Hunting for votes: the geography of free votes and electoral advantage in the British House of Commons

Abstract

When viewed in an international context some democratic political systems bestow more individual freedom on elected representatives than others over how they vote, for instance that of the United States compared to the United Kingdom. However, occasional opportunities arise for ‘free votes’ even in the British House of Commons and the paper considers the case study of that on the banning of hunting in 1992. The paper outlines the nature of the geography and politics of public opinion on the hunting issue and relates this to the free-voting patterns of MPs from opposing parties and constituencies of differing electoral marginality, as well as to the outcome of the closely-following General Election. On balance, Conservative MPs in marginal seats who voted in favour of a ban on hunting gained no subsequent advantage in retaining their seats over those who did not. This generates some points for final discussion.