Are political party members psychopaths? New data from the Party Members Project

Are political party members psychopaths? New data from the Party Members Project

Author: Mark Pack January 17, 2026 Duration: 49:04
For the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts I talked with Paul Webb about the report "Britain's Party Members" which has new data on who joins political parties in Britain and what they get up to. Are Lib Dems the keenest campaigners? Is the emerging two-bloc pattern of British politics reflected in party membership? We talk about these and many more such illuminating questions, revealing some of the basic bedrock on which British politics is built. Our discussion also includes the report's analysis of political psychology, based on both the big five traits and the dark triad models - showing differences between parties, and we explore how member preferences shape leadership selection, tactical voting, and party strategy. We start off though with where the data comes from and how much we can trust to it being right. Show notes Britain's Party Members by Tim Bale, Paul Webb and Stavroula Chrona. The excellent book that came from the project's earlier work. The ESRC Party Members Project website. How Cambridge Analytica's impact was hyped. Robert McKenzie and the election night swingometer. Only 2% of council by-elections turning out to be Conservative-Labour contests. Professor Paul Webb's other work. Theme tune by Hugo Lee. New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.  

Join Mark Pack for Never Mind The Bar Charts, a podcast that digs into the mechanics, personalities, and unexpected stories shaping British politics, with a particular eye on the Liberal Democrats. This isn't a dry recitation of policy papers or a simple replay of the week's headlines. Instead, Mark and his guests pull apart the political narratives, examining the strategies, the polling data behind the bar charts, and the human moments that often get lost in the Westminster fray. You'll hear conversations that go beyond the soundbites, offering analysis that is both insightful and accessible, whether you're a political insider or just a curious observer. The tone is conversational and often wry, with those promised stray digressions into history, culture, and the occasional oddity that makes politics so perpetually fascinating. It's a show for anyone who finds the 'how' and 'why' of political life more compelling than the 'what'. New episodes of this podcast regularly feature a range of voices from across the political spectrum, all brought together by Mark's long-standing expertise and genuine curiosity about the subject.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 50

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