The organisation and structure of UK Parties.

How are UK Political Parties organised?

 Traditionally the Conservative Party, was a top-down organisation that exists predominantly to support its MPs in forming a governing majority and contrasts greatly with the Labour Party, a bottom-up movement that aims to represent its members and is far more concerned with internal democracy. 

Choosing the leader 

Labour

The traditional way the Labour Party used to select leaders involved trade union leaders casting votes on behalf of their members in large numbers, giving the unions significant influence in leadership elections. The idea of a one-member, one-vote (OMOV) system for choosing the party’s leader was initially suggested at Labour’s Wembley Special Conference in 1981. This proposal faced opposition from Tony Benn, who favoured an electoral college system that included various party interest groups. This electoral college consisted of a trade union section with 40% of the total vote, a section for the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) with 30%, and an additional 30% for active party members in Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs). The electoral college structure reflects the party's history, which originated from a coalition of groups, with unions being a significant part. Neil Kinnock's attempt to introduce OMOV in 1984 was unsuccessful. It was John Smith who successfully implemented OMOV into the Labour Party's rules at the 1993 conference, eliminating the trade union bloc vote in selecting parliamentary candidates. Instead, union members paying the political levy were granted a direct vote on the party's candidates as 'affiliated supporters.' This change benefitted Tony Blair, who secured over 50% of the trade union vote on his path to leadership, becoming one of Labour's most successful leaders electorally. OMOV was eventually introduced by Ed Miliband in 2014, allowing the public to participate in leadership elections for a £3 fee. This rule change led to a substantial increase in membership. Before the May 2015 election, the party had slightly over 200,000 members. By the conclusion of the August 2015 leadership election, there were 189,703 affiliated union members, 121,295 registered supporters, and 299,755 full members, totalling an electorate of 610,753. This significant surge in party membership not only made the party the largest in Europe but also played a crucial role in the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader, marking one of the most notable shifts in the party's direction since Blair's Clause IV reform. The election of Jeremy Corbyn not only represented a shift to the left but also exposed a problem for greater party democracy, since he was elected by the votes of unions and members and not MPs. He became a leader of the Party outside Parliament but not inside. The 2020 Labour Party leadership election was triggered after Jeremy Corbyn announced his intention to resign as the leader of the Labour Party following the party's defeat at the 2019 general election. It was won by Keir Starmer, who received 56.2 per cent of the vote in the first round. 

Conservatives

The Conservative Party is a less structured coalition compared to the Labour Party. The Conservative Party's Constitution was last officially amended in April 2009, with minor changes suggested in 2017. The Constitution broadly outlines the Party's goal as sustaining and promoting its values. This flexibility allows the leadership to shape the party's direction. In 2006, David Cameron initiated the 'A-List' without changing any rules, enabling a centralized selection process for parliamentary candidates. This move aimed to modernize the Party and broaden its appeal by including more diverse candidates. The A-list strategy allowed the Conservative Campaign Headquarters to influence candidate selection in local areas. This approach, implemented without much resistance, has been utilized by subsequent leaders like Theresa May and Boris Johnson. This contrasts with the Labour Party's resistance to Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.  For five years, the PLP remained overwhelmingly opposed to Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. The Parliamentary Conservative Party, however, was remodelled with comparative ease.Cameron's A-List included 152 names, of which 36 were MPs in 2019, with only a few holding cabinet roles and some no longer serving as Conservative MPs.

How do Conservative MPs initiate a leadership challenge?

A vote of no confidence in the leader is held if 15% of Conservative MPs (currently 52 MPs) write to the chair of the 1922 Committee to request one. This is entirely distinct from a vote of no confidence in the government, which is a parliamentary vote involving MPs of all parties. Conservative MPs then vote in a secret ballot, declaring their support for and against the leader.The timetable for a confidence vote is decided by the chair of the 1922 Committee in consultation with the party leader. The vote can happen very quickly: the 2018 vote of no confidence in Theresa May was held on 12 December, the day after the threshold was reached. May won the vote 200–117 – a majority of 83 votes. 

To enter the contest, candidates – who must be Conservative MPs – must be nominated by other Conservative MPs. The threshold for nomination has varied at each successive election: in 2019, candidates needed just eight nominees, while in October 2022, would-be candidates required 100 supporters.

The field of nominated candidates is then whittled down through successive ballots of Conservative MPs until only two candidates remain. At each ballot, the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes is eliminated. In addition – particular during the early stages of balloting – candidates may be eliminated if they fail to meet a pre-declared threshold of votes. For instance, in 2019 candidates needed to receive 17 votes in the first round and 33 votes in the second round in order to proceed. The two remaining candidates are then put to a vote of the entire Conservative party membership in a process set down in the party constitution. The candidate receiving more than 50% of the vote is elected leader. The last full election for the leadership of the Conservative Party was held between 13 July and 5 September 2022. Liz Truss was elected leader with the support of 57.4% of voting members, defeating Rishi Sunak. Truss replaced Boris Johnson as prime minister on 6 September 2022.

Following Liz Truss’ resignation in October 2022, Rishi Sunak was elected as the new leader unopposed, being the only nominee. He replaced Truss as prime minister on 25 October 2022.

Party Constitutions

Conservatives

Before 1998, the Conservative Party lacked a unified structure. Following a significant defeat to Blair's Labour Party, William Hague initiated the Fresh Future reforms, consolidating the three wings of the Party (constituencies, parliamentary party, and professional head office) under a single constitution. A Party Board was formed to supervise fundraising and party management, while the Conservative Policy Forum aimed to provide members with more involvement in the policy-making process. Members were granted a One Member One Vote (OMOV) system in leadership elections. However, the consolidation process seemed to diminish the authority of the previously independent constituency organizations, especially concerning candidate selection, as seen with Cameron's A-List. Additionally, Michael Howard and  Ian Duncan Smith marginalized the policy forum and the party board. Cameron's reforms concentrated on bolstering the professional wing of the party, renamed CCHQ. According to Tim Bale's analysis of Cameron's party, the leadership retained dominance in the policy-making process. Despite efforts to enhance democracy and formalize its procedures, the reforms of the past two decades have not shifted the perception that 'the leadership remains the primary component in the Conservative Party's structure.' While this is true of policy making it's less true of leader selection.

Labour

The Labour Party's constitution, with a history dating back to 1918, when Sidney Webb drafted Clause IV, is a key element of the Party's values. It remained unchanged until Blair revised it in 1995. The Party's structure includes trade unions, socialist societies, and Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs). The annual conference is the primary decision-making body, while the National Executive Committee (NEC) handles daily policies. The party prioritizes internal democracy and member representation. Trade unions historically influenced policy-making, but leaders like Kinnock and Brown reduced their power for member inclusion. The 2004 Warwick Agreement allowed unions to regain influence, despite Miliband downplaying their role. Leaders have aimed to reshape the party through reforms like Blair's Partnership in Power and Miliband's Collins review. This reflects Michels' Iron law of oligarchy, showing current leadership's control over all party levels. Corbyn's leadership highlights the ongoing battle for the party's soul within its organizational structure.

 Are the structures of UK political parties outdated? 

Are broad church parties outdated with the rise of issue politics and polarisation?

 With the post ideology of Third Way politics of the 1990s and 2000s came an ‘End of History’ approach to domestic policy: that the big ideological battles in society had been concluded with the victory of liberal democracy, and that what was left were policy goals that parties across the spectrum broadly agreed on – economic health, climate change, and law and order being examples. The politics of compromise was actively encouraged. 

However, recent years have seen a rise in nationalist movements and populist politics, particularly as the UK and USA have moved further away from the politics of the European Union. Class alignments have weakened and issues such as climate change and identity politics have become more important to voters.

Yes: Rise in apathy and decline in turnout and membership. Party internal conflict. Rise of small parties

No 2019 return of the two-party system. Labour membership increased steadily since 2010. Turnout has increased.

Are party structures undemocratic?

Yes: The election of Jeremy Corbyn was heavily reliant on union votes. Unions have considerable influence over the Labour Party. The Conservatives are influenced by business interests. The Conservative party is dominated by the leadership

No: Increasing involvement of party members and use of OMOV.