Low turnout at local elections in England is often presented as a sign of lack of interest in local politics from the public.
This month’s elections were no exception, and votes returned across England remained relatively low compared to other countries. Yet, this interpretation seems simplistic. Research has shown that people care about their local areas and local issues.
An alternative reading could be that low turnout is a symptom of the ‘overcentralisation effect’: people feel their councils are constrained by the grip of London and have no sufficient levers to make change happen. So why bother?
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