How and why do each of the following contributes to the political cultures and stability of the British government:

• Geography - 

• Deference / Strength of Authority/ legitimacy of Government/ Consensus - 

• Relative Deprivation - 

• Class - 

• Economic Development - 

• Religion - 

• Education -

The British Electoral System Promotes a Two Party System:

•    Stability - voting is not compulsory, but voter turnout is high - as high as 78% in recent elections.

•    Single - Member Constituencies (659 at present) - plurality wins the seat

•    Elections are called by the Prime Minister when he feels it is time - elections must be called in at least 5 years from the previous election.

• The last election in the United Kingdom was held on June 7, 2001, so the next election must be held before June 2006.

•    Candidates -  

• generally sponsored by political party

• on ballot with support of 10 registered electors of an area  

• do not need to reside in constituency  

• must be 21  

• must pay 500 Pounds  

• generally higher class  

• more educated than their constituents are

•   Trends in elections -

• Increased role of nationalist sentiment (Scotland and Wales particularly)

• Move to the center of labor and Conservative parties

• Declining membership in political parties   

Complex organization of local party groups (constituency associations / parties) and parliamentary groups (1922 Committee, Parliamentary Labour Party)

•   Labour Party - very roughly equivalent to Democratic Party in the U.S.

• Traditionally has been more radical (for instance, in the old Labour Party platform, the party called for workers / government to own the means of production, very Marxist)  

• Under Tony Blair has moved dramatically towards the center (dropped the Marxist perspective), accepted the free market system, called for changes in welfare and individual responsibility - called the Third Way, New Labour, etc. 

• Blair is more positive towards European Union than Conservatives, still hesitant - power of labor unions still prominent  

• Wants to devolve more power to periphery - party pro-constitutional reform

• Currently holds 413 seats in House of Commons and have 40.8% of the vote.

•   Conservative (Tories) - very roughly equivalent to Republicans  

• Conservatism stems from belief in free market values, privatization of national industries (but not social welfare state), centralization of power in national government (unlike Republicans in U.S.), distrust of Europe and EU, and conservative social values with emphasis on family, religion, law, and order.

• Current leader is Ian Duncan Smith - conservatives scrambling to recover from popular Labour leadership - difficult to oppose a party that has usurped many of your issues!

• Currently holds 166 seats in House of Commons and have 31.8% of the vote.

•   Liberal Democrats - moderate party that help the position that Labour is trying to hold now.

• Vague policy stances - main purpose seems to oppose party in power rather than to articulate coherent platform

• Consistently receives ¼ of votes in elections, but less than 5% of seats because of electoral system

• Charles Kennedy is current leader

• Currently holds 52 seats in House of Commons and have 18.3% of the vote.

•   Other parties holding seats in House of Commons:  

• Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) - 6 seats

• Scottish National Party (SNP) - 5 seats

• ‘Plaid Cymru” / Party of Wales (PC) - 4 seats

• “Sinn Fein” (SF) - 4 seats

• Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) - 3 seats

• M. Bell (no party affiliation - independent) - 1 seat  

Before the June 2001 election, two other parties also held seats in the House of Commons:

• Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - 2 seats  

• United Kingdom Unionist Party (UKUP) - 1 seat  

Together, all the minor parties hold 9.1% of the vote in the HoC.

 

Political Cleavages

Political Cleavages are how the population is split politically according to certain characteristics; just like in US these cleavages are breaking down.

• Class - 

• Gender -

• Occupation -

• Education -

• Race -

• Age -

• Region -

•   Two types:

                •   Sectional- 

                •   Promotional-

 •   Powerful Interest Groups in Britain:

•   Business - Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

•   Trade Unions - Labour - Trades Union Congress

•   Tactics of Interest Groups:

•   Public Demonstration

•   Influence Through Interaction:

1) Provide advice and information / expertise

2) Collaborate on policy

3) Administer government programs

•   Participate in advisory committees

•   Persuade Members of Parliament (MP) to support positions

•   Paid outside consultants – (ethical?)