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The discursive reconstruction of poor electoral performance: the British Trotskyist left and the 2010 General Election

Kelly, John (2016) The discursive reconstruction of poor electoral performance: the British Trotskyist left and the 2010 General Election. Journal of Political Ideologies 21 (1), pp. 78-98. ISSN 1356-9317.

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Abstract

This paper is situated within the rhetorical turn in political science and investigates the discourses constructed by Trotskyist parties in order to justify the policy of electoral participation despite poor electoral performance. A wide range of texts are examined from eight organizations that contested seats in the 2010 UK General Election. The thrust of Trotskyist discourse downplayed dismal vote totals, contextualizing them by reference to pro-Labour tactical voting and elaborating a variety of benefits that emerged from electoral participation. It is argued that such analysis could usefully be incorporated into the study of party responses to electoral problems and setbacks.

Metadata

Item Type: Article
School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Business and Law > Birkbeck Business School
Research Centres and Institutes: Birkbeck Centre for British Political Life
Depositing User: John Kelly
Date Deposited: 11 Feb 2016 10:43
Last Modified: 24 Jul 2025 11:54
URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/14137

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