Why place matters

Abstract

Abstract This final empirical chapter begins from the premise that there are places where demographic composition cannot fully account for the electoral performance of Labour or Conservatives. It explores, through qualitative case studies, two such areas where Labour (Merseyside) and Conservative (Lincolnshire) support are systematically under-predicted by statistical models. Using interviews with local political actors and experts and the iterative exploration and observation of constituencies within these two regions, we identify the place-based, contextual factors that help explain their unusual political characteristics. We argue that to understand the electoral geography of England and Wales, it is important to consider the role of local and regional (real or imagined) identities, culture, histories, economies, and party organization, which all, at least in the minds of local activists and observers, play a key role in shaping electoral competition. In short, place matters.