The United Kingdom Party System:

‘The myth of the United Kingdom’s Two-Party System.’

1. Introduction

(a) Electoral and Legislative Party System

(b) Sartori’s Definition of a Two-Party System

2. Development of the Party System

(a) Early Stages

(b) Emergence of Multi-Party System

(c) Development of Two-Party System

3. Recent Party System

4. Summary and Conclusion

1 Introduction

• We have a two-party system whenever the existence of other parties does not prevent either of the two major parties from governing alone

• And…….

Sartori’s Definition of a Two-Party System

• The margin between the two major parties is close enough so that the party in opposition has a chance to oust the governing party

Two Aspects

• The Electoral Party System

• The Legislative Party System

2 Development of the Party System

(a) Early Stages

• ‘Ins’ and ‘Outs’ (pre-1832)

• Two-Party System (1832-1886)

(b) Emergence of Multi-Party System 1886-1918

• Conservatives

• Liberals

• The Irish Nationalists

• The Liberal Unionists

• Crofters

• The Labour Party

Parties 1892

• Conservatives 268

• Liberals 268

• Irish Nationalists 81

• Liberal Unionists 47

• Crofters 5

• Ind Labour 1

Not Two-Party but Bi-Polar

• Left Pole

• Liberals• Labour• Irish Nationalists

• Right Pole

• Conservatives• Liberal Unionists

(c)Moves Toward Two-Party System post 1918

• Consequence of Irish Independence

• Decline of the Liberals

• but….

• ... Labour needed Liberals to form governments, 1924 & 1929-31

• Dominant Party System emerged in the 1930s (1935 Conservatives 432, Labour 154, Liberals 21)

(d) Two-Party System, 1945-1974

• Weakness of Regional/National Divisions

• Few Socio-Political Cleavages

• The Electoral System

3 Recent Party System

Features

• Assertion of National Particularisms

• Weakening of Class-Based Politics

• Crises in the Labour and Conservative Parties

2005 General Election

• Labour 356*• Con. 198• Lib/Dem 62• SNP 6

• Plaid Cymru 3• Kidmster Hsp 1 • Respect 1

• Ind (Lab) 1

• Ulster U 1• Democratic U 9• SDLP 3• Sinn Fein 5

*Inc. Speaker

Complications in Elections

• Electors have a choice of a number parties.• U.K. Independence (496)• Green Party (183)• British National Party (119)• Veritas (66)• Scottish Socialist Party (58)• Socialist Labour Party (50)• Respect (26); Legalist Cannabis Alliance (21);• Mebyon Kernow (4); Official Monster Raving

Loony (20); Remove Tetra Masts in Cornwall (1)

4 Summary & Conclusion

Economic

Axis

Territorial Axis

Labour

Conservative

Sinn Fein SNP

SDLP

Liberals

Ulster Unionists

UKIP

Concluding Points

• The System is NOT Two-Party

• The System is Unstable

• Future Developments Unpredictable