Introduction
Disclaimer: I’m 13 years old, and too young to vote in the upcoming election, but will try to make sense of politics and obvious choices in this essay. I already suspect some politicians *maybe* corrupt, treat their electorate with contempt, accept bungs from lobbyists, are attracted to power and influence for their own personal gain and for all the wrong reasons. Clear as mud, I see the connection between mainstream media, politicians and monarchy, so with that in mind, I might park this idea for another essay at a later date.
First past the post
A parliament consists of 707, 615, 640, 625, 630, 651, 659, 646, 650 MP’s currently voted into the House of Commons using a first past the post system in a general election. Losing an election, even by a single vote wins you nothing. Or a consolation TV or radio show or moving onto a large corporation with ties to the government if I were to use a revolving door analogy.
A UK general election doesn’t use Proportional Representation like in the devolved nations of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland where 2nd and 3rd place choices can also win seats in parliament. The UK doesn’t have fixed terms like other countries. The ruling party can call a snap election mid-term while they’re soaring in opinion polls, like Boris Johnson did after the Brexit vote.
Overall winners by majority will form a government led by their Prime Minister. A hung parliament, where no single party has an overall majority, could mean lengthy negotiations and compromises have to be formed to create a working government.
Democracy?
An election in the UK is one of those things everyone has an opinion on, even if they don’t fully understand it. You’ll hear people in pubs, online, or at home talking like they, or chimpanzees, could run the country better. And to be fair, sometimes the people in charge don’t exactly make that a difficult argument.
The UK has a range of political parties, all claiming they have all the answers in the next election. You’ve got the Conservatives, who’ve been in power for years and shaped a lot of what the country looks like now. Labour, who are currently in charge and promised to bring in “change” after that period. Then there’s smaller or rising parties like Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, and the Greens, all offering different directions, even if they don’t always get the chance to act on them.
What makes it confusing is that every party sounds convincing when they speak, but what they actually do—or fail to do—can be very different. That’s why it matters to look properly at what each party stands for, where they’ve come from, who leads them, and what doubts people have about them.
So instead of just picking sides like it’s football, this is about breaking each one down properly—what they say, what they’ve done, and where the problems might be.
Conservative Party
Description:
The Conservative Party is generally seen as centre right-wing. Focusing on business, national security, and keeping government involvement in people’s lives relatively low.
History (expanded):
They’ve been around, in one form or another, for centuries and are one of the most successful political parties in UK history. They’ve led the country through major periods, including under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, where they pushed strong free-market policies. More recently, they were in power from 2010 to 2024, first in a coalition with the Lib-Dems, and then on their own. That period included The Scottish Referendum, Brexit, COVID-19, and multiple leadership changes, which created a sense of instability.
Leadership:
Rishi Sunak represented a more modern Conservative approach, focusing on economic stability and trying to fix damage from previous leadership issues. However, he struggled to fully unite the party or regain public trust after years of controversy.
Views and goals (expanded):
- Lower taxes to encourage business growth
- Strong immigration control
- Focus on law and order
- Support for private enterprise over state control
- Emphasis on national identity and stability
However:
Their long time in power has left them open to heavy criticism. Public services like the NHS have been under pressure, and austerity policies are blamed for cuts that affected everyday people. State owned assets and utilities sold to privatisation was also their baby. On top of that, constant leadership changes made the party look unstable, and many voters felt they stopped delivering clear direction.
Labour Party
Description:
Labour is a centre-left party that focuses on public services, workers’ rights, and reducing inequality.
History (expanded):
Labour was created to represent working-class people and trade unions. One of their biggest achievements was creating the NHS after World War II. Under Tony Blair, they became more centrist and won multiple elections, but that era also brought controversy, especially foreign policy decisions including the war in Iraq that was built on a lie. More recently, the party went through a more left-wing phase under Jeremy Corbyn before shifting back to the centre under Keir Starmer to become more electable.
Leadership:
Keir Starmer is seen as more controlled and professional, trying to rebuild Labour’s image and focus on stability rather than big radical change.
Views and goals (expanded):
- Invest more in NHS, schools, and public services
- Improve wages and workers’ rights
- Reduce inequality
- Grow the economy alongside public spending
- Focus on long-term stability rather than sudden change
However:
A lot of criticism comes from both sides. Some think Labour isn’t bold enough and has become too cautious, while others think their plans still rely too much on spending money that has to come from somewhere. Starmer himself is often criticised for changing positions and not delivering visible improvements quickly enough, which makes people question whether “change” is actually happening. It’s not gone unnoticed that he tried and failed to push other agendas dictated by non elected organisations that were not in their election manifesto resulting in horrific opinion polls after election.
Liberal Democrats
Description:
The Liberal Democrats are a centrist party trying to balance economic responsibility with social fairness and individual freedoms.
History (expanded):
They were formed from older liberal parties and had their biggest moment when they entered government in 2010 alongside the Conservatives. That decision damaged their reputation, especially among younger voters, because they went back on a key promise about tuition fees. Since then, they’ve struggled to fully rebuild trust.
Leadership:
Ed Davey focuses on practical policies and local issues, but doesn’t have the same national influence as leaders of bigger parties.
Views and goals (expanded):
- Balanced approach to taxes and spending
- Strong support for mental health and education
- Closer ties with Europe
- Reforming the voting system
However:
Their biggest issue is relevance. They often don’t win enough seats to make a real difference nationally, and many people still remember past broken promises. Because of this, they can seem like a party with ideas but not enough power to carry them out.
Green Party
Description:
The Green Party are a left-wing party focused heavily on environmental issues and social equality.
History (expanded):
They started as a small environmental movement and have grown as climate change became a bigger issue. While they have influence locally, they’ve never been close to national power, which means most of their ideas haven’t been fully tested.
Leadership:
Currently led by co-leaders, they present a more collective leadership style rather than focusing on one dominant figure.
Views and goals (expanded):
- Rapid action on climate change
- Shift to renewable energy
- Higher taxes on the wealthy
- Expansion of public services
- Focus on equality and sustainability
However:
The main criticism is realism. Their plans often require large amounts of spending and major changes to how the economy works. Critics argue that while the goals are strong, the transition could be difficult and disruptive, especially for jobs in certain industries.
Reform UK
Description:
Reform UK are a newer right-wing party focused on challenging mainstream politics, especially around immigration and government control.
History (expanded):
It grew out of the Brexit Party and gained attention by appealing to voters who felt ignored by the main parties. It hasn’t held power but has influenced political debate, especially around immigration.
Leadership / key figure:
Nigel Farage is the most recognisable figure linked to it, known for strong opinions and a direct style.
Views and goals (expanded):
- Strong reduction in immigration
- Lower taxes
- Smaller government
- Focus on national sovereignty
However:
Critics argue the party oversimplifies complex issues. Cutting taxes while also addressing major national problems can be difficult, and strong immigration limits could impact the workforce and economy. There are also questions about how realistic their plans are in practice.
Scottish National Party (SNP)
Description:
The SNP are a centre-left party focused on Scotland, particularly independence from the UK.
History (expanded):
They became dominant in Scottish politics in the 2010s and led the 2014 independence referendum. Although independence was rejected by a small margin, it remains their central goal. Recently, leadership changes, internal issues, and court cases has affected their stability. Not focusing on separation from the UK has also diminished credibility with long term independence supporters.
Leadership:
John Swinney represents a more experienced and steady leadership style.
Views and goals (expanded):
- Scottish independence
- Strong public services
- Opposition to austerity
- More control over Scotland’s future
However:
Independence is a major risk as well as a goal. There are unanswered questions about the economy, currency, and trade. Critics also argue that focusing heavily on independence can take attention away from everyday issues.
Plaid Cymru
Description:
Plaid Cymru are a Welsh nationalist party focused on Wales’ independence and cultural identity.
History (expanded):
It has existed for decades but has remained smaller in influence compared to major UK parties. It plays a role in Welsh politics but hasn’t had UK-wide impact.
Leadership:
Rhun ap Iorwerth leads the party with a focus on Welsh issues.
Views and goals (expanded):
- Greater independence for Wales
- Protection of Welsh culture and language
- Strong public services
- Social equality
However:
Like the SNP, independence brings uncertainty. There are questions about whether Wales could economically sustain itself alone, and the party’s influence remains limited outside Wales.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, every party seems good when you only look at what they promise. The difference comes when you look at what they’ve done before, how realistic their plans are, and whether they can actually deliver after winning an election. That’s where opinions start to split, and why people end up backing completely different sides.
That’s democracy. It’s just opinions, some get more favourable media coverage than others, and the best party with the best policies rarely wins the election. Nobody agrees with changes made while in term, concessions and compromises are made and 2 simpletons can outvote a genius. Is this really the best we can come up with?
