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ID: 103540

Expenses scandal and the politics of electoral reform / Renwick, Alan; Lamb, Michael; Numan, Berna

Renwick, Alan	Journal Article
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2011.

Summary/Abstract

The scandal over MPs' expenses that erupted in 2009 was followed by a surge in discussion of electoral reform. A range of reforms to Westminster's existing electoral system are now high on the political agenda. This article examines the extent and the nature of the scandal's impact on the electoral reform debate and draws out comparative implications for the sorts of conditions that can force politicians to accept electoral reforms that they do not want. It finds that the expenses scandal significantly changed debate about some electoral reform topics, but not about others. It proposes three factors likely to increase the impact of scandal in sparking reform: that the scandal is seen as harming ordinary people in their daily lives; that reforms can readily be understood as likely to mitigate the sources of scandal; and that those reforms do not seriously harm politicians' own perceived interests.

Key Words

Electoral Reform ; Expenses Scandal ; Alternative Vote ; Recall ; Primaries

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ID: 106310

MK websites and the personalization of Israeli politics / Livak, Lior; Lev-On, Azi; Doron, Gideon

Doron, Gideon	Journal Article
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Publication

2011.

Summary/Abstract

The article explores the contribution of MKs' websites to political personalization by addressing three questions. Is it more likely that MKs who belong to parties that conduct primaries will establish a website than MKs who belong to parties which select their candidates in a more centralized fashion? Are MKs' websites richer, more interactive and more frequently updated than their respective party's websites? Finally, do MKs link their websites to the websites of their parties? We find some evidence that MKs' personal websites further support and enhance the personalization of Israeli politics.

Key Words

Israel ; Political Parties ; Internet ; Elections ; Parliament ; Political Websites ;
New Media ; Political Communication ; Online Politics ; Knesset ; Primaries ; Political Personalization ;
Israeli Political System ; Selection Methods

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ID: 144829

Wider range of friends: multi-speed organising during the 2015 labour leadership contest / Garland, Jessica

Garland, Jessica	Article
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Summary/Abstract

The British Labour party's recent adoption of a partially open primary for the selection of its leader conforms to a trend seen across many European political parties of increasing rights and privileges in internal party decision-making and expanding opportunities for more loosely affiliated supporters to participate in party activity. This dual trend can be seen as a response to changes in the membership environment, greater individualisation of political participation and growth in social movement politics and online activism. Yet as much as parties are responding to a changed membership environment, they are also driving that change, increasingly blurring the distinction between members and supporters. This article examines the recent impact of this change within the British Labour party and argues that, in line with Susan Scarrow's theory of ‘multi-speed’ membership, the Labour party's experiment in expanding affiliation options has led directly to a tension in locating the source of authority within the party, creating a challenge for its new leader in accommodating his new supporters within his party's representative traditions.

Key Words

Labour Party ; Primaries ; Party Membership ; Intra-Party Democracy ; Multi-Speed Membership

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