Publications

This study uses mixed methods to explore the issue salience and policy framing of animal welfare in UK state-wide parties’ Westminster election manifestos and parliamentary Early Day Motions. Over the past three decades there has been a gradual increase in salience, accompanied by a Left–Right cleavage. The latter is a function of contrasting framing practices…

This paper examines the impact of the UK Public Sector Pay Review Bodies (PRBs) on the pay of their remit groups comparing the real weekly earnings of workers using ASHE and LFS data from 1993 to 2007 for 10 occupational subgroups. Using consecutive difference-in-differences we can identify whether the PRBs have had an impact by…

Introduction Opponents of wind farms and other contested infrastructure developments often base their arguments against such developments in terms of impacts on, for example, landscape aesthetics, tourism potential, health concerns and property values in the areas surrounding such developments. With regard to the latter, there is a relatively small evidence base on which to judge…

This study addresses a key lacuna by exploring the role of electoral politics in shaping public policy on rail transport in (quasi-)federal systems of governance. Attention centres on issue-salience and policy framing in party manifestos in state-wide and regional elections. The findings reveal a significant rise in issue-salience in parties׳ Westminster election programmes; with right-…

In liberal systems governing-party-turnover and third sector organisations’ engagement in public policy-making are seen as key factors maintaining the health of democracy. However, a significant lacuna in current understanding is the effect on engagement when governing-party-turnover is absent. Accordingly, drawing on qualitative interview data, this study examines the effects of one-party-dominance (OPD) in Wales; a…

Previous research on trends in the quality of work in Britain was carried out in a period marked by long-term growth and increasing prosperity. Although often taken as an exemplar case of a ‘liberal’ regime, the implications of an emphasis on deregulation and work-force flexibility for employees’ quality of work are arguably less serious when…

This study addresses a key knowledge-gap by exploring the role of electoral politics in shaping public policy on the arts. Analysis of the prioritisation and use of language in party manifestos in state-wide and regional elections in the UK reveals that over recent decades there has been a sharp increase in the attention parties give…

Mandate and accountability theory state that governments should implement the policies that they promised voters. Accordingly, this study addresses a key lacuna by exploring the role of electoral politics in shaping public policy on sport. Attention centres on issue-salience and policy framing in party manifestos in post-war UK elections. In an era of multi-level governance,…

This study explores the formative origins of youth justice policy and the discursive process of mandate-seeking in party manifestos in Westminster elections. Analysis of issue salience and policy framing reveals: party politicization, a significant increase in issue salience from the 1990s onwards, and a shifting structural policy narrative with inherent contestation and contradictions. The past…

Electoral politics is a decisive formative and programmatic phase in the development of mixed economy approaches to social protection. This study examines the main issues and policy formulation concerning the role of the third sector in social protection in the manifestos of British political parties in the context of the Westminster elections and at regional…