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 starter activity

 starter activity. . What does the arrest of an 82-year-old man under anti-terrorism laws tell us about the way parties run conferences today?. How are political parties organised?.  LOs. To be able to explain how the two major parties are organised

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 starter activity

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  1. starter activity  What does the arrest of an 82-year-old man under anti-terrorism laws tell us about the way parties run conferences today?

  2. How are political parties organised?  LOs To be able to explain how the two major parties are organised To compare which party structure is more open and democratic

  3.  Your task • Read p.96-7 and note down ways in which UK political parties have changed in recent years. • What has caused these changes? •  Extension. How similar / different are developments in the US & Europe?

  4. Recent changes • Traditional national & local party organisations less important due to rise of TV and internet • Growing need for fund-raising (see earlier notes) • Greater openness in policy-making & selection procedures, e.g. recent reforms of Cons & Lab Leader selection processes • Leadership retains key powers to weed out dissenters, e.g. de-selection of discredited MPs  Extension. Research other MPs like Phil Woolas who have been de-selected by their parties

  5.  Your task Read about party organisation in Watts p.96-100 and complete a chart similar to the one below : Extension. Highlight in green evidence which shows the parties being open or democratic. Which party has the most green?

  6. Organisation - Labour • Labour developed outside of Westminster - party structures less centralised. • Traditionally less focus on the figure of the leader of the party than under the Tories, e.g. NEC • Different levels of participation, e.g. Labour has affiliated organisations including trade unions, socialist societies, young socialists etc. • Policy forums & citizens’ forums in every constituency designed to ensure the party remains in touch with popular opinion

  7. Organisation - Conservatives • Central Office acts as headquarters of the Party, controlling activities of constituency parties • Influence of leadership over party is very strong • Increasing use of internal referendums, e.g. over leadership of party. These can be interpreted either as ways to enhance power of leadership, e.g. gain backing for a particular policy (for example Hague used this to gain support for his stance on Europe) or genuine democracy

  8. Party organisation - Labour • All major parties operate similar 3 stage process: centrally vetted & approved list drawn up; local party shortlist drawn up from approved list; constituency members choose their preferred candidate • Nomination process traditionally dominated by trade unionists and party activists • One Person One Vote (OMOV) introduced for selection process in 1992. Leadership also tried to introduce a screening system to weed out ‘undesirables’ • Experiment with ‘all women’ shortlists has been replaced by balanced lists of men and women • Party Leader can de-select or veto, e.g. Neil Kinnock de-selected MPs who belonged to extreme left-wing ‘Militant Tendency’

  9. Party organisation - Conservatives • Central Office retains right to veto or de-selection, e.g. Michael Howard expelled Howard Flight (Deputy Chairman) • Cameron has promoted the idea of an ‘A List’ positive discrimination to include more women and ethnic minorities, but there were criticisms over the preponderance of candidates from SE

  10. Party conferences - Labour • All party conferences heavily stage-managed • 1918 Constitution set out the importance of the Conference in directing party affairs and policy • Decisions made by 2/3 majority should be binding • Traditional importance of trade unions - esp. with block voting • National Policy Forum - formulated new policies, weakening conference powers • Recent reforms, including reduction in power of TUs and centre-left direction of Labour policy means conferences are less important to leadership

  11. Party conferences - Conservative • Staged-managed - rally for party faithful • Representatives of constituencies are not delegates and can vote according to their own judgement • Debates lack passion and are merely advisory – no need for leadership to adopt resolutions • Revolts are increasingly rare, and need to support leadership prevails

  12. Which party is more democratic?

  13.  Your task • Read & take notes on party groupings in the European Parliament on p.102 Add the following terms to your glossary • Social Democracy • Christian Democracy • Transnational and Supranational Parties

  14.  Plenary • What are the major similarities between the ways the Labour Party and Conservatives are organised? • What are the major differences? • Which party is more open and democratic in your view?

  15.  Homework • Read Watts p.104-5 and complete a scales chart on the powers of Conservative and Labour Party leaders. Write a judgement at the bottom on which leader is more powerful. You may wish to differentiate between when in office and when in power. • Read p.106-108 and take notes on the selection processes of party leaders. Which process do you think is most democratic?

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