Footsoldiers: Political Party Membership in the 21st Century

This accessible, rigorously researched and highly revealing book lifts the lid on political party membership. It represents the first in-depth study of six of the UK's biggest parties - Labour, the Conservatives, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats, UK Independence Party and the Greens - carried out simultaneously, thereby providing invaluable new insights into members' social characteristics, attitudes, activities and campaigning, reasons for joining and leaving, and views on how their parties should be run and who should represent them. In short, at a time of great pressure on, and change across parties, this book helps us discover not only what members want out of their parties but what parties want out of their members. This text is essential reading for those interested in political parties, party membership, elections and campaigning, representation, and political participation, be they scholars and students of British and comparative politics, or politicians, journalists and party members - in short, anyone who cares about the future of representative democracy.

Tim Bale is Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London, UK. Paul Webb is Professor of Politics at the University of Sussex, UK. Monica Poletti is a Social Researcher in the UK Civil Service, following a Research Fellowship at Queen Mary University of London, UK.

1. Introduction  2. Party Members: What we think we already know  3. Who are the Members?  4. What do Party Members Think?  5. The Supply Side: Why do people join parties?  6. What do Members do for Their Parties - and Why?  7. What do Members Think of Their Parties and How They Operate?  8. Quitting: Why members leave their parties  9. The Demand Side: How parties see membership  10. Conclusion: The parliamentary/extra-parliamentary balancing act