- ECONOMY
- Conservatives continue to share Thatcher’s belief in the free market – e.g. they privatised Royal Mail in 2013.
- However, May talked about new industrial strategy to support certain struggling industries – She has created a new Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, which will work on “a new industrial strategy” to address “long-term structural challenges”. The idea of an industrial strategy is far removed from the New Right’s preference for free markets and minimal state intervention.
- New Labour accepted many of Thatcher’s free market reforms, scrapping the Clause IV commitment to nationalisation and making concerted efforts to win over big business. However, under Ed Miliband the party began to show more support for government intervention.
- The party pledged to tackle the housing shortage by forcing private developers to build on the land that they own, to force energy companies to freeze their prices until 2017, and to reform the banks by forcing the largest to downsize and accept new competition.
- Under Jeremy Corbyn, Labour adopted several more positions that are traditionally associated with ‘Old Labour’, such as calling for the renationalisation of the railways and Royal Mail – In 2015, Labour criticised the Conservative Government’s decision to return the East Coast rail line to private hands
- Starmer has talked of his support for common ownership of rail, mail, energy and water.
- Before 2007 parties were similar on national deficit and debt.
- Recession led to divergence – Conservatives sought to deal with deficit quickly whereas Labour wanted to go much more slowly.
- Cameron continued to cut public spending, but promised to protect NHS and education etc.
- May slowed down deficit reduction, borrowed and invested, but did not reverse cuts, and did not spend same as Labour wanted.
- Corbyn was firmly anti-austerity – wanting to invest heavily.
- Johnson has pledged 650bn of spending over next 5 years reversing previous policy.
- EDUCATION
- Conservatives increased number of academies – greater independence and flexibility granted. May pro Grammar school, – build meritocracy – one nation.
- Austerity and cuts to budgets affecting teachers’ salaries etc. Reversed by Johnson 14bn promised but only reverses spending to situation before cuts in 2015.
- Corbyn hostile to academies and free schools/ Wanted universal free childcare, zero tuition fees and heavy investment in education. National Education service.
- Starmer would abolish tuition fees.
- CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
- Conservatives are more likely to stress the importance of tradition. Less supportive of constitutional reforms. Reluctantly agreed to some during Coalition, e.g., Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011, but now keen to rescind (2019 manifesto).
- Some Conservatives keen for new British Bill of Rights to replace ECHR. Conservatives strongly favour the union, but supportive of some transfer of powers.
- New Labour initiated constitutional reforms 1997-2010 and is keen to further pursue devolution.
2019 manifesto – reduce voting age, abolish House of Lords. Starmer would still abolish Lords and continue devolution.
