British By-Elections: The Volatile Electorate

ISBN-13: 9780198273301 / Angielski / Twarda / 1990 / 280 str.

Pippa Norris

Opis

By-elections in constituencies such as Orpington, Bermondsey, and Govan generate headline news in England and raise fundamental questions concerning why third parties manage unexpected breakthroughs, and why the government consistently loses support through the "mid-term blues." The first systematic study of British by-elections, this book addresses these questions through an analysis of postwar trends in party support. The first section addresses changes in campaigns, contrasting the stable by-elections of the postwar decade with the more volatile races characteristic of today. The second section explores systematic trends in the light of theories of partisan alignment and retrospective voting and analyzes the influence of the role of the candidate, party organization, the media, and opinion polls. With an essential reference section listing changes in party support in almost four hundred British by-elections since 1945, this will be the standard work of reference on a subject of continuing significance on the British political scene.

Recenzje

'The time is appropriate for a thoughtful and comprehensive study of by-elections to fill vacancies in the British House of Commons. Dr Norris attempts with some success to link the changing nature of parliamentary by-elections to theories of party dealignment and realignment currently controversial among British political scientists, and also to the debate about the increased volatility of the British electorate ... generally solid, worthwhile analytical elements.' Robert Waller, Harris Research Centre, Parliamentary History, 1992

Spis treści

List of tables and diagrams; Preface; Introduction; I: Develop ments in By-elections 1945-87; Causes and functions of By-elections; By-elections 1945-66; By-elections 1966-79; By-elections 1979-1983; By-elections 1983-87; The routine fare: Knowsley North; The political earthquakes: Greenwich; II: Trends in By-election results: By-election volatility and partisan de-alignment; Retrospective theory and government performance; The impact of candidates and party organization; The role of the media and opinion polls; Abstainers, tacticals, floating voters; The comparative context: Australia and Canada; Conclusions: The volatile electorate; References and bibliography; Appendix A: Post-war By-election results; Index