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 How are political parties parties

organised?organised?To be able to explain how the two To be able to explain how the two

major parties are organisedmajor parties are organisedTo compare which party structure To compare which party structure

is more open and democraticis more open and democratic

LOs

Your taskYour task

Read p.96-7 and note down ways in Read p.96-7 and note down ways in which UK political parties have which UK political parties have changed in recent years.changed in recent years.

What has caused these changes?What has caused these changes? Extension. How similar / different Extension. How similar / different

are developments in the US & are developments in the US & Europe?Europe?

Recent changesRecent changes Traditional national & local party organisations Traditional national & local party organisations

less importantless important due to rise of TV and internet due to rise of TV and internet Growing need for Growing need for fund-raisingfund-raising (see earlier (see earlier

notes)notes) Greater opennessGreater openness in policy-making & selection in policy-making & selection

procedures, e.g. recent reforms of Cons & Lab procedures, e.g. recent reforms of Cons & Lab Leader selection processesLeader selection processes

Leadership retains key powersLeadership retains key powers to weed out to weed out dissenters, e.g. de-selection of discredited MPsdissenters, e.g. de-selection of discredited MPs

Extension. Research other MPs like Phil Woolas who have been de-selected by their parties

Your taskYour 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?

Organisation - LabourOrganisation - Labour Labour developed outside of WestminsterLabour developed outside of Westminster - -

party structures less centralised. party structures less centralised. Traditionally Traditionally less focus on the figure of the less focus on the figure of the

leaderleader of the party than under the Tories, e.g. of the party than under the Tories, e.g. NECNEC

Different levels of participation, e.g. Labour Different levels of participation, e.g. Labour has has affiliated organisationsaffiliated organisations including trade including trade unions, socialist societies, young socialists unions, socialist societies, young socialists etc.etc.

Policy forumsPolicy forums & citizens’ forums in every & citizens’ forums in every constituency designed to ensure the party constituency designed to ensure the party remains in touch with popular opinion remains in touch with popular opinion

Organisation - Organisation - ConservativesConservatives

Central OfficeCentral Office acts as headquarters of the acts as headquarters of the Party, controlling activities of constituency Party, controlling activities of constituency partiesparties

Influence of leadershipInfluence of leadership over party is very over party is very strongstrong

Increasing use of internal referendumsIncreasing use of internal referendums, e.g. , e.g. over leadership of party. These can be over leadership of party. These can be interpreted either as ways to enhance power interpreted either as ways to enhance power of leadership, e.g. gain backing for a of leadership, e.g. gain backing for a particular policy (for example Hague used particular policy (for example Hague used this to gain support for his stance on this to gain support for his stance on Europe) or genuine democracyEurope) or genuine democracy

Party organisation - Party organisation - LabourLabour

All major parties operate similar 3 stage processAll major parties operate similar 3 stage process: : centrally vetted & approved list drawn up; local party centrally vetted & approved list drawn up; local party shortlist drawn up from approved list; constituency shortlist drawn up from approved list; constituency members choose their preferred candidatemembers choose their preferred candidate

Nomination process traditionally Nomination process traditionally dominated by trade dominated by trade unionists and party activistsunionists and party activists

One Person One VoteOne Person One Vote (OMOV) introduced for (OMOV) introduced for selection process in 1992. Leadership also tried to selection process in 1992. Leadership also tried to introduce a screening system to weed out introduce a screening system to weed out ‘undesirables’‘undesirables’

Experiment with ‘Experiment with ‘all women’ shortlistsall women’ shortlists has been has been replaced by balanced lists of men and womenreplaced by balanced lists of men and women

Party Leader can de-select or vetoParty Leader can de-select or veto, e.g. Neil Kinnock , e.g. Neil Kinnock de-selected MPs who belonged to extreme left-wing de-selected MPs who belonged to extreme left-wing ‘Militant Tendency’‘Militant Tendency’

Party organisation - Party organisation - ConservativesConservatives

Central Office retains Central Office retains right to veto or right to veto or de-selectionde-selection, e.g. Michael Howard , e.g. Michael Howard expelled Howard Flight (Deputy expelled Howard Flight (Deputy Chairman)Chairman)

Cameron has promoted the idea of an ‘Cameron has promoted the idea of an ‘A A ListList’ positive discrimination to include ’ positive discrimination to include more women and ethnic minorities, but more women and ethnic minorities, but there were criticisms over the there were criticisms over the preponderance of candidates from SEpreponderance of candidates from SE

Party conferences - Party conferences - LabourLabour

All party conferences All party conferences heavily stage-managedheavily stage-managed 1918 Constitution set out the 1918 Constitution set out the importance of the importance of the

Conference in directing party affairs and policyConference in directing party affairs and policy Decisions made by Decisions made by 2/3 majority2/3 majority should be should be

bindingbinding Traditional importance of trade unionsTraditional importance of trade unions - esp. - esp.

with block votingwith block voting National Policy ForumNational Policy Forum - formulated new - formulated new

policies, weakening conference powers policies, weakening conference powers Recent reformsRecent reforms, including reduction in power of , including reduction in power of

TUs and centre-left direction of Labour policy TUs and centre-left direction of Labour policy means conferences are less important to means conferences are less important to leadershipleadership

Party conferences - Party conferences - ConservativeConservative

Staged-managedStaged-managed - rally for party faithful - rally for party faithful Representatives of constituencies are Representatives of constituencies are

not delegatesnot delegates and can vote according to and can vote according to their own judgementtheir own judgement

Debates lack passion and are Debates lack passion and are merely merely advisoryadvisory – no need for leadership to – no need for leadership to adopt resolutionsadopt resolutions

Revolts are increasingly rareRevolts are increasingly rare, and need , and need to support leadership prevailsto support leadership prevails

Which party is more democratic?

Your taskYour task

Read & take notes on party Read & take notes on party groupings in the European groupings in the European Parliament on p.102 Add the Parliament on p.102 Add the following terms to your glossaryfollowing terms to your glossary

Social DemocracySocial Democracy Christian DemocracyChristian Democracy Transnational and Supranational Transnational and Supranational

Parties Parties

PlenaryPlenary

What are the major similarities What are the major similarities between the ways the Labour Party between the ways the Labour Party and Conservatives are organised?and Conservatives are organised?

What are the major differences?What are the major differences? Which party is more open and Which party is more open and

democratic in your view?democratic in your view?

HomeworkHomework Read Watts p.104-5 and complete a Read Watts p.104-5 and complete a

scales chart on the powers of scales chart on the powers of Conservative and Labour Party leaders. Conservative and Labour Party leaders. Write a judgement at the bottom on Write a judgement at the bottom on which leader is more powerful. You may which leader is more powerful. You may wish to differentiate between when in wish to differentiate between when in office and when in power.office and when in power.

Read p.106-108 and take notes on the Read p.106-108 and take notes on the selection processes of party leaders. selection processes of party leaders. Which process do you think is most Which process do you think is most democratic?democratic?