupil spending.Overall this is where the
leadership has moved most away from thatcherism, potentially due to need to keep new red-wall voters
and post-Blairite consensus. Lot of internal division in party but generally movede away from
, Thatcherism in accepting greater state intervention; however still pretty Thatcherite on welfare
benefits.
Social issues, immigration, and law and order Thatcherite principles = neoconservative. low
immigration, strong L+O, non-permissive. Stuck to this - trans conversion therapy, most Con MPs voting
against gay marriage, PCCS Bill, Rwanda offshore detention, strong emphasis on anti-immigration. Ways
they have moved away include Cameron's govt legalising gay marriage, Cameron favouring
rehabilitation for drug offenders. While they have become less homophobic because it's no longer
acceptable/popular, overall remain Thatcherite
International affairs and Brexit Thatcherite views: want to be free of international regulations,
nationalist edge. Stuck to this with many campaigning to leave EU, international aid reduction in 2020,
supported afghanistan and iraq wars showing they favour 'hard power' just as thatcher was determined
to keep nuclear deterrent, believe in 'tightening security'. However ways they have moved away include
many unhappy with aid reduction including Cameron and May, most campaigning to remain, and
hosting COP26 shows 'soft power'. Overall though the party favours some more soft power, they
generally still adhere to Thatcherite principles of putting Britain first etc.
Overall, though slightly less homophobic and slightly more pragmatic on state intervention, position
on social issues/international affairs/reluctance with intervention in economy and welfare all show
that party has only moved away from Thatcherism to a small extent
Evaluate the view that the current Labour Party has moved away from New Labour
Economy and trade unions
Law and order and foreign affairs
Welfare and taxation
Evaluate the view that the current Labour Party has moved decisively away from the values and policies
of old Labour
Economy and trade unions
Law and order and foreign affairs
Welfare and taxation
Evaluate the view that the major political parties disagree on policies and ideas (remember the 'ideas'
part of this question must also be tackled)
Disagreement and agreement on economic policies
Disagreement and agreement on non-economic policies
Disagreement and agreement on ideas
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