Conservative thinkers The key contributors to the political thought of the modern Conservative Party

by Garnett, Mark; Hickson, Kevin

• ISBN13: 9780719075087
• ISBN10: 0719075084
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-07-27
• Publisher: Manchester University Press

Summary

This book traces the effects of democracy on the British Conservative Party, specifically looking at how changes in the ways the Conservatives elect their leaders have altered their mandate to lead. The book includes an analysis of the original undemocratic 'system' whereby a leader 'emerged' from a shadowy process of consultation, and of the six elections between 1965 and 1997 where the parliamentary Conservative Party alone chose the Party leader. This historical perspective is followed by in-depth analysis of the three contests since 2001 that have taken place under the 'Hague rules,' according to which ordinary Party members have the final say. This is the most comprehensive account yet published of the operation of those rules on the Conservative Party and the legitimacy of its leadership, and of the 2005 election of David Cameron. This book will be essential reading for students, academic specialists and anyone interested in the recent history and contemporary practice of British Conservatism.

Author Biography

Andrew Denham is Reader in Government at University of Nottingham. Kieron O’Hara is Senior Research Fellow in the School of Electronics and Computer Science at University of Southampton, and a Fellow of the Web Science Research Initiative.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction: democracy, legitimacy and Conservative leadership

The ‘magic circle’ and after: from selection to election

Hague’s revenge: the Conservative leadership election of 2001

Full circle to the magic circle

From May to December

the phoney war

From May to December

a tale of two speeches

Cameron’s mandate for modernization

Conclusion

Conservative Party leadership election results 1965—2005

The experience upon reaching office of Conservative Party leaders since the War

Declarations of support in the 2005 Conservative Party leadership election

Bookmakers’ odds on the 2005 Conservative Party leadership election

Selected bibliography

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.