Abstract
Using a small pilot qualitative study conducted in the North of England prior to the 2010 general election, we seek to understand why our respondents might feel actively disengaged from mainstream politics. It is argued that one major reason is because politicians are seen as lacking understanding of the local contexts in which these low-wage workers live. The gulf between represented and representative is widened if politicians fail to communicate in a ‘down to earth’ way. This indicates that social inequality between represented and representative is a factor in disengagement, but that such disengagement is not the result of apathy on the part of citizens. Further research is required, but our study suggests that if politicians fail to recognise their privilege and politics fails to address economic disadvantage across ethnic groups then disengagement from mainstream politics is likely to worsen.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the participants who generously gave their time and shared their thoughts and experiences for this project. We thank Flinders University for a Research Support Grant that enabled us to carry out the research. We also thank Riaz Hassan who provided valuable comments on an earlier draft and the anonymous referees who provided constructive feedback.
Notes
1. This scandal had been brewing but erupted when in May 2009 The Telegraph newspaper published leaked information detailing MPs' abuses of expenses claims.
2. All names used are pseudonyms.