Example political parties politics dissertation topic 3:

‘A man for all seasons’ – a study of the changing policy positions of Nick Clegg from Leader of the Liberal Democrats to Deputy Prime Minister

In opposition the Liberal democrats were vociferous in their attacks upon the proposed increase in tuition fees. The Liberal democrats were also vehement in their demands for electoral reform. In power they voted for the former whilst, faced with public apathy and rejection, no further proposals for electoral reform have been mooted. Moreover, as the most Europhile of the main three political parties the Liberal Democrats are in power at a time when the single currency seems doomed to failure. The change from opposition to power has been a difficult one for both Nick Clegg and his party. Reviewing policy documents, conference papers, voting records and actual legislation passed this dissertation asks whether or not there is coherence within the policy positions adopted by the Liberal democrats within power and, if not, what it may tell us as to their future likely electoral strength.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Evans, E. and Sanderson-Nash, E. (2011) ‘From sandals to suits: Professionalisation, Coalition and the Liberal Democrats’. The British Journal of Politics & International Relations, Vol. 13(4), pp. 459-473.
• Parry, K. and Richardson, K. (2011) ‘Nick Clegg’s rise and fall as a celebrity politician highlights the Deputy Prime Minister as a victim of the increasing personification of British politics’. British Politics and Policy at LSE, available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/39890/ [accessed 26 May 2012].