Political Parties / Political Parties / Elections in the Elections in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom

2010 General Election: Hung 2010 General Election: Hung Parliament/Coalition Parliament/Coalition GovernmentGovernment

Conservatives: 306 seats (gain of Conservatives: 306 seats (gain of 98 seats) ; 36.1% of vote98 seats) ; 36.1% of vote

Labour: 258 seats (loss of 91 Labour: 258 seats (loss of 91 seats) ; 29.0% of voteseats) ; 29.0% of vote

Liberal Democrats: 57 (loss of 5 Liberal Democrats: 57 (loss of 5 seats); 23% of voteseats); 23% of vote

Other Parties: 28 seats (loss of 1 Other Parties: 28 seats (loss of 1 seat); 11.9% of voteseat); 11.9% of vote

Foundations of the Foundations of the Party SystemParty System

Two-plus systemTwo-plus system 2 dominant parties (Labour + Conservative)2 dominant parties (Labour + Conservative) Party system reflects Party system reflects class identificationclass identification

(main social identifier in UK)(main social identifier in UK) Also, ideological (Liberal Democrats) + Also, ideological (Liberal Democrats) +

Regional parties (Scottish National Party, Regional parties (Scottish National Party, Welsh Plaid Cymru)Welsh Plaid Cymru)2010 - Labour + Conservative only won 65% of 2010 - Labour + Conservative only won 65% of

popular vote, but have 87% of seats in Commonspopular vote, but have 87% of seats in Commons

Labour PartyLabour Party

Largest/strongest party on the “left” of Largest/strongest party on the “left” of political spectrumpolitical spectrum

Traditionally labor unions have Traditionally labor unions have provided majority of funds for the provided majority of funds for the partyparty

Former Labour Leaders Former Labour Leaders Gordon Brown + Tony BlairGordon Brown + Tony Blair

Current Labour Current Labour Leader: Ed MillibrandLeader: Ed Millibrand

Tony Blair’s “Third Tony Blair’s “Third Way”Way” Moderate “New Labour” PartyModerate “New Labour” Party Centrist alternative to “Old Labour” Centrist alternative to “Old Labour”

Party on left and Conservative Party on Party on left and Conservative Party on rightright

Initiated by Blair in late 1990s:Initiated by Blair in late 1990s:– Acceptance of market economy by Labour Acceptance of market economy by Labour

PartyParty– DevolutionDevolution

Conservative Party Conservative Party (Tories)(Tories) Dominant party in Great Britain Dominant party in Great Britain

between WWII and late 1990sbetween WWII and late 1990s Main party on the rightMain party on the right

98% of all Conservative seats are in 98% of all Conservative seats are in EnglandEngland

Conservative Leader/Prime Conservative Leader/Prime Minister: David CameronMinister: David Cameron

Thatcher’s Reforms Thatcher’s Reforms (1980s)(1980s)

Privatized business and industryPrivatized business and industry– Sold many government-owned Sold many government-owned

enterprises to private sectorenterprises to private sector Cut back on social welfare programsCut back on social welfare programs Strengthened national defense Strengthened national defense

(staunch anti-communist)(staunch anti-communist) Resisted complete integration into the Resisted complete integration into the

European Union (EU)European Union (EU)– ““Euroskeptics” – feel EU threatens British Euroskeptics” – feel EU threatens British

sovereigntysovereignty– Rejected single currency (Euro)Rejected single currency (Euro)

Liberal-Democratic Liberal-Democratic PartyParty Alliance between the Liberal and Social Alliance between the Liberal and Social

Democratic Parties during the 1980sDemocratic Parties during the 1980s Supports social programs, integrated Supports social programs, integrated

Europe (EU)Europe (EU)

Currently part of coalition government Currently part of coalition government with Conservativeswith Conservatives

Liberal Democratic Liberal Democratic Leader/Deputy PM: Nick Leader/Deputy PM: Nick CleggClegg

Other PartiesOther Parties

Scottish National PartyScottish National Party Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru – Welsh nationalist – Welsh nationalist

party (Wales)party (Wales) Sinn Fein Sinn Fein – political arm of the – political arm of the

IRA (Irish Republican Army)IRA (Irish Republican Army)

ElectionsElections

Members of Parliament (MPs) are the Members of Parliament (MPs) are the only national officials that British voters only national officials that British voters selectselect

Elections must be held at least every 5 Elections must be held at least every 5 years, but Prime Minister may call them years, but Prime Minister may call them earlierearlier

Power to call elections very Power to call elections very importantimportant –Prime Ministers always call –Prime Ministers always call elections when they think that the elections when they think that the majority party has the best chance to majority party has the best chance to winwin

Elections IIElections II

““Winner-take-all” systemWinner-take-all” system Single-member district plurality systemSingle-member district plurality system Parties select a candidate to run in each Parties select a candidate to run in each

districtdistrict ““First-past-the-post” winnerFirst-past-the-post” winner

Elections IIIElections III

MPs do not have to live in the district MPs do not have to live in the district in which they are running, therefore in which they are running, therefore party selects who runs in what districts party selects who runs in what districts = = parties powerfulparties powerful

Party leaders run from Party leaders run from safe districts safe districts – districts that the party almost always – districts that the party almost always winswins

Effects of FPTP/WTA Effects of FPTP/WTA SystemSystem

Voting PatternsVoting Patterns

Conservative Party:Conservative Party:– Middle and upper classesMiddle and upper classes– EducatedEducated– Residents of England, mostly rural and Residents of England, mostly rural and

suburban areassuburban areas Labour Party:Labour Party:

– Working classWorking class– Residents of urban / industrial areasResidents of urban / industrial areas– ““Third Way” centrist policies/devolution Third Way” centrist policies/devolution

made Labour Party appealing to Scots, made Labour Party appealing to Scots, Welsh, and the poorWelsh, and the poor

U.S. vs. British U.S. vs. British ElectionsElections United StatesUnited States

– Parties are less powerfulParties are less powerful

– Members must live in Members must live in districtsdistricts

– Party leaders run in their Party leaders run in their respective districtsrespective districts

– Citizens vote for three Citizens vote for three officials on national levelofficials on national level

– Between 30 and 60% of Between 30 and 60% of the eligible voters the eligible voters actually voteactually vote

– First-past-the-post, First-past-the-post, single-member districts; single-member districts; virtually no minor parties virtually no minor parties get representationget representation

Great BritainGreat Britain– Party determines who runs Party determines who runs

wherewhere– Members usually don’t live Members usually don’t live

in their districtsin their districts– Party leaders run in “safe Party leaders run in “safe

districts”districts”– Citizens vote for only one Citizens vote for only one

official on the national levelofficial on the national level– About 65-75% of the About 65-75% of the

eligible voters actually vote eligible voters actually vote (number was less in 2001 (number was less in 2001 & 2005)& 2005)

– First-past-the-post, single-First-past-the-post, single-member districts; some member districts; some representation from minor representation from minor parties, but still less than if parties, but still less than if they had proportional they had proportional representationrepresentation

Conservative Party Conservative Party (Tories)(Tories) Weakened by division of party in late Weakened by division of party in late

1990s:1990s:– Traditional WingTraditional Wing – values – values noblesse noblesse

obligeoblige and elitism, supports Britain’s and elitism, supports Britain’s membership in EUmembership in EU

– Thatcherite WingThatcherite Wing – strict conservatives, – strict conservatives, support full free marketsupport full free market ““Euroskeptics” – feel EU threatens Euroskeptics” – feel EU threatens

British sovereigntyBritish sovereignty