Abstract
While studies examining free votes find MPs’ preferences influence their voting behaviour, most studies also show MPs tend to divide along party lines even after the whips have been withdrawn. Recent work offers a possible alternative explanation for this finding: this sustained party cohesion represents the impact of MPs’ party identification similar to party identification effects in the electorate. This argument is tested using a series of free votes on same-sex relations. Even after controlling for preferences using several direct measures, party continues to shape voting behaviour. Although indirect, this provides evidence in favour of the party-as-identification argument.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Campbell, A., Converse, P. E., Miller, W. E. and Stokes, D. E. (1960) The American Voter. New York: Wiley.
Carrubba, C., Gabel, M. and Hug, S. (2008) Legislative voting behavior, seen and unseen: A theory of roll-call vote selection. Legislative Studies Quarterly 33(4): 543–572.
Cowley, P. and Stuart, M. (2010) Party rules, OK: Voting in the house of commons on the human fertilisation and embryology bill. Parliamentary Affairs 63(1): 173–181.
Cowley, P. and Stuart, M. (2012) A coalition with two Wobbly Wings: Backbench dissent in the house of commons. Political Insight 3(1): 8–11.
Cox, G. W. and McCubbins, M. D. (2005) Setting the agenda: Responsible party government in the US House of Representatives. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Green, D. P., Palmquist, B. and Schickler, E. (2002) Partisan Hearts and Minds: Political Parties and the Social Identities of Voters. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Hibbing, J. R. and Marsh, D. (1987) Accounting for the voting patterns of British MPs on free votes. Legislative Studies Quarterly 12(2): 275–297.
Marsh, D. and Read, M. (1988) Private Members’ Bills. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Mughan, A. and Scully, R. M. (1997) Accounting for change in free vote outcomes in the house of commons. British Journal of Political Science 27(4): 640–647.
Norris, P. and Lovenduski, J. (1997) British Representation Study, 1997. Available online at: 35 http://ksghome.harvard.edu/~pnorris/Data/data.htm.
Norton, P. (2003) Cohesion without discipline: Party voting in the house of Lords. Journal of Legislative Studies 9(4): 57–72.
Norton, P. and Wood, D. M. (1993) Back from Westminster. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.
Overby, L. M., Raymond, C. and Taydas, Z. (2011) Free votes, MPs, and constituents: The case of same-sex marriage in Canada. American Review of Canadian Studies 41(4): 465–478.
Pattie, C., Fieldhouse, E. and Johnston, R. J. (1994) The price of consciences: The electoral correlates and consequences of free votes and rebellions in the British House of Commons, 1987-1992. British Journal of Political Science 24(3): 359-380.
Plumb, A. (2013) Research note: A comparison of free vote patterns in Westminster-style parliaments. Commonwealth & Comparative Politics 51(2): 254–266.
Plumb, A. (2015) How do MPs in Westminster democracies vote when unconstrained by party discipline? A comparison of free vote patterns on marriage equality legislation. Parliamentary Affairs 68(3): 533–554.
Plumb, A. and Marsh, D. (2011) Divisions in the conservative party on conscience issues: Comment on Philip Cowley and Mark Stuart, ‘party rules, OK: Voting in the house of commons on the human fertilisation and embryology bill’. Parliamentary Affairs 64(4): 769–776.
Plumb, A. and Marsh, D. (2013) Beyond party discipline: UK parliamentary voting on fox hunting. British Politics 8(3): 313–332.
Raymond, C.D. and Overby, L.M. (2016) What’s in a (Party) name? Examining preferences, discipline, and social identity in a parliamentary free vote. Party Politics 22(3): 313-324.
Read, M., Marsh, D. and Richards, D. (1994) Why did they do it? Voting on homosexuality and capital punishment in the house of commons. Parliamentary Affairs 47(3): 374–386.
Richards, P. G. (1970) Parliament and Conscience. London: George Allen and Unwin.
Russell, M. (2014) Parliamentary party cohesion: Some explanations from psychology. Party Politics 20(5): 712–723.
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank Pippa Norris for generously sharing the data of the British Representation Study with us. All responsibility for their use, and especially any errors, belongs to us.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Raymond, C.D., Worth, R.M. Explaining voting behaviour on free votes: Solely a matter of preference?. Br Polit 12, 555–564 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41293-016-0023-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41293-016-0023-7