Conservative party

?
  • Created by: Byoung
  • Created on: 25-05-15 21:28

Roles and Functions

  • Representation - of the party members and society as a whole
  • Recruitment - Parties providing candidates to be MP's and ministers
  • Governing - through winning election, party provided country with leadership
  • Policy Formulation - ideas of society put into operation through party
  • Elections - put forward candidates for elections
1 of 6

Conservative Party - ideology

One-Nationism                                              Thatcherism

Paternalism → rich look after the poor             Self interest  

Tradition                                                        Radicalism → deregulation + floating pound 

People work together                                      Individualism

Social duty                                                    Personal advancement  

Pragmatic intervention                                    Roll back the state  

Middle-way economics                                   total free market

2 of 6

Conservative party - 2015 policies

  • tax cuts for businesses and individuals to encourage work and entrepreneurialism 
  • Welfare cuts to encourage people to work
  • state investment in transport - HS2 and more roads
  • Tougher crime sentencing to enforce law and order
  • scrapping Human Rights Act - allowing deportation of foreign criminals
3 of 6

Conservative Party - Policy formulation

  • democratised by William Hague in 1998
  • Created a national policy forum to decide policy → manifesto of 2001 chosen by policy forum, was considered too right wing for public and caused Labour landslide
  • Conferences only serve to rally support from party membership - merely consultation on pre-decided issues
  • show unity of party to the media
4 of 6

Conservative Party - Leadership selection

Candidates must be sitting MP's → must take party whips and must be nominated and seconded by MP's

Then → MP's have series of ballots where candidate with lowest amount of votes is eliminated from running

When there are two candidates left → vote is put to party membership - 78% of members voted - whichever candidate gains most votes wins

2005 Conservative leadership contest

Final ballot:

David Cameron - 68%

David Davies - 32%

5 of 6

Conservative Party - Candidate Selection

Previously → central office gives constituency short list of potential candidates → then local party interview prospective candidates → still used in marginal seats

In safe seats → "A" list system, David Cameron trying to improve representation and having more Liberal Coservatives (like Cameron) in the House of Commons.

‼ Zac Goldsmith and Chloe Smith

6 of 6

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Government & Politics resources:

See all Government & Politics resources »See all UK political parties resources »