Election Countdown
Computer scientists use Twitter to predict UK general election result
Computer scientists from the University of Warwick are using Twitter to predict the outcome of the UK general election and believe their forecasts could be more accurate than traditional opinion polls. Read more.
Our Election Experts
We have experts available to comment on all aspects of the build-up to the General Election in May 2015. We have facilities on campus to quickly organise TV and radio interviews, if you need any further information please contact Kelly Parkes-Harrison, k.e.parkes@warwick.ac.uk, +44 (0)2476 150868, +44 (0)7824 540863.
Electoral process Prof Wyn Grant: Wyn can talk about British politics in general and is happy to talk about the actual election itself, rather than any specific areas. |
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Dr Alex Smith: Mostly interested in commenting on the election dynamics in Scotland, with the SNP doing well in the polls. Can also talk about UKIP and the Greens. |
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Dr Kevin Morrell: Political speeches, governance and narrative |
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Dr Tom Flynn: Constitutional law, the EU and the European Convention on Human Rights. Issues such as the aftermath of the Scottish referendum and the future of the Union between England and Scotland; the constitutional position regarding hung parliaments, coalitions etc; the future of the UK's relationship with the EU; and on the Human Rights Act and the Convention more generally. |
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Security and terrorism Dr Charlotte Heath-Kelly: Counter-terrorism/security policy – particularly the ‘Prevent’ strand of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy. |
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Dr Oz Hassan: International security; Terrorism; US Foreign Policy; European Foreign Policy; Middle East and North African Politics; Extremism; Arab / Persian Gulf; Security, international; European foreign; Politics |
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Voting Martin Price, Mick Carpenter and Khursheed Wadia: young people and their relationship with politics – they are just about to complete a project on this very issue for the EU. |
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Dr Eugenio Proto: Happiness and voting "Behavioural Political Economy" http://www.voxeu.org/article/happiness-and-voting |
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Dr Niall Hughes: strategic voting in UK elections (and more generally FPTP legislative elections). What polling information should voters base their voting decision on in order to have the most impact on which government forms? Voters need to take into account both how people in their own constituency vote and how all other constituencies vote. |
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Sport Dr David Webber: Politics of football (with fan organisations lobbying political parties to do more to spread the wealth in the sport, there might be more interest in this area than previous elections). |
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British and European politics Dr Philippe Blanchard – can offer comment on French and Swiss politics and how it compares with the UK. |
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Policing Katerina Hadjimatheou: The ethics of policing and security. |
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Foreign policy Dr Trevor McCrisken: US foreign policy, culture and politics – how it relates to British foreign policy. |
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Prof Mark Harrison: Russia, Ukraine, and Western foreign policy responses | |
Economics Dr Jonathan Cave: Population dynamics; drugs (legal and otherwise); ICT-related things (surveillance, privacy, cloud, IoT, etc.); health systems (NHS reforms, preventive medicine); regulation and competition (retail, information remedies and labelling, utilities, transport/HS2, consumer protection). |
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Dr Dennis Novy: Domestic - the general macroeconomic picture and outlook for the UK in particular: fiscal policy and austerity; employment, unemployment and productivity; International - the Eurozone crisis and Greece. The international trade agenda of the government, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), trade with emerging economies such as China. | |
Dr Giuliano Castellano: Financial Regulation and in particular EU Financial Regulation. The relationship between law and the economy - ‘Should we regulate?' ‘How?' ‘What kind of reform should we enact?’ Law in markets from an EU law perspective. | |
Professor James Mitchell: Professor of Economic Modelling and Forecasting | |
Professor Mark Taylor: Macroeconomics, international finance, financial markets, emerging markets, financial econometrics, monetary economics, asset price determination, and the interaction between the real and financial sides of the economy. | |
Immigration Dr Hannah Jones: Immigration and specifically the current government’s immigration rhetoric – she has recently completed a project on this issue: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/expertcomment/governments_approach_to/ |
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Prof John Solomos: Race and ethnic relations in Britain; race and football; racist movements and ideas. | |
Family Prof Rebecca Probert: Family law issues e.g. marriage/divorce law. |
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Education Dr Anil Awesti: The issue of access to university for students from non-traditional backgrounds. |
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Dr Adam Boddison: Teacher education; teacher training | |
Ian Abbott: Pupil premium and educational leadership; comparative education; education policy; academy Schools | |
Employment Christopher Warhurst: Employment; Skills and training; Job quality; Service work; Employment policy |
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Kim Hoque: Zero hours and living wage |
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Business Stephen Roper: Small businesses |
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Taxation Crawford Spence: tax avoidance and tax evasion |
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Health Graeme Currie: NHS, especially elderly care |
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Energy David Elmes: utility companies, energy market, oil, gas, electricity
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Michael Bradshaw: utility companies, energy market |
Election Backgrounders
Undecided voters suffering from 'decisional stress', Professor Gerard Hodgkinson
Ed Stone could be a millstone in coalition negotiations, Michael Saward, The Conversation
In a multi-party political environment the First-Past-The-Post elecrotal system may mitigate polarisation, Niall Hughes
Cartoon politics: the literary ghosts of elections past and present, David Francis Taylor, The Conversation
Labour manifesto: Miliband pitches fiscal responsibility, Wyn Grant, The Conversation
The double life of Jim Murphy, Wyn Grant, The Conversation
Five devices politicians use for the killer soundbite, Kevin Morrell
The local candidate taking on George Galloway for Labour’s lost seat,
Wyn Grant, The Conversation
After early stumbles, Labour must repair its rapidly fraying strategy,
Wyn Grant, The Conversation
Budget 2015: experts respond,
Stephen Roper, The Conversation
Why minority government might actually work for Labour, Wyn Grant, The Conversation