WEEK 7: ARE CITIZENS IN BRITAIN DISENGAGED FROM THE POLITICAL SYSTEM?

Key texts Anthony King, The British Constitution James Morrison, Public Affairs Coalition Agreement Chris Mullins, Decline and Fall 2

Democracy System of government by elected representatives where parliament is made up of freely elected representatives who represent the will of the people; a government that reflects the will of the people and is answerable to an elected legislature (or is separately elected). Independent judiciary Rights: freedom of expression/opinion/association 3

Main Political Parties in UK Conservative & Unionist Party (full time but it is rarely used. Tories (shorthand for Conservatives) Natural party of government (most of 20c) ‘One Nation Toryism – post-war consensus Margaret Thatcher swung the party back to a more right wing free market approach to the economy and welfare Cameron – modernised the party but adherent to Thatcherite principles plus determination to shrink the state 4

Labour Party Born out of the trade union movement post industrial revolution Socialist roots/Social democracy Clause Four – public ownership means of production Mixed Economy Gang of Four broke away (SDP later to join Liberal Party to form Liberal Democrats) Blairite – New Labour in power from Beyond New Labour 5

Liberal Democrats Federal party Traditionally centrist Pro-welfare state but also belief in free markets Appealed to left and right Orange Book (current Lib Dem leadership) collection of essays stressing free market 6

7 Democracy in action in South Africa … … and Britain

8 BRITAIN’S ‘CRISIS OF ENGAGEMENT’: POLITICIANS Helena Kennedy (2006) We need to “… save British democracy from meltdown” David Cameron (May 2006) “ … our democratic system isn't working … public faith in our political institutions is draining away and being replaced by a progressive and debilitating alienation.”

The Coalition’s view “The Government believes that our political system is broken. We urgently need fundamental political reform, including a referendum on electoral reform, much greater co-operation across party lines, and changes to our political system to make it far more transparent and accountable.” (Coalition Agreement May 2010) 9

Political Reform (Coalition Agreement) Fixed term Parliaments Referendum on the voting system Recall of MPs – allow voters to force a by- election where an MP is found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing and having had a petition calling for a by-election signed by 10% of his or her constituents Other reforms see agreement 10

11 KEY QUESTIONS 1.Evidence Are citizens in Britain becoming disengaged from politics? 2.Explanation If so, why are citizens disengaging from politics? 3.Implications Does it matter if disengagement is increasing?

12 WHAT IS POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT? BEHAVIOUR Voting Member of party Member of group Go on march Write to MP Boycott goods Donate money ATTITUDES Support for political system Support for political actors/institutions Political interest

13 ARE PEOPLE MOVING AWAY FROM ELECTORAL POLITICS? Fuel protests (2000) Countryside march (2002): 400,000 Iraq war march (2003): 1,000,000 Make Poverty History (2005): 200,000

14

15

16 TRUST IN GOVERNMENT “How much do you trust British governments of any party to place the needs of the nation above the interests of their own political party? - Just about always - Most of the time - Only some of the time - Almost never”

Possible reasons War in Iraq? Expenses scandal? Single issue politics? Decline in trade unions? Voting system? “Queasy ride on the ideological big-dipper” ‘Them and us’ syndrome 17

Electorate want moderation A large majority were somewhere in the political ‘centre’ – or, at any rate, not at either extreme. A few held genuinely centrist views. The views of others were an untidy mixture of left – and right-wing views...Most voters, perhaps nearly all, instinctively inclined towards moderation. ( King, The British Constitution p 75) 18

19

20

21

MPs didn’t get it VS7iIhttp:// VS7iI 22

And those that did “A massive new feeding frenzy. The Telegraph has got its hands on a computer disc of our unexpurgated expenses and his morning it has begun to publish highlights. Page after unedifying page...The damage is incalculable. Not just to us, but to the entire parliamentary system. We are sinking in a great swamp of derision and loathing.” (Chris Mullin Decline and Fall, p 327) 23

Expenses – anger but voters still turned out Despite fears that the MPs expenses scandal of the previous year would engender widespread cynicism amongst the electorate – and thus a reluctance to vote at all - turnout increased by four points to 65.3%. A. Park, J. Curtice, K. Thomson, M. Phillips, E. Clery and S. Butt (eds), British Social Attitudes: The 26 th Report (London: Sage, 2010). 24

Voters changed their mind on MPs caught up in the scandal 25

Ipsos Mori research Impact of the expenses scandal recedes Published:4 April 2010 Fieldwork: March 2010 Theme: Politicians 26

27

Turnout – an explanation Between 1922 and 1997 turnout had never been lower than 70%, before falling precipitately to just 59% in 2001 and 61% in While the anticipated closeness of the election (2010) outcome might have helped bring some voters to the polls, it would appear that the British electorate can no longer be relied upon to vote simply out of duty or habit. 28

29

30

31 TRUST IN GOVERNMENT: BRITAIN, Source: Bromley & Curtice (2001); British Social Attitudes

32 POLITICAL INTEREST IN BRITAIN, Source: Electoral Commission, Audit of Political Engagement (2004, 2005, 2006)

33 TURNOUT ACROSS WESTERN EUROPE, Declined Austria Finland France Ireland Luxembourg Netherlands Portugal Spain Switzerland United Kingdom Stayed same Belgium Denmark Germany Greece Iceland Norway Sweden Source: International IDEA

34 EXPLAINING TURNOUT DECLINE FEATURE OF CITIZENS Citizens less interested in politics than before Citizens less trusting in politicians than before FEATURE OF ELECTIONS Bland parties Uncompetitive elections

35 POLITICAL TRUST AND TURNOUT: 1997 AND 2001 Source: Bromley & Curtice (2001) Table 7.11 High trust Medium trust Low trust

36 ELECTORAL COMPETITIVENESS AND TURNOUT, Source: Curtice (2005) Table 2 10% 16% 20% 14% 5% % Average opinion poll lead 1%

37 OTHER EXPLANATIONS OF DECLINING TURNOUT POWER inquiry (2006; chs2-3) Citizens lack influence over political decisions Parties not responsive to public demands Kellner (2004) Politics seen as irrelevant; doesn’t deliver what people want Politics seen as ‘phoney’; politicians don’t tell people the truth.

38 FORMS OF NON-ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION Individual/Non-active Donate money Boycott goods; buy ethical goods Sign petition Individual/Active Contact MP or media Collective/Active Go on demonstration Attend political meeting or group

39 FREQUENCY OF NON-ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION, 2000 Individual / Non-active Donate money Signed petition 62% 42% Individual / Active Contacted public official Contacted the media 25% 9% Collective / Active Raised money for organisation Gone on demonstration 30% 5% Source: Pattie et al, 2004: Table 3.1

40 NON-ELECTORAL AND ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION Turnout in 2001 election 3+ protest actions = 80% No protest actions = 65% Turnout among young (<35 years) 3+ protest actions = 58% No protest actions = 46% Source: Curtice and Seyd, 2003

41 CONCLUSION: CONCERN OR OPTIMISM? CONCERNOPTIMISM Declining political trustInterest in politics still high Declining turnout Non-voting due to weak electoral competition Increasing non-electoral participation Skewed to the better resourced Abandoning ballot box for direct participation? Protest is supplement to, not replacement for, voting

42