The Conservative Party

The Conservatives have always been the party of the Right, identified with the existing social order. The party’s MPsalone elect their leader. Conservative values accept leadership in principle, and the party’s leader is accepted as the director of its policies. When the party is in power its leader, as Prime Minister, chooses and dismisses ministers, moves them from one department to another, and expects their loyal support. When in Opposition it is the same with the Shadow Cabinet.

The Party’s Central Office is responsible to the leader. The MPs are expected to observe discipline and to vote with the party on several nights a week, usually at 10 p.m. And it is assumed that hope of promotion to ministerial office provides them with an incentive for obedience. But there is scope for an MP to try to influence the leader’s policies by presenting arguments to Whips. They also speak and seek support at party MPs’ specialist groups and at the MPs’ weekly general meetings.

Outside Parliament the party has more than a million individual members who pay annual subscriptions, with an association for each constituency. The most important function of an association is to choose the party’s candidate for the next election, and then to keep in close touch with him as an MP if he is elected. When a constituency needs a new candidate, there are several dozens of applicants, some local people, some from other areas, most of them already on the national list of approved candidates.

The National Union of Conservative Associations is the partner, in London, of the Central Office, on which it may exert pressure. Each autumn a few representatives of each local association go, with the MPs and national leaders, to a four-day conference at a seaside town. There with continuous television coverage, each section of the nation’s business is debated for an hour or two, on the basis of a motion formed from several local proposals, and voted on, usually by a show of hands with a conclusion supportive of the national leadership.

Those who go to the conference are the most dedicated Tories. Tory purists welcome the privatisation of nationalised industries, the sale of council houses and the rhetoric of the state’s withdrawal from direction of the economy. They also favour a strong stance on the pursuit of the national interest, and a high priority for defence and law and order. They would be critical of an MP showing weakness on these matters (called “wetness”).

Notes *

loyal support - стійку підтримку loyal supporter - cтійкий (палкий) прихильник annual subscription - щорічна підписка constituency, n. - виборчий округ to exert pressure - чинити тиск to favour a stance - підтримувати позицію wetness, n. - тут слабкість, недосконалість

incentive for obedience - спонукати до послушності to provide with, v. – забезпечувати TV coverage - висвітлювати по телебаченню purist, n. – пурист pursuit of the national interest - дбання про національний інтерес state’s withdrawal - державна відмова, анулювання

Talking Points*

What is the number of the committed Conservatives in Great Britain nowadays?

What policy does the Conservative party pursue?

What’s the central body of the Conservatives?

What’s another name for the Conservative members?

Do exams differ from those we have in secondary schools?…

System of examination. At the age of 14 or 15, in the third or fourth form of secondary school, pupils begin to choose their exam subjects. There are two levels of public examinations taken in the fifth form: the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) and the General Certificate of Education (GCE) at Ordinary Level (GCE”O”L). “O” Levels are more academic and they are more valued than CSEs. Schools put pupils into CSE classes or “O” Level classes depending on their ability in various subjects. A new school leaving certificate was planned for the late 80s. However, “O” Levels and CSEs will be replaced by one public exam and children will be assessed on their work throughout secondary school. The new certificate will also give a picture of pupils’ experiences and interests outside the classroom. In Scotland the exam system is slightly different and there is less specialisation higher up the school than in England and Wales.

Pupils who stay on into the sixth for (17 year-olds in the lower sixth and 18 year-olds in the upper sixth) usually fall into two categories: some study two or three subjects at GCE “A” Level (advanced level - a highly specialised exam) while others stay on in the sixth form to try and obtain more “O” Level passes. Any pupils attending a school which does not have a sixth form may either move to a school which does, or they can go to a further education college. Here most of the courses are linked to some kind of practical exam, for example, in engineering, typing, cooking, hair dressing. Some young people are given day release (that is to say, their employer allows them time off work) so that they can follow a course to help them in their job.

Unit 2

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