Politics class: Lib Dems to press Rachel Reeves to raise taxes on banks and wealthy

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Specification:

• AQA Component 3.1.2.3: Political parties: the origins, ideas and development of the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties and how these have helped shape their current policies

• Edexcel Component 1, 2.2: Established political parties: The origins and historical development of the Conservative party, the Labour party and Liberal Democrat party, and how this has shaped their ideas and current policies on the economy, law and order, welfare and foreign affairs.

Background: what you need to know

This article reviews Liberal Democrat policies aired at their recent party conference in Brighton. Proposals to increase taxes on banks, inheritance and capital gains tax indicate that the party is on the centre-left of the political spectrum.

Party leader Ed Davey has proposed increased support for the NHS, to proof it against winter crises, when emergency funding is frequently required. He has also called for improved relations with the EU. The Liberal Democrats have called for a return to the EU as a longer-term objective.

Click the link below to read the article and then answer the questions:

Lib Dems to press Rachel Reeves to raise taxes on banks and wealthy

Question in the style of AQA Politics Paper 1

• ‘The three main UK-wide parties agree more than they disagree on policies.’ Analyse and evaluate this statement. [25 marks]

Question in the style of Edexcel Politics Paper 1

• Evaluate the view that the ideas and policies of the three main UK-wide parties overlap more than they differ.

  You must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way. [30 marks]

  TIP: Edexcel asks you to look at four policy areas of the main UK-wide political parties: economic, welfare, law and order and foreign policy. A useful exercise to help you plan an essay on this topic is to draw up a grid showing areas of similarity and difference on these policies. These four areas are equally worthwhile to look at if you are following the AQA specification.

Graham Goodlad, Portsmouth High School