New
New
What do political parties do?
I can explain why political parties exist, what they do and how they can be categorised.
Lesson 4 of 7
New
New
- Year 8
What do political parties do?
I can explain why political parties exist, what they do and how they can be categorised.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A political party is an organised group of people who share similar beliefs and goals about how society should be run.
- Political party policies align with their values. This influences what their manifesto is.
- There are many UK political parties to ensure that different ideas are represented and that every voice can be heard.
- The political spectrum shows where parties stand on political issues, from left wing to right wing.
Keywords
Political party - an organised group of people who share similar beliefs and goals about how society should be run
Policies - courses of action or goals that people plan to carry out, or are in the process of carrying out
Political spectrum - a concept that models political beliefs and ideologies as a continuum (from left wing to right wing)
Common misconception
Political parties are all either left wing or right wing.
Many parties mix both views or focus on specific issues, like regional concerns. Some parties are centrist or have ideas that don’t fit neatly into either side.
Look at the current UK political party manifestos without showing the pupils the names of the parties. How do the pupils feel about these parties' views in relation to their own? Which party would they support? Reveal the names of the parties. Are they surprised in any way?
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the following terms to their correct definitions.
Match the following terms to their correct definitions.
Q2.What happens immediately after a general election?
What happens immediately after a general election?
The new Prime Minister is chosen by the monarch.
The leader of the opposition automatically becomes Prime Minister.
Q3.What is a minority government?
What is a minority government?
a government where the opposition takes turns in leading
a government that does not make any decisions
Q4.What do political parties do?
What do political parties do?
They only debate issues, but do not run for elections.
They make laws without input from Parliament.
Q5.What happens if no party wins a majority in a UK general election?
What happens if no party wins a majority in a UK general election?
The party with the most votes automatically forms the government.
A second election is ordered to be held immediately.
Q6.A government formed by more than one political party is called a government.
A government formed by more than one political party is called a government.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the following terms to the correct definitions.
Match the following terms to the correct definitions.
Q2.What is the purpose of a political party?
What is the purpose of a political party?
to entertain people with debates and speeches about how a country should run
to make laws how a country should run without public input
Q3.Why are there multiple political parties in the UK?
Why are there multiple political parties in the UK?
because people enjoy voting for different things
to make elections more complicated and last longer
Q4.What is the main purpose of a political party’s policies?
What is the main purpose of a political party’s policies?
to make sure all political parties have the same goals
to confuse voters before an election
Q5.Which of these statements is true about the political spectrum?
Which of these statements is true about the political spectrum?
It is a type of electoral system.
It only includes left wing and right wing parties, with no middle ground.
Q6.A political party’s outlines its key policies and goals for an election.
A political party’s outlines its key policies and goals for an election.
