Roadblocks to interactive digital adoption? Elite perspectives of party practices in the United Kingdom

Digital technology has often been heralded for its capacity to facilitate more interactive forms of political engagement. In the party context, many early studies found little evidence of this practice, but more recent citizen-focused interventions suggest the emergence of a more interactive approach. This article responds to such findings by asking whether party elites are embracing interactive digital tools and what explains current practices. This article conducts case studies of two parties within the United Kingdom – The Labour Party and the Green Party. Interviews are used to examine attitudes and practices in two different areas of party activity: electoral campaigning and internal governance. While there is little evidence of elite interest in the interactive potential of digital tools in the former, there is more evidence of interest in the latter area, even though barriers exist that frustrate the enactment of these ideas. Exploring the significance of parties’ objectives and organizational traits, this article examines explanations for these outcomes and, in so doing, helps scholars and practitioners alike to understand, identify and tackle barriers to the adoption of interactive digital tools by party elites.