The Pull of the Leaders

Abstract

Politics in Britain, to a remarkable degree, are based on the competition between cohesive parties which act together in the national legislature and offer unified appeals for the support of the mass electorate. A member almost never goes against the party whips in the division lobbies, and very few candidates diverge from the party line in their election appeals.¹ The familiar American phenomenon of the candidate who plays down his party affiliation and emphasizes local rather than national issues is much less common in Britain.