Electoral change in England and Wales
Furlong, Jamie and Jennings, Will 2024. Electoral change in England and Wales. in: The Changing Electoral Map of England and Wales Oxford University Press. pp. 62-84
Furlong, Jamie and Jennings, Will 2024. Electoral change in England and Wales. in: The Changing Electoral Map of England and Wales Oxford University Press. pp. 62-84
| Chapter title | Electoral change in England and Wales |
|---|---|
| Authors | Furlong, Jamie and Jennings, Will |
| Abstract | This chapter provides a broad overview of long-term trends in the electoral geography of Britain, as far back as 1945. It considers the relative popularity of the parties in different regions over time, revealing the rising explanatory power of region as a predictor of electoral outcomes. It also highlights the divergent trends of voting in major cities, industrial towns, and rural areas. We provide evidence of a growing urban–rural divide in voting, as densely populated urban areas have become increasingly likely to support Labour over the Conservatives—with this geographical polarization reaching a high point in 2019. We further show how Labour’s vote has historically tended to be inefficiently distributed, less reliably converting raw votes into seats than its opponents, and importantly that the gap in electoral efficiency has grown in recent elections, as the party has piled up votes in larger cities at the expense of other areas. |
| Book title | The Changing Electoral Map of England and Wales |
| Page range | 62-84 |
| Year | 2024 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Publication dates | |
| Published in print | 20 Jun 2024 |
| ISBN | 9780198927082 |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1093/9780191943331.003.0003 |
| Journal | The Changing Electoral Map of England and Wales |