Examining the complexities and tensions in relations between party members and parliamentarians through an in-depth analysis of the processes that shape the development of party policy in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, this book Presents new evidence on the challenges facing parties in encouraging citizen participation in policy development.

Membership of political parties is diverse. Not everyone participates and those who do, do not participate in the same way. This book engages with the debate over the significance and future of political parties as membership organisations and presents the first broad comparative analysis of party membership and activism. It is based on membership surveys which have been administered, gathered and collated by a group of prominent party scholars from across Europe, Canada and Israel. Utilizing this rich data source together with the insights of party scholars, the book investigates what party...