Neither Left Nor Right [Paperback]

This book provides a comprehensive account of the nature of Liberal Democrat electoral politics in contemporary Britain, and explores the specific challenges facing the Liberal Democrats in their struggle for identity, distinctiveness and votes, as well as examining the different layers of the party in terms of structure, strategy and representation. It provides a detailed history of the party, from the grassroots to the leadership and considers the anatomy of the party's vote. A series of eight case studies highlight how the Liberal Democrats continue to operate differently in various contexts, geographies, and against political opponents and demonstrates how local strategies were adopted in the 1997 and 2001 general elections.

Andrew Russellis Lecturer in the Department of Government at the University of Manchester.

Edward Fieldhouseis Deputy Director of the Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research at the University of Manchester.

Introduction * Part I: The party history and organisation * Liberal history: From Whigs to Liberal Democrats * The Liberal Democrats and contemporary politics * The party machine: the organisational structure of the Liberal Democrats * Dual identities: grass roots versus leadership elite * Part II: The Liberal Democrats and the electorate * Sympathy and support for the Liberal Democrat agenda * The geography of Liberal Democrat support * Part III: party strategy * Neither left nor right but forward? electoral strategy, 1997-2001 * From votes to seats: making votes count * Lib-Dem campaigns in 2001: the case studies * Conclusion: the Liberal Democrats and the electorate