Professor Wyn Grant Discusses UK Election Politics
In the year of a General Election, Professor Wyn Grant from the Department of Politics and International Studies discusses the complexities of UK election politics.
Professor Wyn Grant believes that the general elections will take place on 6th May to coincide with the local government elections:
"I think the general election is most likely to take place on May 6th, when there are due to be local government elections . . . if you hold the election on that date it reduces the cost of the election and that's an important consideration given the amount of government debt, also the hope would be that it would stimulate higher turnout in the local government elections if they are held on the same day as the general election"
Furthermore he feels that a snap election is unlikely:
"I think a snap election is very unlikely, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown has specifically ruled out an election in March, the benefit possibly of calling such an election would be that he would not have to present a budget to Parliament, but that would be such a transparent political manoeuvre that I don't think it would do him and the Labour Party very much good"In this podcast, Professor Wyn Grant looks back at the history of elections since 1945 and discusses:
- Maximising turnout
- Football, the World Cup and politics
- The challenges political parties are facing
- Personalities or Politics?
- Cameron's suggestion of a War Cabinet
- The influence of the BNP, UKIP and Respect political parties