Evidence suggests that as public opinion toward immigration becomes more negative, so the
descriptive representation of ethnic minority groups is increasingly restricted. Recently, some initial
research into the causal mechanism hinted that this effect is driven by patterns of candidacy. This
suggests that political parties are ...
Evidence suggests that as public opinion toward immigration becomes more negative, so the
descriptive representation of ethnic minority groups is increasingly restricted. Recently, some initial
research into the causal mechanism hinted that this effect is driven by patterns of candidacy. This
suggests that political parties are creating an ‘ethnic penalty’ of their own in the selection stage. This
paper investigates the relationship between patterns of candidacy, party strategy, and public opinion
in Great Britain from 1997 to 2019, and proposes that ‘punitive parties’ are strongly responsible for
shaping the representational outcomes of minority groups. I find support for earlier suggestions that
parties are increasingly likely to place ethnic minority candidates away from ‘winnable’ contests as
anti-immigrant hostility rises. These findings are important for our conceptions of ethnic penalties, of
party behaviour in selection processes, and for the study and cause of improving political
representation.