End of the Small Party?

Louise Thompson is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Manchester. Alongside her academic research she has written for a range of publications, including The Conversation and the Independent.

• 1 Three days in February2 Finding their feet3 Establishing and resourcing a new parliamentary party4 Making your voice heard 5 Whither the two-party system?BibliographyIndex

'Louise Thompson’s account of the short life and fast times of Change UK helps explain why no new governing party has emerged in the UK for a hundred years.'Mark D'Arcy, BBC Parliamentary Correspondent'A fascinating in-depth account of how small-parties, whether they be start-ups or established players, either sink or swim in an environment in which - given their relatively limited access to funding, air-time, and even space - the odds are all-too-often stacked against them.'Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London and Co-Director, Mile End Institute'An outstanding book, packed with insights about the difficulties faced by independents and small parties in the House of Commons. It will be a go-to benchmark on these issues for many years to come. Highly recommended.' Alistair Clarke, Reader in Politics, Newcastle University