This volume reports the main findings of a project, the British Political Participation Study, first conceived several years ago by the two principal investigators, Geraint Parry and George Moyser. The Study got underway officially in 1983 with funding from the British Economic and Social Research Council under Award No. E00220003. This grant made the research possible and our first debt is to the Council. We thank its staff for their helpful advice and assistance in preparing the grant application, and in subsequent phases of the research project itself. Financial assistance for travel was also provided to us by the British Academy, the American Political Science Association and our two universities. To them we also express our gratitude.

The text of the book, apart from chapter 13 and the appendix on Survey Methods, both drafted by Neil Day, was written jointly by the two co-directors of the Study, Geraint Parry and George Moyser. It is a testament to the marvels of modern transatlantic electronic mail that much of this writing and associated data analysis was accomplished while we were both separated by 4,000 miles of water!

Neil Day served most capably as the Senior Research Associate on the Study for three and a half years and we are very grateful to the College of Advanced Education in Melbourne, Australia, for releasing him on secondment to take up this important position.

The survey work itself was carried out in 1984–5 by a team from Social and Community Planning Research, led by Gillian Courtenay, who also advised on questionnaire design.