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Understanding Post-Devolution Elections in Scotland and Wales in Comparative Perspective

School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Chrystal Macmillan Building, 15QA George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LD, UK, Charlie.jeffery{at}ed.ac.uk

Dan Hough

Department of International Relations and Politics, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9SN, UK, D.T.Hough{at}sussex.ac.uk

In this article, we explore the electoral dynamics of multi-level political systems for the case of the United Kingdom (Scotland and Wales) through a comparison with multi-level voting behaviour in Germany, Spain and Canada. The analysis suggests that sub-state elections can be `second order' in relation to state-wide elections, but that this `second orderness' is reduced when more powers are decentralized to the sub-state level (and, thus, more is at stake in sub-state elections), and if sub-state identities and parties are stronger. Consequently, elections in Scotland and Wales are unlikely to be or become only `second order' to Westminster elections, and British state-wide parties will continue to face challenges and pressures to adapt their organizations and programmes to the devolution of the British state.

Key Words: devolution • elections • second orderness • United Kingdom

Party Politics, Vol. 15, No. 2, 219-240 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1354068808099982


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