Parties, promises and politics: exploring manifesto discourse on arts policy in Westminster, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish elections 1945–2011

Abstract

This study addresses a key knowledge-gap by exploring the role of electoral politics in shaping public policy on the arts. Analysis of the prioritisation and use of language in party manifestos in state-wide and regional elections in the UK reveals that over recent decades there has been a sharp increase in the attention parties give to arts policy as they compete for the political centre-ground. It also shows how the framing of arts policy has broadened from an initial concern with social policy objectives to emphasise economic benefits and boosting international standing. However, parties have generally failed to advance comprehensive arts strategies raising accountability issues in relation to future government policy. Against the backdrop of a global trend of state restructuring, the analysis reveals how devolution is leading to the territorialisation of policy – as framing is contingent on ‘regional’ party politics, including nation-building by civic nationalist parties.

Keywords:

• arts policy
• party competition
• language
• manifesto
• elections
• UK

Acknowledgement

The author wishes to acknowledge the helpful and constructive comments of two anonymous referees when revising an earlier draft of this paper – as well as support under ESRC Award No. ES/L009099.

Notes

1. Excludes 1945–1972 elections to the Northern Ireland Parliament.

2. With the exception of 1945–1972 elections to the Northern Ireland Parliament.

3. This does not deny the nation status of Scotland and Wales. Regions’ may – or may not, be co-terminous with nation-states. Accordingly, this study follows existing practice by using the umbrella term ‘regional’ to denote sub-unitary state nations and provinces (cf. Danson and de Souza 2012).

4. Creative Scotland also took in the Scottish Film funding/development body (so has an expanded remit).

5. Defined in terms of share of the popular vote.

6. Where necessary, hardcopy only versions of early manifestos were transcribed. The software used was Nvivo 9.

7. For example, the statement ‘we will establish an international performing arts festival to showcase Welsh talent and provide local jobs’ would be coded under the ‘economic benefits’ and ‘international standing/ image’ frames.

8. Twelve incidences.

9. p = <0.0001, df = 2, χ² = 71.451.

10. 10 quasi-sentences.

11. p = <0.0001, df = 2, χ² = 22.185.

12. P = <0.0001, df = 2, χ² = 23.313.

13. P = <0.0001, df = 2, χ² = 18.957.

14. P = <0.0001, df = 2, χ² = 18.371.

15. P = <0.01312154, df = 2, χ² = 8.667.

16. P = < 0.01597868, df = 2, χ² = 8.273.

17. +258.7 percentage points.

18. P = < 0.001, df = 2, χ² = 54.628.

19. ANOVA p = 0.018708157, df = 8, F = 3.220707236.

20. P = <0.001, df = 2, χ² = 68.857.

21. P = <0.001, df = 2, χ² = 53.736.

22. P = < 0.00011478, df = 2, χ² = 18.145.

23. P = < 0.001, df = 2, χ² = 30.875.

24. Chi squared = 6.481, df = 2, p = 0.03914432.