For daily up to date examples and advice on how to do well in A Level Politics, make sure to follow the Politics Explained TikTok.

For detailed videos going through all of the A Level Politics content, make sure to follow the Politics Explained YouTube Channel.

All of the below examples will be added to the updated textbooks and detailed essay plans (where relevant/better than the existing examples) on the Politics Explained website, which are both updated regularly.

UK Politics Examples

Party Funding

Reform UK's New Treasurer As An Example Of Party Funding:

• In December 2024, Reform UK hired billionaire Nick Candy as their treasurer. Candy pledged to secure £40M before the next general election. 

  • In October 2025, he donated over £1M of his own money to the party, and he has raised over £3M since coming into post.

• On the one hand, this could be seen as threatening democracy, as it shows how important wealthy donors are to supporting political parties in the UK. There are fears that this leads to outsized influence.

• On the other hand, this could be seen as positive for democracy, as it challenges two-party dominance over campaign financing. 

  • For decades, the Labour and the Conservative parties have raised far more than any other party, which has cemented their dominance.

  • Their position is no longer secure, as Reform UK’s significant public support is also backed up by wealthy donors, which is key to campaigning and winning elections.

Main Party Policy and the Influence of Minor Parties

Labour’s Rightward Shift On Immigration As An Example Of Labour Party Policy, The Influence of Minor Parties and Democracy:

• Throughout its first year in power, Starmer’s Labour government has shifted significantly to the right on immigration. 

• On the 17th of November 2025, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced major changes to the asylum system under the policy paper “Restoring Order and Control”. 

  • Under these changes, refugee status will become temporary and subject to review every 2.5 years, rather than the previous 5 year right to remain. 

  • Individuals granted refugee status will be removed once their home country is deemed safe, and the pathway to permanent settlement will be extended from 5 to 20 years. 

    • Automatic family reunion rights will be removed. 

  • The statutory duty to provide financial support for asylum seekers will no longer be guaranteed, and those with a right to work may be denied housing and benefits. 

  • The government also plans to restrict the use of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which guarantees the right to family life, in immigration cases, and will introduce new legislation placing greater emphasis on the public interest and strict enforcement of immigration rules. 

    • Crucially however, Labour has not gone as far as the Conservatives or Reform UK who have advocated leaving the ECHR entirely. 

The Influence Of Minor Parties:

• This shift has been driven largely by electoral pressure from Reform UK, a right-wing party pushing for “net 0 migration” and withdrawal from the ECHR to enable deportations.  

  • Throughout 2025, Reform maintained a 10-point polling lead over Labour, exerting substantial indirect pressure on government policy. 

    • In response, Labour has toughened its rhetoric and policies, marking a sharp contrast with their earlier opposition to the Illegal Migration Act and Safety of Rwanda Act, which they repealed immediately after winning the 2024 General Election. 

• This demonstrates the influence of minor parties in UK politics. Despite having only 4 MPs, it has been able to shape the political agenda by mobilising public opinion, pushing larger parties to adopt stricter immigration policies. 

The Impact Of The Media On Democracy:

• Furthermore, this highlights how the government has been increasingly making important policy announcements in the media rather than in Parliament. 

  • The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, criticised the Home Office for leaking details of the new asylum and returns policy to the media before presenting the statement to Parliament.

  • Extensive media briefing prior to informing Parliament breached the ministerial code, and the speaker emphasised that major policy announcements should always be made in Parliament first, to allow backbench MPs the primary opportunity to scrutinise the government. 

    • This damages UK democracy by detracting from the role of Parliament and the House of Commons, which is elected to hold the government to account.

UK Government Examples

Prime Minister and the Cabinet

Threats To Starmer’s Leadership As An Example Of Popularity Influencing A PM’s Power:

• In November 2025, serious threats to Keir Starmer's position as Prime Minister emerged within the Labour Party, including calls from MPs for him to resign. 

  • The media reported that Health Secretary Wes Streeting was preparing a leadership challenge, alongside possible campaigns from Andy Burnham, Bridget Phillipson and Shabana Mahmood.

    • Burnham fuelled speculation by repeatedly refusing to rule out a leadership bid, after a Labour MP said he would vacate his seat to allow the Mayor of Greater Manchester to return to Westminster. 

• This comes amid growing criticism of the government, with low approval ratings and mounting discontent from Labour backbenchers. Increasing pressure from the Tribune faction of Labour backbenchers (a group of soft-left MPs comprising 70 members) has called for new leadership. 

  • A November 2025 IPSOS poll recorded Labour at its lowest vote share ever recorded, just 18%, whilst Starmer had a net favourability rating of -66, making him the least popular PM on record, lower than both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. 

• This shows how a Prime Minister's power is highly dependent on public popularity. Whether the PM is viewed favourably by voters is crucial in influencing whether they are able to exercise control over their cabinet and party. 

  • If a Prime Minister is popular with the electorate, they will be supported by the party as they will help MPs get elected at the next election. 

    • Conversely, Starmer’s unpopularity means he is an electoral liability, and his cabinet and party may turn against him and seek his removal.

US Politics and Government Examples

Congressional Oversight

The Epstein Files Transparency Act As An Example Of Congress's Oversight Function:

• On the 18th of November 2025, the US House of Representatives and Senate voted overwhelmingly to compel the Justice Department to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein, following immense public pressure on the Trump administration to disclose them in full. 

  • The House approved the Act 427-1, and the Senate passed it via unanimous consent. 

    • The Act requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “all unclassified records, documents and materials” within 30 days.

  • The decisive bipartisan support demonstrates that even in a highly polarised Congress, strong public opinion can drive parties to overcome gridlock in pursuit of transparency and accountability from the executive. 

    • Therefore, public opinion can be seen as more important in influencing Congressional voting behaviour than party affiliation. 

• The vote was triggered on the 12th of November 2025, when a discharge petition in the US House of Representatives reached 218 signatures, receiving bipartisan support from 4 House Republicans. 

  • The petition, led by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna, successfully forced the vote on the House floor, despite opposition from GOP party leadership and President Trump who pressured Republicans to vote against it. 

    • A discharge petition is a critical procedural mechanism that allows the House to compel a vote on legislation if it gains the support of a majority of House members, regardless of whether party leadership supports it.  

• This illustrates Congress’ central oversight function. By advancing the measure through a discharge petition, members forced the Justice Department to release information despite President Donald Trump urging GOP leaders to block the vote.

  • This highlights how Congress can act independently of the executive branch, even when they are controlled by the same party, and respond directly to public opinion of voters.