This chapter compares the resources of actors on the ladder of recruitment. ‘Resources’ are understood as a range of assets which can be employed to advantage in pursuing a political career. This includes personal income, union sponsorship, time, political experience, and support networks. In the analytical model, outlined in figure 8.1, it is a combination of resources plus motivation which form the necessary and sufficient conditions for seeking a parliamentary seat. Many people have the time and money to run for office, but without commitment they will not use these resources for political objectives. Others may have nursed a long-standing ambition to be in Westminster, but without the experience or contacts they may never succeed. Resources could be expected to influence either the supply or demand-side of the candidate selection process, or both.

On the supply-side, resources may place aspirants in a stronger position to pursue a political career, should they aspire to Westminster. Studies of mass political participation have commonly found individual and group-based resources to be strongly associated with different forms of activism, in political parties, interest and community groups. Resources may influence which party members enter the pool of applicants. The impact of certain resources like household income can be tested in the most straightforward way, by comparing the characteristics of members and applicants, as in the previous chapters. With some other resources, information about party members is not available, or is simply inappropriate, since certain questions about recruitment can only be asked of the political elite.