- The UK has generally had a simple left-right political spectrum
- In modern times, those on the extreme left favour some kind of communal existence where the property is held collectively as opposed to individually.
- Moderate left-wingers accept capitalism by like greater government intervention in the economy and a more comprehensive welfare state.
- Those on the right favour private enterprise over state provision
- In the UK, the ideas of left and right never really took hold
- Government
policy is generally central with battle between the socialists and
the conservatives
- Manifesto: A pre-election policy document in which a party sets out a series of policy pledges and legislative proposals that it plans to enact if returned to office. The latter years of the 20th century saw party leaders taking direct control of the process of drafting the election manifesto
- Mandate:
The right of the governing party to pursue the policies it sets out
in manifestos. The mandate gives the governing party the authority
to pursue its stated policies without the need to go back to voters
for further approval – through a referendum. Crucially, the
mandate does not require the government to deliver on its manifesto
promises or prevent them from creating new ones.
Roles Of A Political Party:
- Representation: Parties used to represent members and their views, especially seen when parties and votes were divided by class. However, today partisan and class dealignment along with ‘catch-all’ parties undermine this role.
- Engagement & Participation: Parties perform an educated function that encourages political engagement. Parties promote this by giving citizens the power to vote.
- Political Recruitment: Parties assess the qualities of those seeking election to public office casting aside those who are unsuitable. Parties also give those who are ultimately become leaders the chance to serve a form of political apprenticeship at a local level before ‘graduating’ to high office.
- Policy Formulation: Parties discuss and develop policies before presenting them in manifestos. It is argued that the process is likely to result in a more joined-up style government than that which might emerge in the absence of political parties.
- Stable Government: Without parties, the House of Commons would be individuals driven by personal goals and ambitions. Parties present voters with a clear choice and they also provide order following a general election by forming a government and passing legislation through the House of Commons.
The
Types Of Political Parties In The UK:
- Mainstream: The UK has 3 main parties, the Conservative Party which emerged from the Tory group in Parliament; the Labour party formed by trade unions and socialists’ organisations at the start of the 20th century and the Liberal Democrats which came as the result of the merging of the Liberal party and the Social Democrats in 1988.
- Minority: Look to nurture the shared cultural identity and language of those in an area e.g SNP. Mostly campaign for independence for that area of they has modest goals. Nationalist parties e.g BNP, campaign in the support in the way of life however now members have decreased to 500 in 2016.
- Single Issue: Recent years have seen a rise in elections with these types of parties. In some cases, they offer a wide range of policies in a particular ideology e.g Green Party or they can campaign on a single issue e.g UKIP and the EU. They tend to blur the boundaries between parties and pressure groups by raising awareness on an issue as opposed to seeking power e.g UKIP.