Understanding Coalition Government
In May 2010, the UK had a General Election where no single political party won enough votes to have a majority. This situation is called a “hung parliament.” This had not happened in the UK since February 1974.
What is a Coalition Government?
A coalition government happens when two or more political parties join together to form a government. In 2010, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrat Party decided to work together. This was important because they needed to combine their power to run the country effectively.
Who Was in Charge?
The leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, became the Prime Minister. He worked alongside Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, who became Deputy Prime Minister. Together, they made decisions about laws and policies.
Why Form a Coalition?
- No Majority: The main reason for forming a coalition was that no party could govern alone due to a lack of majority.
- Stability: Working together helped to create a stable government.
- Shared Goals: The parties agreed on some common goals, which made cooperation possible.
Example
Imagine you and your friend want to run a lemonade stand, but neither of you has enough money to buy all the supplies alone. If you both put your money together, you can buy everything needed to run the stand. This is similar to how the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties worked together to run the government.
Questions for Understanding
Easy Level Questions
- What year did the General Election take place when no party won a majority?
- A) 2005
- B) 2010
- C) 2015
- D) 2020
- Who became Prime Minister after the coalition was formed?
- A) Nick Clegg
- B) David Cameron
- C) Tony Blair
- D) Gordon Brown
- Which two parties formed the coalition in 2010?
- A) Labour and Conservative
- B) Conservative and Liberal Democrats
- C) Green Party and UKIP
- D) SNP and Plaid Cymru
- What is a “hung parliament”?
- A) A parliament that is very large
- B) A parliament with no majority party
- C) A parliament that meets in the evening
- D) A parliament that cannot make laws
- Who was the leader of the Liberal Democrats in 2010?
- A) David Cameron
- B) Nick Clegg
- C) Ed Miliband
- D) Boris Johnson
- What does “coalition government” mean?
- A) One party rules alone
- B) Two or more parties work together
- C) A government with no rules
- D) A party with many members
- The coalition government was formed to create what?
- A) More political parties
- B) Stability in government
- C) More elections
- D) A new constitution
- What was David Cameron’s role in the coalition?
- A) Deputy Prime Minister
- B) Leader of the opposition
- C) Prime Minister
- D) Chancellor
- Why was a coalition necessary in 2010?
- A) To prepare for a war
- B) Because no party had a majority
- C) To increase taxes
- D) To reduce the number of parties
- The coalition government is an example of what type of political arrangement?
- A) Dictatorship
- B) Monarchy
- C) Democratic partnership
- D) Totalitarian regime
Medium Level Questions
- How long did David Cameron serve as Prime Minister during the coalition?
- A) 1 year
- B) 5 years
- C) 10 years
- D) 15 years
- Which of the following statements is true about the coalition government?
- A) It had a majority in Parliament.
- B) It was formed after a general election.
- C) It was the first coalition in UK history.
- D) It included only one party.
- What was one of the main challenges for the coalition government?
- A) Agreeing on policies
- B) Running the country alone
- C) Holding elections
- D) Reducing the number of politicians
- What did the Liberal Democrats gain from the coalition?
- A) More funding for health
- B) Control over the military
- C) Influence in government decisions
- D) A larger party membership
- Which of the following policies was part of the coalition agreement?
- A) Reducing taxes for everyone
- B) Increasing university tuition fees
- C) Building more roads
- D) Banning all immigration
- Why did some people criticize the coalition government?
- A) They were too friendly.
- B) They did not work together.
- C) They went against their party promises.
- D) They held too many elections.
- What was one result of the coalition government?
- A) A new political party was formed.
- B) The economy improved.
- C) More people lost their jobs.
- D) Political stability was achieved.
- The coalition government had to negotiate on what?
- A) Number of elections
- B) Shared policies and budgets
- C) Number of MPs
- D) Length of Parliament sessions
- Who had the power to make the final decisions in the coalition?
- A) The Queen
- B) The Parliament
- C) The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister together
- D) The opposition leader
- How did the coalition government affect voter perception?
- A) Voters became more interested in politics.
- B) Voters lost trust in all parties.
- C) Voters were confused about policies.
- D) Voters were very supportive.
Hard Level Questions
- What major event did the coalition government face in 2010?
- A) The Scottish Referendum
- B) The financial crisis
- C) Brexit negotiations
- D) The Iraq War
- Which electoral system was used in the 2010 General Election?
- A) Proportional representation
- B) First-past-the-post
- C) Alternative vote
- D) Single transferable vote
- What was a key reason for the Liberal Democrats to join the coalition?
- A) To gain more seats in Parliament
- B) To influence policies and legislation
- C) To oppose the Conservative Party
- D) To gain power alone
- How did coalition governments impact legislation in the UK?
- A) Made it easier to pass laws
- B) Created more delays in decision-making
- C) Eliminated the need for votes
- D) Increased the number of laws passed
- What was the public’s general reaction to coalition politics?
- A) Complete support
- B) Indifference
- C) Mixed feelings and criticism
- D) Enthusiastic approval
- What was one of the first major policies introduced by the coalition government?
- A) Nationalisation of industries
- B) Welfare reform
- C) Increased military spending
- D) Free healthcare for all
- The coalition led to changes in which area of UK politics?
- A) The monarchy’s power
- B) The structure of local councils
- C) The electoral system
- D) The relationship between parties
- How did the coalition impact the Labour Party?
- A) Made it stronger
- B) Forced it into opposition
- C) Had no effect
- D) Led to its dissolution
- What was the significance of the 2010 coalition in UK history?
- A) It was the first coalition ever formed.
- B) It showed the changing political landscape.
- C) It ended the monarchy.
- D) It reduced the number of political parties.
- Which event led to the end of the coalition government?
- A) General Election in 2015
- B) Brexit referendum
- C) Scottish independence vote
- D) Economic crisis
Answers and Explanations
Easy Level Answers
- B) 2010
- B) David Cameron
- B) Conservative and Liberal Democrats
- B) A parliament with no majority party
- B) Nick Clegg
- B) Two or more parties work together
- B) Stability in government
- C) Prime Minister
- B) Because no party had a majority
- C) Democratic partnership
Medium Level Answers
- B) 5 years
- B) It was formed after a general election.
- A) Agreeing on policies
- C) Influence in government decisions
- B) Increasing university tuition fees
- C) They went against their party promises.
- D) Political stability was achieved.
- B) Shared policies and budgets
- C) The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister together
- B) Voters lost trust in all parties.
Hard Level Answers
- B) The financial crisis
- B) First-past-the-post
- B) To influence policies and legislation
- B) Created more delays in decision-making
- C) Mixed feelings and criticism
- B) Welfare reform
- D) The relationship between parties
- B) Forced it into opposition
- B) It showed the changing political landscape.
- A) General Election in 2015
