1. Power & Politics 2

9. Political parties Most successful candidates for election belong to a political party a party is a group of people who believe the same things about how the country should be run Liberal Democratsthe main 3 are Labour, the Conservatives & the Liberal Democrats

10. Power & Politics 2 Political parties Before an election, each party issues a manifesto - a document which says what they want to do if they are elected voters are supposed to make up their minds who to vote for based on the manifestos, though most never read them!

11. Power & Politics 2 Political parties - an example Labour in the past has tended to raise more tax to help people in need by giving them (eg) benefit payments the Conservatives prefer lower taxes, & say money spent by the rich will filter down to the poor by (eg) making jobs the Liberal Democrats are closer to Labour, but want the money to be raised locally, as the need varies

12. Power & Politics 2 Make your own Now it's time for you to make up your own political party! Decide on a name, a colour & a logo. Add these to the document you started last week to start forming your party manifesto. Add these to the document you started last week to start forming your party manifesto. We need catchy slogans, good design, interesting pictures of you & your policies - all to persuade people to vote for you & your new laws. We need catchy slogans, good design, interesting pictures of you & your policies - all to persuade people to vote for you & your new laws.

13. Power & Politics 2 What the voters will want to know is how you’ll pay for your policies: will you cut hospitals or schools to pay for your skateboards for dogs? The next slide shows how the current government spends the taxes it raises.

14. What the government spent & on what (2007- 08 figures)

15. Work & Pensions132,732 million Health104,464 million Education68,060 million Defence38,986 million Treasury30,802 million Local government28,186 million Scottish government26,469 million N Ireland Executive14,667 million Welsh Assembly12,785 million Transport10,150 million Cabinet Office10,090 million Trade & Industry6,015 million Culture, Media & Sport5,042 million International Development4,772 million Ministry of Justice4,086 million Environment, Food & Rural Affairs3,099 million Foreign & Commonwealth Office1,859 million N Ireland Office1,370 million Law Officers’ Depts718 million Spending Limit Reserve600 million Special Reserve400 million TOTAL519,229 million What the government spent & on what (2007-08 figures)

16. Work & Pensions Health Education Defence Treasury Local government Scottish government N Ireland Executive Welsh Assembly Transport Cabinet Office Trade & Industry Culture, Media & Sport International Development Ministry of Justice Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Foreign & Commonwealth Office N Ireland Office Law Officers’ Depts Spending Limit Reserve Special Reserve TOTAL519,229 million What about you? How would you spend £519,229 million? What would your choices mean?

17. What the government spent & on what (2007- 08 figures) What we need from you: a document in your party colours, showing your party logo & name details of your smart & silly laws, & how much it’ll cost to do what you say where you’re going to get the money from (see chart above) This week, finish your publicity leaflet (VOTE FOR THE XXX PARTY, with your laws, logo & party colours) & start a PowerPoint storyboard for a 30-second TV commercial, both trying to persuade me to vote for you.

18. What the government spent & on what (2007- 08 figures) What we need from you: This week: finish your publicity leaflet (VOTE FOR THE XXX PARTY, with your laws, logo & party colours, saying how much your laws will cost & where you’ll get the money from ) start a PowerPoint storyboard for a 30-second TV advert(words & pictures) NB : both leaflet & advert are supposed to persuade me to vote for you.