Overview

In theory, parliamentary elections are a contest between political parties whose leaders do not have a separate identity from their party in the public eye. This case study of Britain shows that this theory no longer holds; the dynamics of parliamentary elections have become more 'presidential' in the sense that the leaders of the major parties now figure more prominently on both media coverage of the campaign and in the party that voters choose at the polls. The implications for our understanding of parliamentary democracy are discussed.

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9780333800188

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Reviews

'In the 1960s there was much dispute about how far British politics was being presidentialized. The Thatcher and Blair premierships did much to tilt the argument to the presidential. Yet, as Anthony Mughan shows in this dispassionate and well-documented work, the question is not settled. Ministers matter. Party images matter. And the power and the appeal of any premier fluctuates from year to year. This is a timely and important book.' - David Butler, Professor Emeritus, Nuffield College, Oxford This is a bold and imaginative project that addresses the issue of the 'presidentialization' of British general elections in an analytically stringent manner. Mughan demonstrates an astute awareness of the formative origins and contemporary significance of the theme. In seeking answers to the question of leadership effects upon electoral presentation and voter choice, Mughan demonstrates an inventiveness and rigour that first dismantles general claims into manageable components and then addresses the inherent problems of definition, methodology and empirical accessibility. The result is a fascinating and persuasive tour de force that compels us to review our standard party-centred understandings of Britain's electoral dynamics.' - Michael Foley, Professor, Aberystwyth 'Sweeping claims have been made about the 'presidentialization' of British elections. Now Anthony Mughan has subjected both the data and the idea itself to rigorous scrutiny. The result is an elegant, readable and succinct contribution to the literature on election campaigns - and to the broader argument about the presidentialization of British government.' - Colin Seymour-Ure, Professor of Government, University of Kent at Canterbury

Author Information

ANTHONY MUGHAN is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Undergraduate International Studies Programme at The Ohio State University. His previous books include Democracy and the Media (editor with Richard Gunther), Party and Participation in British Elections, and Political Leadership in Democratic Societies (editor with Samuel Patterson).

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