The Length of Ministerial Tenure in the UK 1945-1997

31 Pages Posted: 11 Jul 2008

See all articles by Samuel Berlinski

Samuel Berlinski

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) - Research Department

Torun Dewan

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Department of Government

Keith Dowding

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: December 2005

Abstract

We analyse the determinants of ministerial hazard rates in the UK from 1945-1997. We focus on three sets of attributes i) personal characteristics of the minister; ii) political characteristics of the minister and iii) characteristics pertaining to the government in which the minister serves. We find that educational background increases ministers' capacity to survive, that female ministers have lower hazard rates and older ministers have higher hazard rates. Experienced ministers have higher hazard than newly appointed ministers. Ministerial rank increases a ministers' capacity to survive, with full cabinet members having the lowest hazard rates in our sample. We use different strategies to controls for the characteristics of the government the ministers serve in. Our results are robust to any of these controls.

Suggested Citation

Berlinski, Samuel and Dewan, Torun and Dowding, Keith, The Length of Ministerial Tenure in the UK 1945-1997 (December 2005). LSE STICERD Research Paper No. PEPP16, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1158338

Samuel Berlinski (Contact Author)

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) - Research Department ( email )

1300 New York Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20577
United States

Torun Dewan

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Department of Government ( email )

Northampton NN7 1NE
United Kingdom

Keith Dowding

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

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