The Slow Death of a Governing Party: The Erosion of Conservative Local Electoral Support in England 1979-97

In: The British journal of politics & international relations, Band 4, Heft 2, S. 271-298

Abstract

This article describes the decline in Conservative Party representation in local government, 1979-1997. It explores a number of factors to account for the nature & depth of that decline: differential abstention; the desertion of heartland voters; tactical voting at local level; & electoral bias. Clearly, the Conservatives' performance at local elections was worse than might have been expected given the party's overall electoral popularity. It appears that Conservative council candidates largely fell victim to the changing pattern of party competition & the apparent ability of rival parties to target seats more effectively. Further, the impact of these factors was compounded by the operation of biases within the electoral system. 11 Tables, 1 Figure, 1 Appendix, 23 References. Adapted from the source document.