Leaders, Parties and Voters

This book examines the development of political leadership in Britain since the 1970s, in the context of changes within and between parties large and small and increasingly volatile voters. Contemporary media commentary on British politics is dominated by party leaders. Yet their visibility has been matched by unprecedented vulnerability to challenge, thanks not least to recent changes in the ways that they are chosen. This book focuses on the evidence and themes which are most relevant to an understanding of contemporary British politics. Accordingly, it addresses a series of broader questions, namely: - Why have party leaders become increasingly important in recent years? - What do party leadership contests tell us about the nature of political parties themselves in contemporary Britain? - What impact have such contests had in terms of democratic choice for the electorate as a whole and the legitimacy of leaders chosen by significant UK parties? - Why has there been such a rapid turnover of British party leaders in recent years? This book will be of key interest to scholars, students and interested readers of British politics, British political history, executive politics and political parties.

Andrew Denham is Reader in Government at the University of Nottingham, UK. Mark Garnett is the author of numerous books and articles on British politics and has taught at several UK universities.

Introduction 1. Conservative leaders and their party, 1975-1997 2. Labour leaders and their party, 1976-1994 3. The Conservative Party and its leaders, 1997-2016 4. The Labour Party and its leaders, 1994-2016 5. The Liberals, their successors and their leaders 6. Voters, parties, leaders and Brexit. Conclusion: The frayed fabric