MEADOWCROFT, John <br/><br/>
Political recruitment and local representation :  the case of liberal democrat councillors 

 -  2001 
<br/><br/> A case study of Liberal Democrat councillors is used to investigate models of local political recruitment. Quantitative survey data shows that Liberal Democrat councillors match the narrow socio-economic profile of representatives found in all modern democracies. Analysis of qualitative interview data on the recruitment of Liberal Democrat councillors suggests that while some councillors can be characterised as rational actors, judging the costs and benefits of council service, the importance of the informal nagotiation between potential recuirts and established political actors has been underestimated in accounting for the opportunity essential to local political recruitment