How democratic are the main parties? DO NOW We began this topic by identifying five key functions of political parties that operate at three different levels. What were three of those key functions? Give examples to help explain their meaning.

Parties in the electorateParties as organisationsParties in government Represent voters’ views and interests Simplify choices for votersRecruit political leadership based on suitability for office Create workably majorities in the HOC Educate citizensCompete for governmental office Create stability in government Generate symbols of political identification/loyalty Train political elitesImplement policy Encourage/organise political participation Aggregate and articulate political interests Control the administration Take responsibility for government actions Organise opposition/ Hold government to account Functions of political parties

Learning objectives To evaluate the democratic credentials of the main parties

Internal democracy Discuss how much influence ordinary members have in the Labour and Conservative parties. Two key considerations: How party officials, including MPs, are selected and/or elected How the party forms policy

Internal democracy Discuss how much influence ordinary members have in the Labour and Conservative parties. PartyInternal electionsPolicy formationOverall Conservatives Labour LibDems

Internal democracy Discuss how much influence ordinary members have in the Labour and Conservative parties. Study the extract from Lynch and Fairclough and make detailed notes on how the major parties elect their leaders. Give each party a score out of 10; 10 being ‘fully democratic’ and 0 being ‘totally undemocratic’. Be prepared to explain your scores and the specific features of internal party organisation that lead to any differences between your scores.

Policy knowledge gap

Why consult over policy? To educate the public regarding issues of national concern To determine which policy positions will win voters’ support To build consensus and support for specific policies To build party unity

Policy making The Conservative Policy Forum gives party members the opportunity to take part in party policy discussions. Although it is a national body, chaired by a senior member of the party (currently the Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, the Minister for Government Policy), it has groups in constituencies in every region of Britain which give members across the country the opportunity to discuss the major challenges facing Britain. Over the past three years, it has published over 30 discussion briefs and collected over 19,000 opinions from members and supporters in nearly 250 different groups – all of which were summarised and sent to Conservative members of Cabinet. These, in turn, all received a ministerial response. Policy in the Labour Party is made through a process called Partnership into Power. PIP It is designed to involve the whole party, including individual members, local parties, trade unions, socialist societies, Labour representatives, as well as the wider community, in shaping policy. PIP feeds into the party’s Policy Commissions, along with the view of Shadow Cabinet working groups. The Commissions then feed into a National Policy Forum, which discusses submissions and forwards policy recommendations that are voted on by the whole party at the Annual Conference.

Internal democracy Discuss how much influence ordinary members have in the Labour and Conservative parties. Repeat the earlier ranking process, this time considering how policy is formed. Use the additional handout to guide your research.

Discuss how much influence ordinary members have in the Labour and Conservative parties. Ordinary members have similar degrees of influence in the Labour and Conservative parties, but their influence can be exercised in very different ways and at different levels. Ordinary members of the Labour Party have more influence over the election of their leadership than is the case in the Conservative Party; when it comes to policy formation, the reverse is true.

Exam question Discuss how much influence ordinary members can exercise in the main UK political parties. (25 marks)

Parties in the electorateParties as organisationsParties in government Represent voters’ views and interests Simplify choices for votersRecruit political leadership based on suitability for office Create workably majorities in the HOC Educate citizensCompete for governmental office Create stability in government Generate symbols of political identification/loyalty Train political elitesImplement policy Encourage/organise political participation Aggregate and articulate political interests Control the administration Take responsibility for government actions Organise opposition/ Hold government to account Functions of political parties