2024 UK Election Insights and Updates

Sep 6, 2024

Review flashcards

Politics Explained: 2024 UK Election and New Labour Government Updates

Introduction

  • Presenter: Ollie
  • Focus on updates to the UK politics and government sections of Edexcel A-Level Politics due to the 2024 election.
  • Updated textbooks available for continuous updates.
  • Additional resources: essay plans, tutoring, and Politics Explained Classroom membership.

Key Topics Covered

  1. Electoral Systems
  2. Voting Behavior and Media
  3. Political Parties
  4. UK Government Updates

1. Electoral Systems

  • 2024 election: least proportional result in British history (Gallagher Index).
  • Labour won 411 seats with 33.7% of the vote (63% of seats).
  • Winner's bonus effect in First Past the Post system.
  • Tactical voting significantly impacted results.
  • Reform UK and Green Party underrepresented.
  • Comparison with proportional systems shows different potential outcomes.

Arguments for First Past the Post

  • Speed and simplicity.
  • Creates strong single-party governments.
  • Voters can hold MPs to account.
  • Strong local support can influence results (e.g., Jeremy Corbyn).

Arguments Against First Past the Post

  • Limited support for many MPs.
  • Underrepresentation of minor parties.
  • Tactical voting necessity.
  • Disproportionate impact in marginal vs. safe seats.

2. Voting Behavior and Media

  • Sunak called the snap election, resulting in Labour landslide.
  • Conservative Party's poor performance after 2019 due to scandals (e.g., Partygate, Liz Truss's mini-budget).
  • Labour's victory driven by negative sentiment against Conservatives rather than strong support for Labour.
  • Media's influence: endorsements shifted towards Labour.
  • Tactical voting played a crucial role.

Factors Influencing the Election

  • Campaign: Rise of Reform UK and fallout from Tory missteps.
  • Competence and Trust: Conservative scandals eroded trust.
  • Leadership: Sunak's unpopularity.
  • Policy Differences: Less pronounced than in previous elections.
  • Media: Importance of digital advertising and social media.

Social Factors

  • Age, education, and ethnicity significantly influenced voting behavior.

3. Political Parties

Labour Party

  • Shifted towards the centre to gain power.
  • Moderate taxation and nationalization policies.
  • Focus on economic stability, crime, immigration, unions, NHS, and welfare.

Conservative Party

  • Sunak reversed Truss's policies.
  • Focused on fiscal responsibility, strong law and order, tough stance on immigration and unions.

Liberal Democrats

  • Significant electoral success due to tactical voting.
  • Moderate policies with emphasis on welfare and constitutional reform.

Minor Parties

  • SNP: Declined due to scandal and leadership changes, policies focused on independence.
  • Reform UK: Significant rise, especially among disillusioned Tory voters.

4. UK Government Updates

Devolution

  • Labour supports devolution and regional inclusivity.
  • New council of the nations proposed.

PM and Cabinet

  • Starmer's Cabinet selections focused on competence and loyalty.
  • Diverse representation but lacking ideological balance.

Parliament Representation

  • Increase in female and ethnic minority MPs, but still not fully representative.
  • Educational diversity improved in Starmer's Cabinet.