This document summaries the history and future of the main political parties present in UK society. It includes all key terms and important aspects to consider.
They perform several functions within a democratic system:
Representation: main function of parties is to represent the views of people with a certain set of
beliefs. Those who have a broadly right-wing outlook have historically been drawn to the
Conservative party; those with a left-wing frame of mind have tended to gravitate towards Labour.
Participation: In order to win power or influence, parties encourage people to participate in politics,
to either vote or join a political party and to support it through funding to get its message across.
Recruiting office holders: For a small number of people, party memberships leads to recruitment as
candidates for public office and therefore participation. Candidates can learn political skills as
campaigners and organisers. Parties also have the right to reject or deselect candidates who fail to
live up to their elections.
Formulating Policy: Parties generate policies that embody the ideas for which they stand, at a
general election they put these proposals before the electorate in their manifesto. For example, in
2015 the NHS was a key battleground, the Conservatives promised to give people access to their GP 7
days a week, whereas Labour pledged that patients would be given an appointment in 48 hours.
Providing Government: The winning party at a general election can form a government, that party
then controls the business of parliament. The prime minister is not directly elected by the people but
is usually the leader of the biggest political party. However, a prime minister was lost the confidence
of their party is vulnerable. This is shown by Margaret Thatcher in 1990 when she lost the support of
many Conservative MPs and failed to win a leadership contest which led to her resignation.
Centre left mainstream Thatcherite/ New
Socialism Fascism
Labour Right Conservatism
LEFT RIGHT
WING WING
Communism The Green Party Centre right
UKIP
mainstream
Conservative
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