This book explains how the Greens went from obscurity to England's third largest party in just one year, quadrupling their vote share and securing their place in Britain's refigured party system on the way. Sophisticated quantitative analyses of the Greens' voters and members as well as interviews with all of the leading party insiders are used to explain how internal dynamics, changing political opportunities and a forgotten portion of the electorate resulted in an unprecedented 'Green Surge' that defied decades of British party membership decline and a lack of historic far left electoral success in the UK. Not only does James Dennison untangle a fascinating political case study but he also shines a light on how technological, attitudinal and demographic changes are reshaping politics and forcing us to question many of our previous assumptions about political parties and how voters choose.

Makes a significant and timely contribution to the literature on Green parties, bringing it up to date with the events following the 2015 general election

Uses the Green Party study as a way to develop our understanding of British politics more generally, especially regarding voter demographics and how voters choose

Outlines the challenges and opportunities for the Green Party in the future

Auteur

James Dennison is a researcher at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, where he works on British and European political participation, electoral behaviour and Green politics. He has previously held positions at the University of Oxford and the London School of Economics and also teaches at the University of Sheffield, UK.

Contenu

Acknowledgements.- 1. The Rise of the Greens in British Politics.- 2. Usual Low in an Improving Context.- 3. 'Green Spike': European Elections to Independence Referendum.- 4. 'Green Surge': Becoming England's Third Largest Party.- 5. Car Crashes, Campaigning and Partial Decline.- 6. Who Voted Green and Why?.- 7. Explaining Constituency-Level Green Success.- 8. Conclusion: Protest, Anti-Austerity and the Divided Left.- Appendices.- Bibliography.