Political Parties

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• identifies a correct function of a political party, e.g. representation, policy formulation, political recruitment, or providing government/opposition.1 mark
• explains what that function involves in practice.1 mark
• gives a correct, specific real example of a party performing that function.1 mark
• links the example directly to the function described.1 mark
• explains why the function matters to the wider political system.1 mark
• expresses the explanation clearly using accurate terminology.1 mark

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Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.

• The introduction sets out a clear thesis that directly answers the question, and this thesis is sustained throughout. Each of the three main paragraphs presents a genuine two-sided debate, a point and a counterpoint, with accurate and detailed knowledge, and reaches a supported judgement. The conclusion follows logically from the three paragraph judgements rather than simply restating them. Analysis and evaluation are consistently strong throughout.3 marks
• A clear thesis is stated in the introduction and mostly sustained. Most paragraphs present both sides of the debate with generally accurate, relevant knowledge, though depth or balance may be uneven in one paragraph. Judgements are present in most paragraphs and the conclusion broadly follows from them.3 marks
• A thesis is attempted but may be unclear or only partly sustained across the essay. At least one paragraph is one-sided rather than presenting a genuine debate, which limits the level the answer can reach even where the knowledge shown is accurate. Judgements are inconsistent between paragraphs.2 marks
• Limited or generalised knowledge with little clear structure. Paragraphs tend to describe rather than debate the question, with few or no explicit judgements, and the response may drift away from the question set.2 marks
• Very limited, largely inaccurate or irrelevant knowledge. No clear thesis, paragraph structure or judgement is offered.2 marks
• No relevant content, or the response does not engage with the question.2 marks
• Case for parties agreeing more than they disagree: on some economic fundamentals, such as broad support for a mixed economy, a state-funded NHS and a state pension system, both major parties have tended to accept the same basic framework rather than proposing to abolish them.2 marks
• Case for parties agreeing more than they disagree: both major parties draw candidates through broadly similar processes, local selection by constituency associations, and organise around a leader and conference structure, showing structural similarity alongside any policy disagreement.2 marks
• Case for parties agreeing more than they disagree: periods of cross-party consensus, such as the post-war consensus on the welfare state from 1945 into the late 1970s, show agreement has been the norm for extended periods of UK political history.2 marks
• Case for parties disagreeing more than they agree: Labour and the Conservatives draw on different ideological traditions, Labour from the socialist and social democratic tradition connected to the trade union movement, and the Conservatives from a more traditionally free-market, tradition-respecting outlook, producing real differences over taxation and the size of the state.2 marks
• Case for parties disagreeing more than they agree: internal party factions, for example within Labour, and within the Conservative Party over issues such as Europe, show that disagreement runs deep even within a single party, let alone between the two largest parties.2 marks
• Case for parties disagreeing more than they agree: elections are regularly fought on genuine dividing lines, such as differing approaches to public spending, taxation or EU membership, which would not generate real electoral contests if the parties agreed on most fundamentals.2 marks
• Balanced content: the degree of agreement can vary a great deal by issue and by period, so a single verdict for 'now' depends heavily on which policy area and which point in the political cycle is being discussed.2 marks
• A supported conclusion that weighs the shared acceptance of certain post-war institutions, the NHS and the state pension, against continuing disagreement on taxation, the size of the state and issues such as Europe, rather than asserting one side without reference to both.2 marks

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