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Overview
This book explores the nature of electoral change in Britain during the last half century. The period from 1945-70 was the classic era of two-party dominance at every level of British politics: at Westminster, county hall, and in the electorate. Since the early seventies Conservative and Labour hegemony has remained virtually unaltered in Parliament, but their grip has been loosened in local government, and the popular foundations of the two-party system have been eroded among voters.
Why has Britain evolved from a dominant to a declining two-party system during the last fifty years? This study considers alternative explanations for these developments, focusing on changes in voters, parties, and political communications.
The book provides students with a fresh and accessible perspective on theories of electoral change, placing developments in Britain within their broader comparative context, and challenging many conventional assumptions about trends in voting behaviour.
Synopsis
This book explores the nature of electoral change in Britain during the last half century. The period from 1945-70 was the classic era of two-party dominance at every level of British politics: at Westminster, county hall, and in the electorate. Since the early seventies Conservative and Labour hegemony has remained virtually unaltered in Parliament, but their grip has been loosened in local government, and the popular foundations of the two-party system have been eroded among voters.
Why has Britain evolved from a dominant to a declining two-party system during the last fifty years? This study considers alternative explanations for these developments, focusing on changes in voters, parties, and political communications.
The book provides students with a fresh and accessible perspective on theories of electoral change, placing developments in Britain within their broader comparative context, and challenging many conventional assumptions about trends in voting behaviour.
Editorials
From the Publisher
"It is certain to be a serious rival to established texts in the field." EPOP Newsletter, January 1997
"Norris's book is an admirable survey of the scholarly literature on elections since 1945. It is crammed with valuable statistics and global comparisons, but it is not disfigured by the jargon which apparently lends most psephologists their sense of professional dignity. As such, like most of the volumes in this series, its style and content are ideal for undergraduate students and for the general reader." Mark Garnett
"The book is based on massive research ... which enabels her to compare changes in Britain's electoral culture with a variety of countries." Talking Politics