Theresa May, Ed Miliband, and the problem of the 'personalised political'

Should political leaders strive to make voters identify with their values and interests? Judi Atkins looks at Ed Miliband and Theresa May's attempts to this effect, and explains why they failed

'Rivers of Blood' fifty years on: Enoch Powell's rhetoric of blame and exclusion

It is five decades since Enoch Powell told a Conservative Association meeting in Birmingham that soon "the black man will have the whip hand over the white man". Judi Atkins analyses the rhetoric of that speech and concludes that, although Powell's notorious prediction of a race war has not materialised, his rhetoric of division and blame still forms part of British public discourse

How to make a coalition work: rhetoric lessons from the 2010-15 government

How was it that the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition lasted for a full five-year term? Although the formal and informal machinery of resolving disputes was important, rhetorical strategies also mattered, writes Judi Atkins. She explains how by invoking values, goals, the 'national interest' and a common enemy, the Coalition not only endured but appealed to multiple audiences as well

'Together in the National Interest':The Rhetoric of Unity and the Formation of the Cameron-Clegg Government

Following the formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government in May 2010, David Cameron and Nick Clegg sought to persuade party members, the electorate and a sceptical media that their partnership would hold together for the duration of the parliament. Taking as its starting point Kenneth Burke’s theory of rhetoric as identification, this article explores the strategies employed by senior Coalition figures to construct and present an image of unity to these different audiences. Of particular concern are appeals to the parties’ shared values and to the ‘national interest’, as well as the narrative of Britain’s ‘debt crisis’. This narrative served to minimise inter-party divisions by inviting MPs and supporters to unite behind the cause of deficit reduction, in opposition to the ‘fiscally irresponsible’ Labour Party that had allegedly wrecked the economy. The article concludes by reflecting on the lessons for the partners in a future UK coalition government

‘Strangers in their own Country’:Epideictic Rhetoric and Communal Definition in Enoch Powell's ‘Rivers of Blood’ Speech

This article treats Enoch Powell's ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech as an example of the epideictic rhetoric of blame and exclusion. Drawing on a framework proposed by Celeste Michelle Condit, the analysis explores the functions of the address for the speaker and for the audience. Of particular concern are Powell's self‐presentation as a statesman and prophet; his account of the impact and consequences of unrestricted immigration; and his portrayal of a community where ordinary, decent English people were being displaced and victimised by Commonwealth immigrants—a process in which he claimed the authorities were complicit. For the audience, the speech gave public expression to their concerns about immigration, though Powell's predictions of a dystopian future also aroused sentiments of anger and foreboding. Despite the controversy that ensued, the impact of ‘Rivers of Blood’ was far‐reaching, and its influence is still apparent in contemporary debates over immigration

Constructing Conflict and Co-operation: The Rhetoric of Coalition Bargaining

The central contention of this article is that coalition bargaining is permeated by the competing imperatives of unity and distinctiveness, and that rhetoric is key to managing these. Drawing on Kenneth Burke’s ‘new rhetoric’, the article distinguishes three forms of identification and division – ideological, instrumental and interpersonal – at work within coalition bargaining. This framework is applied to the negotiations on electoral reform that preceded the formation of the UK coalition government in 2010. The analysis reveals that, through the rhetoric of identification, senior Conservatives and Liberal Democratsdiscovered ideological common ground on the equalization of constituency boundaries, together with a shared interest in promising to hold a referendum on AV, and thus succeeded in reaching a mutually acceptable agreement on this contentious issue

‘As Shakespeare so Memorably Said…’: Quotation, Rhetoric, and the Performance of Politics

This article examines the use of quotation in British political rhetoric since 1945. It argues that quotations are not only a source of authority, but a way of claiming authorisation. The article also shows how, through quotations, party leaders try to establish connections between themselves and the common cultural resources of their audience, and how they attempt to show fidelity to a tradition even as they try to redirect it. The conclusion is that rhetorical analysis exposes the symbolic, ritualised aspect of contemporary political and ideological practices, the understanding of which requires the integration of rhetorical and performance theories

(Re)imagining Magna Carta:Myth, Metaphor and the Rhetoric of Britishness

The 800th anniversary of Magna Carta came at a time of growing uncertainty about what it means to be British. Contemporary politicians have responded by articulating visions of Britishness, through which they seek to unite citizens behind a common identity. Taking as its focus the myth of Magna Carta, this article examines the rhetoric of Britishness of Gordon Brown and David Cameron. It shows that although both link Magna Carta to the myth of British exceptionalism, Cameron alone defines Britishness against an external ‘Other’. The article also demonstrates that Magna Carta acts as a ‘founding myth’, and that its emergence as such is indicative of a change in Britain's ‘rhetorical culture’

Junior ministers during the New Labour years tended to enjoy more than just a ‘view from the foothills’

Chris Mullin’s celebrated series of published diaries revolve around his time as a junior minister, and make frequent references to his insignificance in the role, a perspective which has shaped much understanding of the various Ministerial rungs below Cabinet level. Here, Judi Atkins, Kevin Theakston, and Mark Gill argue that though this characterisation is pervasive, it does not tell the whole story, with the New Labour years showing a number of interesting developments in this regard