Political Recruitment: Gender, Race and Class in the British ParliamentIn this compelling book Pippa Norris and Joni Lovenduski provide the first full account of legislative recruitment in Britain for twenty-five years. Their central concern is how and why some politicians succeed in moving into the highest offices of state, while others fail. The book examines the relative dearth of women, black and working-class Members of Parliament, and whether the evident social bias in the British political élite matters for political representation. Legislative recruitment concerns the critical step from lower levels (activists, local counsellors) to a parliamentary career. The authors draw evidence from the first systematic surveys of parliamentary candidates, Members of Parliament and party selectors, as well as detailed personal interviews. The study explores how and why people become politicians, and the consequences for parties, legislatures and representative government. |
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Contents
Puzzles in political recruitment | 1 |
Who selects and how? | 19 |
The structure of political recruitment | 21 |
Conservative recruitment | 34 |
Labour recruitment | 53 |
Minor party recruitment | 77 |
Who gets selected and why? | 91 |
Supply and demand explanations | 93 |
Comparative candidate recruitment | 183 |
Does the social bias matter? | 207 |
The values priorities and roles of MPs | 209 |
The personal vote | 226 |
Reforming recruitment | 237 |
Details of the survey design and sample | 249 |
Questionnaires | 251 |
Notes | 276 |
Gatekeeper attitudes | 123 |
Candidate resources | 143 |
Candidate motivation | 166 |
307 | |
318 | |
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Common terms and phrases
active adopted applicants Approved asked association background become branches Britain British campaign candidates career cent challengers chapter choice committee Commons Comparative concern Conservative Conservative party constituency contrast decisions demand Democrats effects electoral elite established ethnic minority evidence example expect experience explanations factors formal gender given Green groups House important increased incumbents individual influence inheritors interest Interview issues Italy Labour MPs Labour party legislative less Liberal London major mean meetings nominations Note occupations opportunities organisation parliament parliamentary party members political politicians positive Press proved questions reasons recruitment reform regional representation representative role rules seats seen selection process shortlisting significant social Source stand suggests survey trade union union University usually vote voters women