| ID | 105873 |
| Title Proper | How unusual is the United Kingdom coalition (and what are the chances of it happening again) |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Lees, Charles |
| Publication | 2011. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | This article draws upon insights from theoretical and empirical studies of coalition behaviour in multiparty politics to examine the formation of the United Kingdom coalition following the general election of 6 May 2010. It argues that the formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition is not unusual in historical terms or in the context of contemporary European politics; and that although it is a break from the more recent pattern of postwar British politics it nevertheless does conform to expectations in the light of the coalition literature. The article also provides a comparative analysis of the impact of Britain's 'First-Past-The-Post' (FPTP) electoral system on party competition and an examination of the performance of the Alternative Vote (AV) system and argues that if the United Kingdom retains FPTP then a return to single-party government in 2015 is highly likely; and it is not inevitable that the introduction of AV would significantly advantage the Liberal Democrats. |
| `In' analytical Note | Political Quarterly Vol. 82, No. 2; Apr-Jun 2011: p279-292 |
| Journal Source | Political Quarterly Vol. 82, No. 2; Apr-Jun 2011: p279-292 |
| Key Words | Conservative Party ; Liberal Democrats ; Coalition Government ; Electoral Systems ; Alternative Vote |