Abstract
This thesis examines the impacts of party competition and societal change and modernization on the outcome of the 2010 British General Election. Through the lens of descriptive representation, this thesis focuses on the 2010 general election as a case study. Interviews are conducted with Conservative female and ethnic minority MPs, and a former candidate to determine why the number of Conservative female and ethnic minority MPs increased in 2010. Three reasons for the increase are examined; competition with the Labour Party, internal pressure from party elites, and David Cameron’s leadership. A statistical analysis is also conducted to understand how the party treats women, men and ethnic minorities differently. This section discusses how the inclusion of women and ethnic minorities into the Conservative Party’s political elite differs by group. Although the two groups may have similar goals, parties face tradeoffs when deciding to include more women and more ethnic minorities into the party structure. These tradeoffs can lead to tension between the two groups. This research contributes to literature on descriptive representation, party competition, political leadership and modernization. It examines how social justice and global migration are affecting the way political parties compete in modern Britain.