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British Political Parties
Posted on 7/15/22 at 12:45 pm
Posted on 7/15/22 at 12:45 pm
With the UK getting a new PM it got me curious about politics in Britain. From this article it seems that they are somewhat similar to the US in that there are really only two major viable parties (Conservatives and Labour). It sounds like the Liberal Democrats are like our Libertarians.
I am curious, has the Labour Party over there followed suit with our Democrats and gone way left in the past decade or are they truly centre-left as described below? Anyone follow politics over there more closely in the know?
What are the political parties of the UK?
Before the 19th century, the political landscape in the UK was dominated by the Whigs and the Tories. The Whigs were made up of most of the prominent aristocratic dynasties agitating for Protestant succession and subsequently enjoyed the support of the wealthy merchants and emerging industrial interests. The Tories were mostly associated with the Church of Scotland; the landed gentry and the Church of England. Towards the mid 19th century, the Whigs evolved into the Liberal Party while the Tories became the Conservative Party. The Labour Party emerged in the place of the Liberal Party in the 1920s. The Conservative and Labour Parties are the major political players in the UK although they are other many parties.
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party has a centre-right position in UK's politics. The party garnered the largest number of seats in the House of Commons at the last election in 2015 and is thus the party that formed the government. The party's chair is Theresa May who is currently the UK's Prime Minister. Among the major views of the party is the belief that free markets in addition to individual achievement drive economic growth. The party advocates for supply-side economics, a theory which stipulates that reduced income tax rates triggers GDP growth and thus amounts to the same or more revenue collected by the government from the lesser tax on the additional growth. This theory is in line with the party's advocacy for tax cuts. The Conservative Party has established a wide range of global alliances including ties with the US. Other views of the party are restrictions on trade union, a strong national defense, fiscal conservatism, and deregulation.
Labour Party
The Labour Party occupies a centre-left position in UK's politics. After garnering 231 seats in the 2015 election, the Labour Party assumed the place of the Official Opposition. Jeremy Corbyn is currently serving as the party's chair. The party initially favored socialist policies including the redistribution of wealth, a belief in publicly funded education and healthcare, government intervention, and public ownership of strategic industries. The Labour Party began embracing several free market policies in the mid-1980s under the leadership of Neil Kinnock, Tony Blair, and John Smith. The party's current political stand has been described as ‘Third Way.'
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is the third-largest in the UK in terms of membership. The party has the majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament as well as the majority of representatives in the Parliament of the UK. The party is currently under the leadership of Nicola Sturgeon. The Scottish National Party is associated with Scottish Nationalism, and it has been at the forefront in agitating for Scottish independence. Being a social democratic party, some of its views include investments in renewable energy, construction of affordable social housing, progressive personal taxation, same-sex marriage, and government-subsidized higher education.
Liberal Democrats
In 1988, the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party merged into the Liberal Democrats. Tim Farron is the party’s current leader. The Liberal Democrats advocate for civil liberties, electoral and constitutional reform, environmentalism, progressive taxation, European integration, drug decriminalization, and human rights laws.
Emerging Trends
The UK's two party system which is dominated by the Conservative and Labour Parties has been decreasing in popularity. Smaller parties have been registering increasing support such as the Scottish National Party which is pushing for Scottish independence. Another rising party is the Green Party of England and Wales as well as the Green Party in Northern Ireland. The Green Party advocates for peace and non-violence, environmental consciousness, social justice, and grassroots democracy. The UK Independence Party has garnered support due to its stances on British Nationalism, Economic liberalism, immigration, and exit from the EU.
I am curious, has the Labour Party over there followed suit with our Democrats and gone way left in the past decade or are they truly centre-left as described below? Anyone follow politics over there more closely in the know?
What are the political parties of the UK?
Before the 19th century, the political landscape in the UK was dominated by the Whigs and the Tories. The Whigs were made up of most of the prominent aristocratic dynasties agitating for Protestant succession and subsequently enjoyed the support of the wealthy merchants and emerging industrial interests. The Tories were mostly associated with the Church of Scotland; the landed gentry and the Church of England. Towards the mid 19th century, the Whigs evolved into the Liberal Party while the Tories became the Conservative Party. The Labour Party emerged in the place of the Liberal Party in the 1920s. The Conservative and Labour Parties are the major political players in the UK although they are other many parties.
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party has a centre-right position in UK's politics. The party garnered the largest number of seats in the House of Commons at the last election in 2015 and is thus the party that formed the government. The party's chair is Theresa May who is currently the UK's Prime Minister. Among the major views of the party is the belief that free markets in addition to individual achievement drive economic growth. The party advocates for supply-side economics, a theory which stipulates that reduced income tax rates triggers GDP growth and thus amounts to the same or more revenue collected by the government from the lesser tax on the additional growth. This theory is in line with the party's advocacy for tax cuts. The Conservative Party has established a wide range of global alliances including ties with the US. Other views of the party are restrictions on trade union, a strong national defense, fiscal conservatism, and deregulation.
Labour Party
The Labour Party occupies a centre-left position in UK's politics. After garnering 231 seats in the 2015 election, the Labour Party assumed the place of the Official Opposition. Jeremy Corbyn is currently serving as the party's chair. The party initially favored socialist policies including the redistribution of wealth, a belief in publicly funded education and healthcare, government intervention, and public ownership of strategic industries. The Labour Party began embracing several free market policies in the mid-1980s under the leadership of Neil Kinnock, Tony Blair, and John Smith. The party's current political stand has been described as ‘Third Way.'
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is the third-largest in the UK in terms of membership. The party has the majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament as well as the majority of representatives in the Parliament of the UK. The party is currently under the leadership of Nicola Sturgeon. The Scottish National Party is associated with Scottish Nationalism, and it has been at the forefront in agitating for Scottish independence. Being a social democratic party, some of its views include investments in renewable energy, construction of affordable social housing, progressive personal taxation, same-sex marriage, and government-subsidized higher education.
Liberal Democrats
In 1988, the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party merged into the Liberal Democrats. Tim Farron is the party’s current leader. The Liberal Democrats advocate for civil liberties, electoral and constitutional reform, environmentalism, progressive taxation, European integration, drug decriminalization, and human rights laws.
Emerging Trends
The UK's two party system which is dominated by the Conservative and Labour Parties has been decreasing in popularity. Smaller parties have been registering increasing support such as the Scottish National Party which is pushing for Scottish independence. Another rising party is the Green Party of England and Wales as well as the Green Party in Northern Ireland. The Green Party advocates for peace and non-violence, environmental consciousness, social justice, and grassroots democracy. The UK Independence Party has garnered support due to its stances on British Nationalism, Economic liberalism, immigration, and exit from the EU.
6
Posted on 7/15/22 at 12:47 pm to PNW_TigerSaint
Generally speaking, their entire political spectrum is shifted further left than ours is. The Conservatives platform contains a lot of things that would be “liberal” in US political lexicon, particularly in the healthcare and social services arena.
The two mainstream UK parties also don’t tend to have the fringes that the two US mainstream parties do. The far right and far left wing freaks belong to other smaller parties in the UK, and the two biggest ones remain toward the center.
The two mainstream UK parties also don’t tend to have the fringes that the two US mainstream parties do. The far right and far left wing freaks belong to other smaller parties in the UK, and the two biggest ones remain toward the center.
This post was edited on 7/15/22 at 12:51 pm
Posted on 7/15/22 at 12:49 pm to Indefatigable
quote:
Generally speaking, their entire political spectrum is shifted further left than ours is. The Conservatives platform contains a lot of things that would be “liberal” in US political lexicon.
Interesting. Is it possible that they are just less polarized than us in general? Truly more left-center, right-center. Its hard to imagine their Labour party being even more left of the Democrats right now, but maybe so.
Posted on 7/15/22 at 12:53 pm to PNW_TigerSaint
quote:
Is it possible that they are just less polarized than us in general? Truly more left-center, right-center.
Absolutely they are. Like my prior post said, the extremes in the UK don’t belong to the two major parties, meaning Labour and Conservative stay mostly center (in British political spectrum). Half the Conservative MP’s would end up being Manchin-like/fiscally conservative (little c) Democrats if they were here. Most of our GOP members of Congress would be too far right for the Conservatives and would be in UKIP or something new if there were there.
quote:
Its hard to imagine their Labour party being even more left of the Democrats right now, but maybe so.
They are on some things, but not in the same ways. The crazy climate SJW progressives here would not be Labour, they’d be Greens or Lib Dems, etc over there.
Over all it seems like an easy comparison but there really isn’t a lot to extrapolate between our parties and theirs. The underlying legislative and electoral systems are too different and created a different landscape.
This post was edited on 7/15/22 at 12:56 pm
Posted on 7/15/22 at 12:56 pm to PNW_TigerSaint
UKIP
Posted on 7/15/22 at 1:03 pm to PNW_TigerSaint
Remember that the “right” and “left” in Europe are VERY different from those dichotomies here in the U.S.
“Right wing” parties in Europe are often very economically socialist with anti-immigrant, pro-law and order, and nationalist stances. Remember, the church and the authoritarian monarchists are typically “right wing”.
Some “left wing” parties are free-market globalists (think neo-con) while others are straight communist.
Just remember that while similar terms are often employed in discussing politics in other countries, those terms do NOT mean the same things everywhere.
“Right wing” parties in Europe are often very economically socialist with anti-immigrant, pro-law and order, and nationalist stances. Remember, the church and the authoritarian monarchists are typically “right wing”.
Some “left wing” parties are free-market globalists (think neo-con) while others are straight communist.
Just remember that while similar terms are often employed in discussing politics in other countries, those terms do NOT mean the same things everywhere.
Posted on 7/15/22 at 1:16 pm to Indefatigable
Harold MacMillan's Tory government in the late 1950's and early 1960's essentially institutionalized the one-nation conservative movement, which was openly supportive of the welfare state and Keynesian economics. It's even more pervasive over there than it is here.
Posted on 7/15/22 at 8:42 pm to PNW_TigerSaint
Patriotic Alternative is a growing organization looking to close the borders and promote an actual right opposition in the UK
Posted on 7/15/22 at 8:44 pm to PNW_TigerSaint
The Labour party are Bolshevists, not center left
Posted on 7/15/22 at 8:53 pm to PNW_TigerSaint
My favorite British politician is Nigel Farage. Kind of like an English version of Trump.
Posted on 7/15/22 at 10:18 pm to LRB1967
quote:
My favorite British politician is Nigel Farage. Kind of like an English version of Trump.
The Brexit vote was my first inkling that Trump might have a chance.
Farage gave a great last speech (YouTube).
What’s interesting is the date he mentions (Jan 2020) and that the end of globalism was coming due to the rise of populism. Then Covid.
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