... functions. The first is the most obvious and that is that the most popular party must form a government and create a Prime Minister. Without parties it would be difficult or impossible to draw out a government from the legislature. The whole aim of a party is to get power and once in power to stay there. This incentive of political parties to exist basically can call into question their actions sometimes. Does a party always go with public opinion in an attempt to win vote or does the party sometimes go against the grain of public opinion in order to keep its morale standing consistent? Or does a government withdraw an unpopular policy that it would usually agree with? For example Thatcher was torn between popularity and her political opinion when the poll tax met such huge opposition in the early 1990s. On the other side of the coin ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now