POLITICAL PARTIES OF UK

SUBMITTED TO:
MAAM HUMA
SUBMITTED BY:
HAFSA DAR (173-FSS/BSIR/F14)
RABEEA JABBAR (181/FSS/BSIR/F14)
AYESHA KHAN (182-FSS/BSIR/F14)
AZRA BATOOL (185-FSS/BSIR/F14)

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY,
ISLAMABAD
 1. INTRODUCTION:
Political parties are necessary for a representative government and essential for parliamentar y
democracy. UK has a parliamentary democracy; therefore, political parties occupy very important
place in British political system. The elements of British constitution like the authority of Prime
Minister, the dictatorship of Cabinet and relation of cabinet with Parliament have come into
existence on account of political parties. Great Britain is the first country which developed politica l
party system in Europe due to its responsible system of government. At present, there are three
political parties in England;

The Conservative,
The Liberal and
The Labor.

They are organized in the same way and perform an important function of creating politica l
consciousness among masses and help them to articulate their desires.

2. GROWTH OF POLITICAL PARTIES:

The attempt at organizing a political party England can be traced back to the reign of Queen
Elizabeth. During the period of Charles 1, parties were organized on sounder principles. The
supporters of the king and his arbitrary rule formed one bloc and were called the Cavaliers. Those
who opposed the arbitrary rule and favored a government limited by parliament came to be known
as Round Heads.

The Revolution of 1688 and the Hanoverian Succession of 1701 completed the triumph of
parliament. Later, the Whigs advocated reforms in the electoral system and franchise and were
renamed as the Liberals. The Tories were opposed to the proposed reforms and later they came to
be known as the Conservative party. In 20 th Century, the Labor Party came into existence.

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTY SYSTEM:

1) Two Party System:

The British Party system has been a two-party system. First to come where the Whigs and Tories,
next the Liberals and the Conservatives and then the Conservatives and the Labor. The two party
system have given UK the benefit of political stability. There are many advantages of two party
system; it gives stability to government; it fixes up political responsibilities quite clearly. Two
party system is a truly democratic system. The electorate can make a clear choice between the two
parties.

2) High Degree of Centralization:

The parties have evolved a high degree of leadership and the readiness of spread-out mass of
members to follow a comparatively few leaders in policy, tactics the choice of representatives and
ministers. There is no gulf between the leaders and the ordinary members. They are linked with
each other through various level of leadership.

3) Continuity of Operation:

The parties in UK do not go into rest as soon as elections are over. They maintain a continuo us
operation of educating the electorates. They publish party journals and other literature, organize
schools and participate in local Government elections.

4) Fellowship Unity and Discipline In The Party:

The membership of parties in UK is voluntary. People have deep loyalty for the party to which
they belonged. Defection from one party to another is never heard of. Each party has behind it a
long history, philosophy, own constitution.

5) Importance of The Leader:

The party leader enjoys a position of esteem and authority. Leaders have contributed to the building
up of strong, centralized national parties.

6) Class Character:

The class character of the UK political parties is also quite manifest. The Conservative party- gets
its membership and votes from the landed aristocracy, the new class of the owners of business and
industry and the middle class. The Labor party- gets its support from working class and their trade
union. The Liberal party- gets its support from the emerging class of business and industry.
 4. THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY:
It is one of the oldest parties from 18 th Century. It is the party of upper class. It stood for the
retention of Britains Imperial Possession. It was opposed to extension of political rights, economic
fair shares and the education of middle class.
5. ITS ORGANIZATION:
Constituency Association:
The party has an association in each constituency which is divided into wards and polling districts.
Its functions are:
a) To raise election funds,
b) To recruit members,
c) To distribute party propaganda and,
d) To serve as a link between MPs and the Constituency.
Area Council:
There are 12 Area councils for each area. Their functions are to co- ordinate the resources of area
and to organize the party on the area level.
The General Council of Nation Union:
It consists of:
a) The leader,
b) The officers of the party members of the parliamentary party,
c) All adopted constituencies and,
d) Four representatives from each constituencies.
It is headed by its president and is more of a deliberative and approving body.

The Executive Committee of the National Union:

It comprises of about 150 members which are mainly from areas but also includes the leader and
other principal officers. It meets every two months. It performs the functions of Central Council
between the laters meetings and recommends to the Central Council the names of officers of the
National Union for the coming year.

The Leader:
The leader is elected by the Conservative members of Parliament but approval of all is required.
He continues until he lays down his office.

The Central Office:

It is permanent Headquarters of the party and is incharge of party revenues. It conducts research
and studies on public issues and supplies literature to members for their education. It co- ordinates
the preparation resources and workers for election campaigns.
 The Annual Party Conference:
It is attended by the members of Central Council together with constituency agents, three
representatives from each constituency and representatives from other bodies like Young
Conservatives and Conservative Trade Union Council. It meets for two to three days. Delegates
put forward resolutions which are debated by conference and the main function of the conference
is to win elections.
6. THE LABOR PARTY:
It is relatively new party on the political map of the UK as it emerged in 1900. The party got
boost in a small course of time as it stood as the 2nd largest political party of UK in 1922. The
manifesto of the party revolves around democratic socialism.
7. ITS ORGANIZATION:
Constituency Organization:
As its name depicts, Constituency Organization is functional at ward and district level. Also, it
consists of General Management Committee followed by Executive Committee which is
responsible for regular/ routine functions on ward and district level.
Regional Councils:
The Labor Party has eleven regional councils across the Great Britain. Its representatives are
chosen from constituencies, trade unions, cooperative societies and socialist societies. The
Regional Organizer works in each region who is responsible before the Party Head office.
Annual Conferences:
It draws 2500 delegates from trade unions cooperative societies and socialist societies. The
delegates then passes resolutions and if these resolution passed with 2/3 majority are included in
the party's manifesto.

National Executive Committee:

This committee has total 28 members including the leader, deputy leader of the party. It has
monthly meeting which supervise the whole function of the party.

5. Headquarters:
The headquarter of the party located in Transport Office. The headquarter them have eleven
regional offices which concerns with the party money-matters, research, international affairs and
women's organizations etc.
 8. LIBERAL PARTY:
Origin:
Liberal Party, a British political party that emerged in the mid-19th century as the successor to the
historic Whig Party. It was a Whig party of the 18th century and came to be known as Liberal party
in the middle of 19th century. It was the major party in opposition to the conservatives until 1918.
Liberal party brought numerous changes in British Political and constitutional system. A broad
range of dominant reforms were introduced by the 1892-95 Liberal government.
It widened the parliamentary franchise, cut down the power of the House of Lords and
Monarchy, removed religious disabilities, freed the press, instituted free trade, established
free and compulsory education and gave trade unions to operate freely.
Decline:
The liberal party started losing its position soon after WW1 both to the conservative and labor
party. The liberals lost heavily in terms of the seats in general elections of 1951, 1955 and 1970
but not in terms of votes. Liberals stand for individual freedom and liberty. It wanted to build
parliament more on democratic lines. They were in favor of free trade. It favored middle course
between capitalism and socialism.

9. ITS ORGANIZATION:
The Communist Party:
The party follows the tenets of Karl Marx and was considerably under the influence of the
communist party of former USSR. They believed that the organized working class is the only
force with ability to end capitalist rule and establish the socialist society. It advocates state control
of banks, big industries, the mines, and transport without compensation. It has no belief in
democratic methods. It is a revolutionary party with iron discipline. It has failed to have substantia l
following in the country.
The British Union Of Fascist And National Socialist:
It was established in 1932. It got inspiration from Italy and Germany of pre-war days. Its object is
to established totalitarian state.
The Independent Labor Party:
It is the parent to the present Labor Party. Its objective is the establishment of a socialist common
wealth. It has faith in parliamentary methods it collaborates with the Labor Party.