Author Archives: tpbale

‘A Labour party that couldn’t even smash the local elections should be seriously worried’, CityAM, 8 May 2018.

Posted on May 9, 2018

At first glance, Thursday’s local elections seemed to offer something for everyone (except for Ukip, of course). But Labour should be worried – really, really worried. First, the upside – at least for self-styled progressives. The referendum has clearly removed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

‘Same difference? Female (and male) members of Britain’s political parties’ (with Monica Poletti and Paul Webb), Democratic Audit, 22 March 2018.

Posted on May 7, 2018

Six out of ten people who belong to political parties in the UK are men, although there are some pretty big differences between parties. There are also some smaller, but nonetheless significant differences between parties’ male and female members – differences … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Where have all the women gone? The Tories have a serious gender problem’ (with Monica Poletti and Paul Webb), The Conversation, 15 March 2018.

Posted on May 7, 2018

The latest findings on the gender imbalance among the rank and file memberships of Britain’s biggest political parties make for worrying reading – particularly for the Conservatives. Over-time comparison suggests that there are now fewer women belonging to the Conservative … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Why women leave political parties’ (with Monica Poletti and Paul Webb), New Statesman, 7 March 2018.

Posted on May 7, 2018

More men than women join political parties. And new research from the ESRC-funded Party Members Project (PMP) conducted by the Queen Mary University of London, and Sussex University suggests that even when women do join, they think and act a little differently from their male … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

‘The Numbers That Show It’s Wrong To Suggest Labour Disaffiliate From The Unions’, Huffington Post, 7 March 2018.

Posted on May 7, 2018

“Nothing”, wrote Momentum director and member of Labour’s NEC, Christine Shawcroft, in declaring her support for Jon Lansman’s bid to be the party’s next General Secretary, “would induce me to support a candidate from a major trade union, they stick … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

‘Why Labour’s Brexit strategy may be in trouble – and why Theresa May has reason to worry too’ (with Alan Wager), New Statesman, 5 February 2018.

Posted on May 7, 2018

In spite of the fact that it accords with common wisdom – or maybe because of it – aside from the odd (sometimes very odd) political scientist, not many people will have heard of ‘May’s special law of curvilinear disparity’. Essentially, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Party members hold dear their privileges in candidate selection’, Times Red Box, 10 January, 2018.

Posted on January 23, 2018

Sarah Wollaston, chairwoman of the Commons health select committee, is everyone’s favourite Conservative backbencher. Well, maybe not everyone’s. With her forthright, often outrageously non-partisan, views, she’s not always as appreciated by party managers as she is by those of us … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment