Ethics and Integrity in British Politics

Nicholas Allen is Senior Lecturer in Politics in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is the co-editor of Britain at the Polls 2010 (2011) and is already planning the successor volume for the next general election. Sarah Birch is Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Glasgow. Her most recent monograph is Electoral Malpractice (2011).

• 1. Why study perceptions of politicians' conduct?; 2. Thinking about political ethics and conduct; 3. Ethics and misconduct in British politics; 4. Expectations and the scope of ethical judgements; 5. How people judge political conduct; 6. What people think of their elected politicians; 7. The political effects of ethical evaluations; 8. Changing public perceptions: problems and remedies; 9. Concluding remarks.

'… provides an account of our disenchantment with politicians that is both sophisticated and powerful. The sophistication comes from the careful way the argument is developed and the extensive use of an original evidence base. The power is provided by the core message: there is a big gap between politicians' understanding of integrity and that of the public, and disillusionment with the behaviour of politicians matters in terms of democratic engagement.' Gerry Stoker, University of Southampton