YOUNG PEOP Politics affects everything, from knife crime and drugs to how many years we have to stay in school and how much we pay to go to uni. Yet 18-24 year olds currently have the lowest turnout in elections. But is it all our own fault? No! There’s a lack of political education in the UK, so Nang!’s Anaam Raza, Theresa Ita and Yisum Heneghan have put together a beginner’s guide to politics to help you prepare for your vote in the 2010 General election
Labour
Leader: Gordon Brown Crime and Justice They promise bigger sentences for knife crime, a justice system which punishes the guilty with tough sentences and more education to stop those who re-offend. Education and Schools In secondary schools there will be oneto-one tuition for 300,000 pupils in English and 300,000 in Maths who are falling behind their classmates. Economic stability and employment They want to build a country were everyone has equal opportunities to succeed regardless of their background and invest in programmes for people to train and find a secure job, which has helped thousands of people to gain jobs. Health They promise to open 100 new GP practices in areas which need them most. They also say they will build build a stronger healthcare system.
Conservative
Liberal Democrats
Leader: Nick Clegg Crime and Justice They say they will put 10,000 more police officers on the street, paid for by scrapping the ID card scheme. They also promise rehabilitation, training and paid work in prisons to reduce re-offending. Education They want to scrap tuition fees for uni students and give more money to schools for one-tosupport and catch-up classes for struggling children. Employment They aim to cut government spending and taxes for people who are not financially stable and come down hard on big businesses and the rich who exploit tax loopholes. Health They aim to set the NHS free from central government control so patients have more say over what health care they receive.
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Leader: David Cameron Crime and Justice They promise to put more bobbies on the beat and give them more power to stop and search. And they want to prevent the misuse of surveillance powers by local authorities. Education They aim to build more good state schools, increase power for parents and encourage smaller and more varied schools. They want more discipline in schools, teaching sets by ability and fairer deals for part-time and mature uni students.
Employment/Economy They want more apprenticeships and community learning to improve skills and employability. And better careers advice for those in education. Health They say they wlll boost funding for NHS and health spending, double the number of single rooms in hospitals and reform drug prices.
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Useful links www.libdems.org.uk/home.aspx www.labour.org.uk/home www.conservatives.com/ www.greenparty.org.uk www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_ vote/elections_2009.aspx
Too young to vote?
Age is nothing but a number! Just because you’re under 18 doesn’t mean you’re excluded from politics. There are ways you can still get involved that are just as valuable as voting. ● Join the UK Youth Parliament ● Get into pressure groups, for those who are passionate about a particular cause ● Lobby your MP, write letters or send emails. ● Join the party of your choice and help campaign.
How does the electoral system work for UK General Elections? ● The UK electoral system used for general elections is known as First Past The Post
● It’s a plurality system, which means the candidate doesn’t need 50 per cent to gain a seat. In fact they only need one more vote than the next rival to win! ● The UK is divided into 646 constituencies and each elects a single member of parliament (MP). ● The voters have only one vote each, this is done by putting a cross (X) next to the candidate you support on the ballot paper. ● The candidate who wins the largest number of votes is elected.
POLITICS DICTIONARY Cabinet The body which creates the policies and rules to govern the land. Members are delegated different departments to run (e.g. Health, Defence, Immigration etc). Constitution A set of rules that relate to how the country is governed. Britain’s constitution is uncodified, which means it has no single constitutional document. Constituency The geographical area represented by one MP. Democracy This means people power! The people are involved in choosing who governs them. Election Citizens vote for a representative. First Past the Post (FPTP) The electoral system used for General elections. It’s a plurality system. Franchise The right to vote. Government Also known as the executive. The people in government are the decision makers. Manifesto A political party’s campaign promises. Member of Parliament (MP) The UK public elect MPs to represent their interests and concerns in the House of Commons. There are currently 646 MPs. Parliament Also known as the legislature. Law is made and debates take place in parliament. Pressure Group A group of like-minded people who do not stand for election but aim to influence the government and policy makers e.g. the pressure group, Liberty, campaigns to protect civil liberties and promote human rights. Referendum A vote on a single issue in the form of a question which requires a yes or no response. In London in 1998 the question was: Are you in favour of the Government’s proposals for Greater London Authority, made up of an elected Mayor and a separately elected assembly? The result was: Yes 72.0, No 28.0. Shadow Cabinet The Official Opposition political party’s senior members, which mark or ‘shadow’ individual cabinet ministers.