Introduction to British Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Introduction to British Politics - Essay Example Conservatives have never been known to support universal health care. The reluctance of the Conservative party to support an efficient and public funded healthcare system remains one of its major criticisms. Conservatism in Britain is also associated with staunch nationalism and the concept of â€Å"one-nation†. The Tory party’s attempts to rejuvenate its electoral prospects have taken the form of party brochures and propaganda literature. The â€Å"Renewing One Nation† campaign under the leadership of Stanley Kalms may not have persuaded the electorate, but it nevertheless brought to light the other recurrent theme of Conservative ideology in Britain – that of its links with Christian organizations. Even if official Conservative rhetoric makes mention of the virtues of separating State and Church, it is one of the open secrets in British polity that the Conservative Party patronizes Christian faith and at elections expects a return favour. This explains w hy the Tories have failed to win the trust of the growing numbers of religious and ethnic minorities in the country (Coxall & Robins, 2003). Yet, in spite of the apparent rigidity in Conservative ideology, the party has shown some flexibility at crucial junctures in the nation’s history. While the â€Å"one nation† policy and its attendant policies of social reform and limited economic planning were significant factors in the Tories’ consistent electoral success for most part of the twentieth century, the party’s policy framework had also shown signs of malleability: â€Å"When Winston Churchill lost power in 1945, he quickly called on people such as Rab Butler to devise an inclusive, socially reformist postwar policy agenda. The result was a drastically reduced Labour majority in 1950 and a Tory election victory in 1951. In the two subsequent elections, the Conservatives, led by men who believed in the partys national