Citizenship Theme B - PARTIES, ELECTIONS AND VOTING

POLITICAL PARTIES

• Minor e.g. SNP, UKIP, Plaid Cymru etc.
• Major e.g. Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats

Political Spectrum= LEFT WING TO RIGHT WING (downwards)

• Communism: All resources in nation owened by state
• Socialism: System of common ownership, more equality and robust welfare for those in need. (Labour)
• Liberalism: Less gov. interference, more individual rights, laws only passed to improve society. (Lib Dems)
• Conservatism: Belief in tradition, family values and authoity. Private ownership and free enterprise. (Conservatives)
• Fascism: Authoritarian and nationalistic, typically run by dictator using force.

Key Policies of major parties

LABOUR:

• Formed to represent working classes, responsible for NHS and welfare state
• Education: Free education and National Education Service
• Health: Increase tex bill of top earners to fund NHS
• Economic: Reinstate public ownership of sectors e.g. railways. Increase taxation of richest.
• Social: Extend welfare to meet need, promote equality

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS:

• Formed to represent middle ground between labour and conservative
• Education: Reinstate uni grants for poorer students
• Health: tax everyone more to fund NHS
• Economic: Boost economy with a programme of capital investment
• Social: Reverse cuts to benefits for 18-21 y/os.

CONSERVATIVE:

• Formed with principles to protect British culture and traditions, promote private ownership and enterprise.
• Education: Create more selective schools
• Health: Real terms increase in NHS spending
• Economic: Increase free trade, limit welfare, decrease gov. spending
• Social: Encourage more home ownership

MP SELECTION:

• 650 MPs, each represent their consituency.

Eligibilty:

Eligible:

• 18 or over
• British or Irish citizen
• Eligible Commonwealth citizen
• Nominated by 10 electors in consituency 
• able to pay £500 deposit (returned if 5% of votes won)
• authorised to stan for political party OR choosing to be an independant candidate

Non Elgible:

• Civil servant, police force, armed force, judge or Church of England bishop
• government nominated director of commercial company
• peer in House of Lords
• Subject of bankruptcy restrictions
• convicted and imprisoned for over a year
• found guilty of electorral corruption within last 5 years

Process of Selection:

• Loads of people join and become politically active in their chosen party
• Parties advertise for candidates, those who are eligible and interested apply
• Parties may have a list of prospective candidates who are politically active or advisors on areas of…