New Politics, or Old Politics?
| Author | Peter Geoghegan |
| Published date | 01 December 2018 |
| Date | 01 December 2018 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/2041905818815213 |
DECEMBER 2018 • POLITICAL INSIGHT 3
New Politics,
or Old Politics?
In 1951, 97 per cent of the UK
electorate voted Labour or
Conservative. By 2015, that figure had
fallen to just two in three. The old two-
party model of British politics was dead. Or
so it seemed.
But in last June’s general election, the
combined Tory and Labour vote was well
over 80 per cent. In England and Wales, the
two parties’ vote share was substantially
higher still.
In this week’s cover feature, Paula Surridge
argues that the traditional left-right divide
is still a major factor structuring electoral
behaviour in the UK. Rather than obliterating
traditional divides, Brexit is part of a wider
restructuring of party competition.
In the regular In Focus feature, Benjamin
D. Hennig and Danny Dorling plot the
re-emergence of Conservative and Labour
dominance in British politics. But the shift
in voters back to the traditional duopoly
should not be misinterpreted as satisfaction
with the status quo. Both Labour and,
particularly, the Tories have profited
electorally from shifting to the left and the
right, respectively.
As last June’s general election showed,
despite the growth in support for both
Labour and Tories, the prospect of a return
to governments with large majorities is
remote. This could become even more
pronounced after Brexit.
Both major parties are suffering from
internal challenges. Jeremy Corbyn’s
leadership has been one of the most
contentious periods in Labour’s history.
As Victoria Honeyman reports, the Labour
leader has been beset by claims of bullying
and anti-Semitism but his personal support
within the party remains extremely high.
Meanwhile, talk of a split within the
parliamentary Labour party continues to
swirl around the corridors of Westminster.
Unlike its rivals, the Tories have a
reputation for valuing party unity over
all else. Some commentators have even
called the Conservatives ‘the world’s most
successful political party’. But having
survived for centuries, could Brexit lead to
split in the Tory ranks? David Jeffery looks at
the Conservatives’ past, present and future
and assesses the likelihood of a major
exodus from the government benches.
Brexit has dominated British politics like
almost nothing else in recent months. Two
decades ago, leaving the European Union
was a minority pursuit. Now politics is
defined by Europe. Danny Dorling explores
how the radical right has grown, and why
its dreams of reviving Britain’s imperial
ambitions are likely to fail.
While news headlines have focused on
the machinations of the UK’s negotiations
with the European Union, and the
personality politics within the cabinet,
many other political issues have fallen off
the agenda. One such issue is reform of
Britain’s electoral boundaries.
Almost everyone agrees that the
boundary system is broken, with too much
variation between seats. But reaching
agreement on how to fix the system has
proven highly politically sensitive. Ron
Johnston, Charles Pattie and David Rossiter,
explore the latest proposals for Britain’s
boundaries, which could see the House
of Commons cut down from 650 to 600
seats and major gains for the Conservatives
– if the prime minister is able to get the
legislation through Parliament.
In the Last Word slot, Will Jennings
reports on a growing feature of British
political life: the divide between towns and
cities. Brexit was largely won in the UK’s
towns, and the country’s geographically
divided politics could have a significant
impact on future elections.
America has seen its traditional political
model shaken, too. In Donald Trump, the
US elected a president who broke the
mould, in many ways. Trump was far from
a universally popular presidential choice
among the Republican Party. But though
he is not a conventional Republican,
Michael Espinoza argues that the president
should be seen as part of an ongoing
evolution of American conservatism.
Elsewhere, Mark Rathbone examines the
controversial system for electing the US
President and suggests ways the Electoral
College could be reformed to make it more
fair and more democratic.
As 2018 draws to a close, I would like
to take the opportunity to thank all of our
readers and supporters. It has been another
tumultuous political year, with the prospect
of more change to come. If you would like
to join the debates or contribute to Political
Insight get in touch or visit www.psa.ac.uk/
insight-plus.
Peter Geoghegan
Editor
Political Insight December 2018.indd 3 01/11/2018 09:02
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