Suchergebnisse

This volume contains contributions from some of the leading names in British politics, covering several aspects of electoral politics.

For almost three decades the troubles in Northern Ireland raged, claiming over 3,600 lives, with civilians accounting for almost half the fatalities. In this book, Jonathan Tonge examines the reasons for that conflict; the motivations of the groups involved and explores the prospects for a post-conflict Northern Ireland. The book: assesses the motivations and campaigns of the IRA, UVF and UDA and other armed groups discusses what each paramilitary group achieved through violence analyses the continuing controversies surrounding the Northern Irelands dirty war.

This text explores the issues behind the longevity of the conflict in Northern Ireland and provides a detailed analysis of the attempts to create a lasting peace in the province.

AbstractThe first‐ever election for the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in May 2021 proved eventful in terms of both its instigation and outcome. Founded in 1971, the DUP's three previous leaders had either been self‐appointed (Ian Paisley, the party's founder) or nominated without a rival opponent (Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster). Foster's unseating in an internal coup triggered a contest between Northern Ireland Executive minister Edwin Poots and Westminster MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. The outcome was determined by one of the smallest selectorates of any party in the UK or Ireland, twenty‐eight DUP members of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLAs) and the party's eight Westminster MPs. They voted narrowly to elect Edwin Poots as their new party leader. Yet, Poots lasted merely twenty‐one days in the job, replaced by Donaldson, who was unopposed when the leadership vacancy re‐arose. This article analyses an extraordinary saga.

AbstractNorthern Ireland has always been a polity noted for its strong links between national identity, religion, and voting, and acute British unionist versus Irish nationalist divisions. The constitutional question of whether Northern Ireland should be part of the UK or a united Ireland dominates. Yet, recent surveys have suggested a sizeable and growing section of its electorate declares itself neither unionist nor nationalist. This development may have assisted the growth of the centrist Alliance Party, which rejects unionist and nationalist identities and claims to be neutral on Northern Ireland's constitutional status. Alliance doubled its vote across three elections in 2019 and is now the third largest party in the region. This article examines the importance of ideological dealignment relative to other factors, such as Alliance's opposition to Brexit, in explaining the rise of a non‐binary party in a divided society.

AbstractUnder the terms of the Recall of MPs Act 2015, there have been three recall petitions brought against MPs who have committed misconduct. The outcomes have been variable. The first petition failed to attract enough signatures to trigger a by‐election. The second led to the unseating of the MP, who declined the opportunity to stand in the subsequent by‐election. The third led to the removal of the MP and an unsuccessful candidature to regain his seat at the by‐election. Variation has not been confined to outcomes. There have been differences in how the legislation has been implemented—in terms of the ease of access of constituents to the recall petition. This article suggests that in the interests of fairness and transparency, there is a strong case for adjusting the legislation to ensure national standardisation of local implementation.

AbstractThe Recall of MPs Act 2015 allows constituents to petition for their MP to be unseated. A petition of recall is opened, for six weeks, if an MP has received a custodial sentence or been suspended from the House of Commons for ten or more sitting days. Should 10 per cent of constituents sign the petition, a by‐election is required, which the deposed MP has the right to contest. The first test of the Act came in 2018, when Ian Paisley, MP for North Antrim, was suspended from the Commons for thirty days. This article examines how the Act was implemented and assesses whether procedural oddities played any part in the petition failing to attract sufficient signatures to trigger a by‐election.