The Intersection of Parliamentary Sovereignty and Intra-Party Democracy: An Interpretive Approach to Informal Practices in the Leadership Selection of the British Conservative Party, 1965–1997

Abstract

This paper looks to explain the informal political institutions behind the British Conservative Party Leadership selection (1965–1997), and describe the role of the Constituency Association (CA). Leading scholars operationalize the concept of intra-party democracy in leadership selection through the voting rights of local caucuses or party members. However, this analytical lens is not universally applicable, as not everyone shares the same worldview regarding a given variable or political event.

Following this methodological concern, this article adopts an “interpretive approach,” which posits that intersubjective narratives shape actions and institutions. It is based on the premise that epistemologies cannot be reduced to fixed definitions or ontological facts. The selection of the Conservative leader was considered “undemocratic” because only Members of the Commons could vote. However, in fact, the Conservatives acknowledged that MPs and CAs engaged in prior consultations, after which the CA’s opinions were indirectly represented by local MPs. This informal practice reflected the belief that intra-party democracy should function through indirect delegation as an uncodified norm in the leadership election, to preserve British parliamentary sovereignty.