Minority parties and the changing politics of criminal justice

Abstract

Over the past 15 years the political landscape of the United Kingdom has changed beyond recognition. Since the 2010 general election, the United Kingdom has a coalition government which includes Liberal Democrats. Following devolution, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have all experienced coalition government. Currently the Scottish National Party is in government in Edinburgh whilst the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin form a government in Belfast. On the day of writing (27 November), the Alliance Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Green Party, Plaid Cymru, Respect, the Scottish Nationalist Party, Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party hold Westminster seats, along with three independent MPs. The Westminster ‘first past the post’ voting system means that two parties with considerable popular support in the 2010 general election – the British National Party (with 564,331 votes) and the UK Independence Party (with 919,546 votes) – are excluded. Both are represented in the European Parliament. The Conservatives and Labour no longer command the support they could once rely on. Between 1945 and 1970, the two parties shared an average of 90 per cent of the popular vote at general elections. The combined total in 2010 was 65 per cent.

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Gavin Dingwall

Gavin Dingwall is Professor of Criminal Justice Policy at De Montfort University