Northumbria Research Link Citation: Regan, Susan Fleur (2019) Gender, legitimacy and the local: a study of elected and unelected political representation. Doctoral thesis, Northumbria University. This version was downloaded from Northumbria Research Link: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/42050/ Northumbria University has developed Northumbria Research Link (NRL) to enable users to access the University’s research output. Copyright © and moral rights for items on NRL are retained by the individual author(s) and/or other copyright owners. Single copies of full items can be reproduced, displayed or performed, and given to third parties in any format or medium for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge, provided the authors, title and full bibliographic details are given, as well as a hyperlink and/or URL to the original metadata page. The content must not be changed in any way. Full items must not be sold commercially in any format or medium without formal permission of the copyright holder. The full policy is available online: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/policies.html GENDER, LEGITIMACY AND THE LOCAL: A STUDY OF ELECTED AND UNELECTED POLITICAL REPRESENTATION S F REGAN PhD 2019 Page 1 of 265 Gender, Legitimacy and The Local: A Study of Elected and Unelected Political Representation Susan Fleur Regan A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Northumbria at Newcastle for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Research undertaken in the Department of Social Sciences, Northumbria University July 2019 Page 2 of 265 ABSTRACT This thesis is concerned with gender and legitimacy in political representation. This work contributes to the field of politics and gender, through an in-depth examination of political representation at the local level which is under-researched. The study focuses on elected and unelected local representatives, in a study site where elected women have achieved ‘gender balance’, as in equal numerical representation (50% of the seats) at council level. It analyses their experiences and perspectives, and those of their peers (elected men, and unelected women) in order to identify gender dimensions and explore the concept of legitimacy . It is based on original qualitative data collected using semi-structured interviews with elected and unelected representatives, at the local level. Secondary data collection has been used to supplement the interview data. The research finds that the legitimacy of unelected and elected women in representative positions at the local level is contested; that gender is a factor in the relationships between the representatives and the represented; and that there are gender dimensions which affect the representational work of both elected and unelected women. It also finds that there are dynamic inter-connections between elected and unelected women which enable the representatives to better navigate the complex ‘geometry of representation’ at the local level. The research is important because it contributes to current debates regarding the legitimacy of women as both elected and non-elected representatives, and because it sheds light on gendered dimensions of local level political representation, at a time when ‘gender balance’ and the legitimacy of women in public life, are of contemporary interest. Page 3 of 265 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research and this thesis would not have happened without the work and support of many people. First, those women who live in some of the most deprived communities across the North East who got involved with local regeneration partnerships, on a voluntary basis, to improve their neighbourhoods and the lives of their families, friends and neighbours. I was inspired to start this journey by their extraordinary determination, tireless effort and great humour. Second, the women and men who gave up their time to talk to me about their experiences of local level representation. The interviewees of course, who were generous with their time and their views, and on occasion, more frank than either of us had anticipated. And, the many other friends and colleagues who contributed their thoughts (scholarly and everyday) which have helped to shape my thinking and this thesis. Third, my supervisors Keith and Ruth. It would still be a pile of paper and random thoughts if it wasn’t for your quiet confidence throughout, and later your patient, dedicated and invaluable insistence that I ‘get it done’. And a special mention for Karen, whose incredible capacity and endless enthusiasm for supporting other scholars, is much appreciated. And not forgetting the wonderful web of women (and men) which surrounds me. Some groups deserve special mention for keeping me going through good times and bad: the Gender and Society feministas; the Thesis Fandango and ex-205 gangs; the Guilders’ Women; the Glenamara lasses; and of course - the Regan clan. I know you’re all somewhat surprised and hugely relieved that it’s done. I thank you all. I dedicate this work to my mum Coral Grace, to Angie (1953-2018), and to AJ (1939-2018). Page 4 of 265 LIST OF CONTENTS Page Abstract 3 Acknowledgements 4 List of Contents 5 List of Figures and Tables 9 Declaration 10 Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Introduction 11 1.2 Statement of Problem 11 1.3 Conceptualising Representation 12 1.3.1 A Note about ‘Women’s Interests’ 1.4 Conceptualising Legitimacy 16 1.4.1 Political Legitimacy: conventional approaches 1.4.2 Weberian and Sociological approaches 1.4.3 Gender 1.4.4 Organisational Approaches 1.4.5 Legitimacy and Authority 1.5 Representative Claims and Legitimacy 30 1.6 Research Questions and Approach 37 1.7 Focus and Rationale 39 1.8 Personal Engagement with Research Question 42 1.9 Outline of Chapters 45 1.10 Summary 45 Chapter 2: Context 2.1 Introduction 47 2.1.1 The Research Study Area 2.2 Local Background 48 2.2.1 Population and Gender Women Ethnicity 2.3 Democratic Political Context and Elected Representatives 54 2.3.1 The landscape of elected representatives Page 5 of 265 2.3.2 Local government and ‘democratic renewal’ 2.3.3 Representative role of councillors 2.3.4 Local Councillors 2.3.5 Council Leadership 2.3.6 Ethnicity of elected representatives 2.3.7 All-Women Shortlists and Labour Women’s Network 2.4 Civil Society Context and Unelected Representatives 66 2.4.1 Civil Society and the Voluntary Sector 2.4.2 The Voluntary Sector and Gender 2.4.3 The Voluntary Sector: North East and Tyneside 2.4.4 VCS on Tyneside 2.4.5 The ’women’s sector’ on Tyneside 2.5 Policy Context: Local Governance 75 2.6 Summary 77 Chapter 3: Methodology 3.1 Introduction 78 3.1.1 Research Focus and Questions 3.2 Theoretical Approach 79 3.2.1 Epistemology 3.2.2 A Note on Standpoint and Intersectionality 3.2.3 Feminist Methodology: Key Features 3.3 Research Design 84 3.3.1 Introduction 2.3.2 Rationale 3.4 Research Practice 88 3.4.1 Research Methods 3.4.2 Research Relationships, Rapport and Reflexivity 3.4.3 Population and Samples 3.4.4 Practicalities 3.4.5 Positionality 3.4.6 Cross-Gender Interviewing 3.5 Analysing the Data 102 3.5.1 Introduction 3.5.2 The Process: Raw Data to Themes 3.5.3 Interpretive Authority 3.6 Evaluation of Research Process 110 3.6.1 The Choice of Research Methods 3.6.2 The Research Sample 3.6.3 Reflexivity and the Interviews 3.6.4 Anonymity and Confidentiality 3.7 Summary and Conclusions 114 Page 6 of 265 Chapter 4: Unelected Representatives 4.1 Introduction 115 4.2 Unelected Representatives 115 4.2.1 Being Representatives 4.2.2 Gender Dimensions 4.3 Unelected Representation 130 4.3.1 Doing Representation 4.4 Unelected Representation: Connections 138 4.4.1 Inter-connections: Women Representatives What’s Gender got to do with it? What’s Feminism got to do with it? 4.5 Summary 150 Chapter 5: Elected Representatives 5.1 Introduction 152 5.2 Elected Representation 152 5.2.1 Being Representatives 5.3 Does Gender Matter? 158 5.3.1 Elected Representatives: Gender 5.3.2 Elected Representatives: Women 5.3.3 Elected Representatives: Men 5.3.4 Elected Representatives: Gender and Constituents 5.4 Gender Balance 175 5.5 Gender and Legitimacy 179 5.6 Gender, Casework and Constituency 186 5.7 Gender and Emotions Management 191 5.8 Summary 194 Chapter 6: Discussion and Conclusions 6.1 Introduction 195 6.1.1 Research Questions 6.2 Key Findings 197 6.2.1 Women, Legitimacy and Representation 6.2.2 Unelected Representatives 6.2.3 Elected Representatives 6.3 Discussion 201 6.3.1 Similarities 6.3.2 Differences 6.3.3 Challenges Page 7 of 265 6.4 Contributions to Knowledge 219 6.5 Limitations of the Study 221 6.6 Areas for Future Research 222 6.7 Conclusions 222 Appendices A: Women’s Organisations, Tyneside 225 B: Participant Information Sheet 227 C: Research Consent Form 229 D: Participant Demographic Data Form 231 E: Interview Topic Guide 232 F: Figure 3 - Types of Political Representatives 234 Glossary 235 Bibliography 237 Page 8 of 265 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figures Page Figure 1: Map of Tyneside, the study area 48 Figure 2: Typology of Researcher’s Insider/Outsiderness 99 Figure 3: Types of Political Representatives (Appendix F) 234 Tables Table 1: Different Approaches to Conceptualising Legitimate 29 Authority Table 2: Population totals and by gender, Tyneside 50 Table 3: MPs and other elected roles by gender, North East 56 Table 4: Councillors by Gender, Tyneside (2015) 60 and 92 Table 5: Councillors by Gender, Tyneside (2017) 61 Table 6: Leadership Roles by Gender, Tyneside (2016) 62 Table 7: Features of Interview Respondents 95 Page 9 of 265 DECLARATION I declare that the work contained in this thesis has not been submitted for any other award and that it is all my own work.