BRITAIN MODERN POLITICS BRITIAN AND THE EU

OPTIMUS PRIMEIMINISTER Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher (Conservative)1979–1990 John MajorJohn Major (Conservative)1990–1997 Tony BlairTony Blair (Labour)1997–2007 Gordon BrownGordon Brown (Labour)2007–2010 David CameronDavid Cameron (Coalition with liberal Dems) 2010–

EU AND UK 1973 –England Joins European Economic Community/liberals trade, travel etc. 1970’s Labor Eurosceptic/will switch to conservatives. 1992: Maascarict Treaty ne of the obligations of the treaty for the members was to keep "sound fiscal policies, with debt limited to 60% of GDP and annual deficits no greater than 3% of GDP." [7]GDP [7] UK Opts out of Currency and maintains Pound/Maintained internal border checks 2005-UK Supreme court assumes judicial function from House of Lords; can’t void acts of parliament, but can rule on compatibility with human rights law as defined by EU; 12 Judges Chosen from House of Lords 2013-Cameron proposes a referendum on complete withdrawal about 55% want out, but most business wants in. Labor says a future referendum is ok/Social Dems want no referendum-pro Europe!

CONSERVATIVES Eurosceptic, but cautious on IRAQ-like intervention\Shift from 60’s and 70’s Oppose Monetary Integration (Black Wednesday pound support 1992) Drop Top Tax Rate from 50% to 45% while cutting spending (except NHS) Debate in party over social issues (gay, immigration)-shift to center to attract younger voters. Still Division: Centre-right party which can be loosely divided into three categories, though with considerable overlap: T The Thatcherites or Conservative Way Forward, who strongly support a free market and tend to be Eurosceptic, t The economically moderate, often more europhile but socially conservative One Nation Conservatives, and the socially conservative, deeply Eurosceptic Cornerstone Group.

LABOUR Blue Labour The new leadership of the party has been seeking a coherent ideological position to answer Cameron's "Big Society" rhetoric, and also mark a sea-change from the neoliberal ideology of Blair and "New Labour".sea-change Blue LabourBlue Labour is a recent, and somewhat influential [95] ideological tendency in the party that advocates the belief that working class voters will be won back to Labour through more conservative policies on certain social and international issues, such as immigration and crime, [96] a rejection of neoliberal economics [97] in favour of ideas from guild socialism and continental corporatism, [98] and a switch to local and democratic community management and provision of services, [99] rather than relying on a traditional welfare state that is seen as excessively "bureaucratic". [1 [95]conservativeimmigrationcrime [96]neoliberal economics [97]guild socialismcorporatism [98] [99]welfare state [1

SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC PARTY Alliance between the Liberal and Social Democratic Parties during the 1980s Formally merged in 1989 into Liberal Democratic party Attempted to create strong “in the middle” compromise to the two dominant parties The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity."[

LIBERAL DEM Focus on treatment (rather than imprisonment) of drug addicts. Drug policy based on independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs advice. Make prisoners work, contributing from prison wages to compensation fund for victims. As resources allow, increase number of hours prisoners spend in education and training. Introduce single transferable vote system (STV), cut number of MPs by 150 and introduce fixed-term parliaments. —Referendum took place on single winner variant of STV (Alternative vote), number of MPs to be reduced by 50 and fixed term parliaments introduced. Replace House of Lords with smaller, fully elected upper house. Introduce written constitution. —Plans outlined for a House of Lords with 300 members, 80% of which would be elected using STV. Introduce voting rights from age 16. Give powers for electorate to sack MPs who break rules. Require all MPs, Lords and parliamentary candidates to pay UK tax.

LIBERAL DEMS Platform Positions: Tax-free earning threshold to rise to £10,000, Mansion Tax More Money For schools More Europhile than many conservatives Reform Prisons Reduce Drug Sentences No export Chemicals for weapons Cut Carbon Emission” Green Deal” ½ cut by 2025 Gay Rights

2005 ELECTION

2010 ELECTION

2010 COALITION ISSUES EU and Euro policy Alternative Vote Referendum Budget issues, such as austerity measures, budget cuts, or tax policy Reform of the National Health Service (NHS)