Chapter 14 Political Parties and Groups

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Chapter 14 Political
Parties and Groups

• Xiao Huiyun December, 2005

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Main Parties

• the Conservative Party
• the Labour Party
• the Liberal Demacrats

3
Other Parties

• the Conservative Party
• Scottish Conservatives
• Welsh Conservatives
• Conservatives in Northern Ireland

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Other smaller national parties

• Green Party
• life on Earth is under immense pressure, the
  environment around us is threatened with massive
  destruction
• take responsibility to lead a healthy lifestyle
  for human being

• Ulster Unionist Party
• nationalism remains a threat to the peaceful
  co-existence of the people of NI
• remain Northern Republic of Ireland as part of
  the UK

• Sinn Féin
• seeks the establishment of a new Ireland
• merge Northern Ireland with the Republic of
  Ireland

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Other smaller national parties

• Alliance Party
• Cooperative party
• Democratic Unionist Party
• Liberal Party
• Plaid Cymru
• Scottish National Party
• United Kingdom Unionist Party
• Social Democratic and Labour Party
• Uk Independence Party

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Party in power

• the Labour Partyin power
• The 1997 election campaign saw the Tories in
  decline, the new Labour won
• On 7 June 2001 Tony Blair led Labour to a second
  successive victory in a General Election, winning
  by another landslide
• the Conservative Partyin opposition

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The multi-party system

• The multi-party system as the title suggests,
  this is a system where more than two parties have
  some impact in a states political life
• Within Westminster, the Tories and the Liberal
  Democrats provide a healthy political rivalry.
  Sartori defines a multi-party system as one where
  no party can guarantee an absolute majority
• In theory, the Labour Party, regardless of its
  current parliamentary majority, could lose the
  next general election in Britain in 2006. .

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The Conservative Party

• Emerged in 1830s from the Tory grouping in
  Parliament
• Later 19th C. concerned with defending
  traditional institutions such as the monarchy,
  the aristocracy and the Empire
• After 1918 constantly adapted its policies to
  suit prevailing trends in British society
• In 1930s started to shed its aristocratic image
  and was led by businessmen
• In 1950s accepted Labour policies such as
  nationalisation and the welfare state (consensus
  politics from 1951 to 1979)
• Under Thatcher moved towards a set of policies
  aimed at business, the consumer, and the upwardly
  mobile, becoming associated with the business and
  commercial sections of society the New Right
  conservatives
• The New Rights upheld family values but had a
  free market approach to the economy
• John Major stressed welfare provision as
  necessary in the process of privatisation

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The Labour Party

• Formed in 1906 from Labour Representation
  Committee with financial backing of trade unions
  to represent interests of working class
• 1n 1918 made firm commitment to common ownership
  of the means of production
• 1924 first Labour government came to power
• By 1929 had replaced Liberals as one of twe major
  parties
• In 1945 General Election gained spectacular
  victory, and its government introduced several
  important social reforms NHS, social security
  system, mass education, nationalisation of
  several leading industries
• Won power under Wilson 1964-1970 and in office
  again 1974-1979, spent majority of time in
  opposition until 1997
• In 1995, abandoned Clause Four of its
  constitution and ended the commitment to state
  ownership the era of New Labour
• More women and minorities in government
• Downplayed dominance of trade unions over the
  party

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The Liberal Democrats

• An amalgamation of the old Liberal Party and the
  Social Democratic Party , the latter being a
  break away group from Labour Party, formed in
  1981
• Advocates policies based on freedom of the
  individual and support for the adoption of
  Propositional Representation at elections
• Remains a minority party which draws support from
  voters dissatisfied with Tory or Labour
• A party of protest rather than a real alternative
  for government
• Image of party moderate and appeals predominantly
  to middle-class people , often in rural areas

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The Other Parties

• Those with representation in parliament
• Ulster Unionists largely campaign on the
  question of N. Ireland remaining part of UK
• Scottish Nationalist Party demands independence
  for Scotland
• Plaid Cymru demands independence for Wales
• Those without representation in Parliament
• Socialist Workers Party society based on
  principles of Marx Trotsky
• Green Party Champions enviorenmental policies
• National Front
• Britain for the British

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Public Opinion Voting Behaviour

• The most important part of political activity for
  the average person is voting at elections . 90
  of voters identified with and voted for one of
  the two major parties.
• It has been claimed in Britain class is closely
  related to voting choice at elections.
• However class voting is in decline because of
  growing apathy with both major parties
• Apathy linked to the low public standing of
  politicians
• -- leading politicians portrayed in negative
  and often ludicrous terms
• -- reporting of their sexual activities in
  tabloid press

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Public Opinion Voting Behaviour

• Why did Labour lose 1992 elections?
• During election campaign voters put Labour well
  ahead on all caring issues such as social
  welfare, NHS, education and unemployment.
• Yet majority did not trust Labour on taxation and
  keeping inflation down and voted for Tory again
• This suggests that Key Issue at the election was
  the pound in your pocket, indicating that the
  likely victor of future elections will be party
  which allows consumer greater economic stability
  and more opportunity to consume
• In practice this is likely to mean the party
  which keeps tax down and inflation low would win
  election

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Why did Labour win 1997 Election?

• Internal reforms, for example, some reduction in
  trade union power.
• John Smiths death in 1994 allowed creation of
  New Labour by the more modernising Blair -
  notably, abandonment of Clause IV of its
  constitution in 1995 .
• Abandonment of traditional socialist - or even
  social democratic - principles and acceptance of
  market economics, low inflation and interest
  rates, cuts in taxation, spending and welfare.
  Pre-election commitment to maintain existing tax
  levels for a five-year term and present spending
  levels for two years, welfare to work, tough
  law and order especially for juvenile offenders.
  Difficult for the Conservatives to criticise what
  were, largely, their own policies
• New, radical proposals for constitutional reform

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Comparison of Manifestos1997

• Conservative
• Health will not discourage use of private
  facilities
• Education less government control on education
• Law Order will increase number of police

• Labour
• Health will provide more nurses doctors
• Education 50 of young people attending
  university in 10 years. Will ensure every middle
  schools develops distinctive mission
• Law Order tougher on crime, tougher on the
  causes of crime

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General Election Result,1997
PARTY OF VOTES CAST MEMBER ELECTED
Labour 43.2 418
Conservative 30.7 165
Liberal Dem 16.8 46
Others 9.3 30
Total 100.0 659
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Labour General Election Manifesto2001

• long-term economic stability
• rising living standards for all
• expanded higher education as we raise standards
  in secondary schools
• a healthier nation with fast treatment, free at
  the point of use
• full employment in every region
• opportunity for all children, security for all
  pensioners
• a modern criminal justice system
• strong and accountable local government
• British ideas leading a reformed and enlarged
  Europe
• global poverty and climate change tackled

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General Election Result,2001
PARTY OF VOTES CAST MEMBER ELECTED
Labour 40.7 413
Conservative 31.7 166
Liberal Dem 18.3 52
Others 10.3 28
Total 100.0 659
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Pressure Groups

• A pressure group can be described as an organised
  group that does not put up candidates for
  election, but seeks to influence government
  policy or legislation
• They can also be described as interest groups,
  lobby groups or protest groups.
• In Britain, the number of political parties is
  very small, whereas the number of pressure groups
  runs into thousands as the membership of
  political parties has fallen, that of pressure
  groups has increased

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Pressure Groups

• The aim of all pressure groups is to influence
  the people who actually have the power to make
  decisions.
• A pressure groups can use a variety of different
  methods to influence law
• Firstly, it can merely inform legislators of its
  members preferences.
• with an election campaign.
• Third, its members may threaten, as a group, to
  vote as a bloc
• Fourth, a pressure group may speed up legislation
  by writing bills and helping legislators make
  progressive agreements
• Finally, a pressure group my attempt to influence
  members of the executive, who have some law
  making input and who can partly decide the
  strength and effectiveness of law enforcement

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Pressure Groups

• Pressure groups increase participation and access
  to the political system, thereby enhancing the
  quality of democracy
• Pressure groups improve the quality of
  government. Consultation with affected groups is
  the rational way to make decisions in a free
  society.
• Pressure groups are a product of freedom of
  association, which is a fundamental principle of
  liberal democracy
• Pressure groups improve participation, but in an
  unequal way, benefiting the well organised but
  disadvantaging the weakly organised In this
  sense, they work against - not in favour of - the
  public interest.