Constitution or competence? The SNP's re-election in 2011

Johns, R., Carman, C.J. and Mitchell, J. (2013) Constitution or competence? The SNP's re-election in 2011. Political Studies, 61(S1), pp. 158-178. (doi: 10.1111/1467-9248.12016)

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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9248.12016

Abstract

The Scottish National Party's outright win in the Scottish Parliament election on 5 May 2011 confounded pre-election polls and commentaries as well as a (broadly) proportional electoral system which was held to minimise the risk of a Nationalist majority moving Scotland to independence. But an extraordinary result in historical context looks much more ordinary when we explore voters' attitudes and choices. According to data from the ESRC-funded Scottish Election Study 2011, the SNP won its majority for that most mundane of electoral reasons: most voters thought that the party would do a better job in office than its rivals, including its chief rival, the Labour Party.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Carman, Professor Christopher
Authors: Johns, R., Carman, C.J., and Mitchell, J.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
Journal Name:Political Studies
Publisher:Political Studies Association and Blackwell Publishing
ISSN:0032-3217
ISSN (Online):1467-9248
Published Online:18 March 2013

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