Convergence on Crisis? Comparing Labour and Conservative Party Framing of the Economic Crisis in Britain, 2008‐14. Issue 3 (14th June 2016) - English, Patrick
Abstract : Since the 1980s, Britain's two largest political parties have been converging ever closer on the political spectrum, in line with a Downsian model of two party majoritarian systems. While both Labour and the Conservatives have been moving toward consensus, we investigate the extent to which the recent financial crisis, understood as a critical juncture, interrupted this movement. Using a "fuzzy set" ideal type analysis with claims‐making data, we assess whether or not we can detect any signs of this consensus breaking down as a result of the crisis and the events which followed. Our results show that despite this most critical event, consensus was maintained as we found both parties adopting very similar framing and narrating strategies on the economic crisis in their public discourse. The study concludes that the shared discursive framing and narrating between both parties on the crisis demonstrates a continued Thatcherite, neoliberal consensus in British politics. Related Articles in this Special Issue: Temple, Luke, Maria T. Grasso, Barbara Buraczynska, Sotirios Karampampas, andPatrick English . 2016. " Neoliberal Narrative in Times of Economic Crisis: A Political Claims Analysis of the U.K. Press, 2007‐14 ."Politics & Policy 44 (3 ): 553–576.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12161/abstract Giugni, Marco, andMaria T. Grasso . 2016. "How Civil Society Actors Responded to the Economic Crisis: The Interaction of Material Deprivation and Perceptions of Political Opportunity Structures ."Politics & Policy 44 (3 ): 447–472.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12157/abstract Lahusen, Christian, Maria Kousis, Johannes Kiess, andMaria Paschou . 2016. "Political Claims and Discourse Formations: A Comparative Account on Germany and Greece in the Eurozone Crisis ."Politics & Policy 44 (3 ): 525–552.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12162/abstract Related Media: ITV News. 2011. "Conservative Party Conference: Cameron's Debt Promise." YouTube.https://youtu.be/vJ9RfDr6DVg Financial Times. 2014. "Miliband Toughens Stance on Deficit." YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVY0t_FSN4s