On 20 March, Professor Sir John Curtice and a panel of leading commentators outlined their findings at the launch of the first major study of the 2017 general election, ‘Britain Votes 2017’.

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About

The general election was one of the most extraordinary contests of recent times. Widespread assumptions that it would be a one-sided election - a coronation rather than a contest - were confounded as Theresa May mislaid her majority and a hung Parliament emerged.

  • How did the Conservatives achieve the largest share of the vote by any party since the landslide election in 1997 but still not secure a majority?
  • Is any party likely to secure an overall majority in the future or are narrow or non-existent parliamentary majorities to become the norm not the exception?
  • Why was Labour’s left-wing manifesto not the ‘suicide note’ that most commentators anticipated?
  • In many respects it was a novel election campaign, but what made the difference? Was it the ability to deploy activists on the doorstep, provide favourable visuals of packed rallies for traditional media, or innovations in digital campaigning?

Join leading analysts and commentators to discuss these questions and more as they present the latest findings from their research on the dramatic election and assess what it all means for the future of British politics.

Copies of ‘Britain Votes 2017’ will be available for purchase at a special launch offer price. The event will be followed by a reception with drinks and light refreshments.

Speakers

Chair: Carolyn Quinn
BBC radio presenter across a range of political and current affairs programmes including Westminster Hour and PM

Professor Sir John Curtice
Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde and Chief Commentator at What UK Thinks: EU

Professor Tim Bale
Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London and Deputy Director of the Mile End Institute

Dr Kate Dommett
Lecturer in the Public Understanding of Politics at the University of Sheffield

Dr Eunice Goes
Associate Professor of Politics at Richmond University and BBC Dateline London panelist

Professor Jonathan Tonge
Co-editor of ‘Britain Votes 2017’ and Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool

‘Britain Votes 2017’ is a special edition of the Hansard Society’s journal, Parliamentary Affairs. It has been co-edited by Professor Jon Tonge, Professor Cristina Leston-Bandeira and Dr Stuart Wilks-Heeg and is published in partnership with Oxford University Press.