Minor Political Parties - Professor Vernon Bogdanor FBA CBE

In the past, these were of two types (1) Breakaway parties such as the Liberal Unionists before the First World War and the SDP in the 1980s or (2) Extremist parties such as the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s and the Communist Party. Most of them have been unsuccessful. The United Kingdom Independence Party is an exception.

In 2015, UKIP showed itself the most successful minor party in British history, winning one-eighth of the vote. Since then, it has been in decline. What is the explanation of the failure of the minor parties?

[elgee]

The interesting thing about Ukip is that it would've been a major party in 2015 if we had a proportional voting system as it was the third most popular party but only gained one seat because its vote share was too thinly spread. Its extra-parliamentary success is because it was a major party for all intents and purposes except for its representation in the House of Commons.

[adampowell]

There was so important social history just before and just after WW1 that is often overlooked.

[lom]

39:10 Is interesting, Professor Bogdanor normally doesn't state his opinion in his Gresham lectures, and normally they don't edit these lectures, yet there is a jump after he states that he is opposed to Brexit.

[adampowell]

There's a lot of wisdom in "Just William".

[paulgrad]

A very interesting lecture on an important topic. Glad to hear they finally repealed the Corn Laws.

[orthofox]

I got convinced because the B.U.F was on the thumbnail

[bigyin]

Regarding the analysis of the “typical” UKIP voter, how does one reconcile the claim of a meritocratic establishment against its love of “diversity” hiring (and other selection) practices?

[dave_goldcrest]

There is already a new SDP, they have a couple of councillors I believe.

[realnoahsimpson]

Vernon, I'm a Green Party member, the Greens and our ancestral parties PEOPLE and Ecology are important in the history of politics in the UK, but you haven’t discussed us in your excellent lectures

[flachi]

We desperately need two new parties now at least!

[GY]

Thanks for posting this series of lectures. Where is the Lecture #6?

[sshrdlu]

Bogdanor is a delicate thinker and an important contributor to understanding of the British constitution. In fact, I even appreciate his dedication to considered advocacy for the organs of UK government, which are rarely discussed except by their members or critics. But he repeatedly shows himself an ideological oaf. The idea that racism in UKIP is negligible is laughable. The comparison between 'a very small minority' of UKIP members having misogynistic or racist attitudes, and accusations of antisemitism in the Labour Party, shows extraordinary partiality. In a healthy media culture, such a comment would be deeply embarrassing for a senior academic.

[addtexthere]

I'm all for the new british union

[johnkipling]

Here professor Bogdanor demonstrates his vast knowledge of parliamentary party politics and his complete divorcement from class politics, leading him to some incorrect conclusions and rendering his material of no use to anyone who wants to change the capitalist system, other than as amusement or anecdote.

[arnobirner]

I like Bogdanor, an his snite remarks about the absurdities and ludicrousness of communism and the communist party are all finely crafted, but I find that whole passage still a bit lacking. It lacked at least some reference to the thousands of people that died in the early 20th century by the sheer disregard of (british) capitalism for human life. I strongly think, if they could have a voice, they might have some things to say about the oh so ridiculous absurd idea of disemboweling the wealthy, after for example your second child died due to an illness, that could have been healed, but unfortunately, you were too poor to pay for it... Some respect for the downtrodden victims of capitalism would have been in order, when making jokes about their misguided search for a relief from their serfdom.

[adampowell]

These comments about racism and anti-semitism are plain wrong and ignorant. There is however a fascism of the left. I will not mention any names but I think that a former deputy leader of the Labour Party belonged to that tendency.

[williamkelley]

🎉this is perhaps my fifth lecture by this guy, and until this one I thought them reliably balanced and informative. no more. This man is an elitist delusional idealogue. This lecture is loaded with serious charges of racism and antisemitism without offering a single example or shred of evidence. I'm done with Bogdanor, seriously disappointed