Left wing vs right wing

Left wing and right wing describe two broad sides of politics. The left tends to favour equality, public services, workers' rights and a bigger role for the state. The right tends to favour free markets, lower taxes, individual responsibility, tradition and a smaller state. Most people hold a mix of views.

The terms come from the French Revolution in 1789. Supporters of the king sat on the right of the assembly, and those who wanted change sat on the left. In the UK today, the left usually backs higher taxes on the wealthy, public ownership and stronger unions. The right usually backs lower taxes, business freedom and tighter control of spending. On social issues, the left is often more liberal and the right more traditional, though this is not always true. Many people now also talk about a second line, between liberal and authoritarian views. Parties are coalitions, so each contains members from across a range. The 'centre' sits between the two sides. Labels also shift over time, as issues like Brexit and immigration cut across old lines.