Sex, gender and the Conservative Party
Subtitle: from Iron Lady to Kitten Heels
By: Sarah Childs, Paul Webb
Contributors: Webb, Paul, 1959 Apr. 15-
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Published: 2011
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 299
ISBN-13: 9780230279001
Subjects: SOCIAL SCIENCE / Gender Studies; POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / Leadership; POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / Political Parties; Conservative Party (Great Britain); Women legislators; Political activity; Women
Description: Sex, Gender and the Conservative Party provides a comprehensive gendered analysis of the contemporary UK Conservative Party. The modernization of the Conservative Party under David Cameron's leadership has garnered much comment. However, scholars have rarely considered the role of feminization in this. As leader of the party, Cameron inherited a multi-faceted gender problem: only 17 women MPs; an unhappy women's organization; electorally uncompetitive policies 'for women'; and a party which was seemingly unattractive to women voters. Written by leading gender politics and party scholars this book draws on extensive new empirical research to fill this gap. It examines how the party sought to increase the number of Conservative women MPs and looks at the nature and role of the women's organizations. It also analyzes how the party 'acted for women' in the 2005 Parliament, the nature of its electoral offer to women in 2010 and how party members and voters were likely to respond to the party's feminization efforts.
Notes: Includes index.