4. Voting Behaviour and Media Flashcards
Thatcher’s early political career
Elected an MP in 1959
Education secretary 1970-74
Elected Conservative leader in 1975
When did Jim Callaghan become PM, why?
Became PM in 1976
Harold Wilson resigned after 2 years
Should have called election in 1978 but delayed it
Winter of Discontent
1978-1979
Callaghan imposed a 5% cap on wage rises
57,000 Ford employees on strike as wells as lorry drivers, nurses, railway, and ambulance driver.
In Feb 1979: Liverpool’s gravediggers and London’s binmen went on strike
What did Callaghan say about the Winter of Discontent?
accused public of “taking a rather parochial view”
Thatcher’s Campaign
Used publicity specialists Tim Bell and Gordon Reece
‘Labour isn’t working’
Why did Thatcher win in 1979?
- Circumstances - SNP withdrew support because 40% quorum not reached in 1979 devolution referendum (32.8%). Tories tabled vote of no confidence
- Winter of Discontent
Result of 1979 election
Conservatives gained 62 seats (339)
Labour lost 50 seats (269)
SNP also lost 9 seats
Leaders of the Labour Party
Moved left under Micheal Foot
Neil Kinnock, John Smith and Tony Blair moved the party towards the centre
Why was John Major made the leader of the Conservative party, what happened during his premiership?
John Major only elected as least controversial, majority reduced from 102 to 21 seats
What happened in Sep 1992?
Black Wednesday - UK dropped out of currency stabilizing system (ERM)
What happened to Major’s majority?
shrank to 1 following by-elections, defections and suspensions.
How was ‘back to basics’ campaign undermined
Stephen Mullighan found dead in ‘compromising circumstances’
Gary Waller admits to having an child with another MPs secretary
Stephen Norris resigns after 3 affairs
How did Blair appeal to Middle Class?
Focus on education (“Education, Education, Education”) and health also pro-business
How did Blair appeal to Tabloids?
Tough on crime, connections to south, Hospital waiting lists
How did Blair appeal to Lib Dems?
Lords reform, voting system and devolution
Results of 1997 elections
Labour gained 145 seats (418)
Conservatives lost 178 seats (165)
Parties almost equally apart 13,000,000, 9,000,000 and 5,000,000
How did age help Blair to win?
achieved more across all groups
Highest % with 18-34 year olds
In the 18-24 females 53% voted Labour, 24% Conservative
How did the Media help Blair to win?
Supported Blair
Tory Scandals
Focus groups used
How did Gender help Blair to win?
Male/female votes for Labour = 45/44%
More women working, particularly in public sector
More family focused, free nursery places
How did class help Blair to win?
Dealignment - able to appeal to middle class
How did Employment Status help Blair?
45% employed and 64% unemployed voted Labour
30% employed and 15% unemployed voted Conservative
How did ethnicity help Blair?
70% non-white voted Blair, compared to 18% conservative
Labour gained 66% Asian votes, and 82% black votes
Why did Gordon Brown lose?
- Had no personal mandate
- Financial Crisis
- Personal Image: insecure, dour, overly serious, workaholic
- Sun switched sized, papers ran stories about financial crisis and personal defects
What did the 2010 manifestoes promise?
Cut spending without cutting public services
What % agreed extra money spent by labour was wasted?
59%
What % though Brown/Cameron would be best PM?
Brown 29%
Cameron 33%
Who did the public trust with the economy?
Lab 26%
Con 29%
No one 36%
1992 GE quote about Media
‘the sun wot won it”
How many watched the 2010 GE debate?
10 million
Which papers DON’T support conservatives?
Guardian, iNews, and Mirror
Facebook was h most popular media in how many countries in 2016?
26 counttires
What % of people in the UK said social media was the main source?
28%
When was compulsory voting in Australia, what is turnout?
Introduced in 1924
fine is £12
94% turnout
10% not registered to vote
still and 84.6% turnout
How has the link between class and voting behavior changed since the 1940s?
The link between class and voting behavior has weakened since the 1940s, a phenomenon known as class dealignment.
What was the pattern of support for the Conservative Party in the 2015 general election based on class?
The majority of support for the Conservative Party in the 2015 general election came from upper middle class and middle class voters.
Which social classes predominantly supported the Labour Party in the 2015 general election?
Working class voters predominantly supported the Labour Party in the 2015 general election.
What percentages of professional and managerial voters supported the Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems in 2015?
45% Conservative
26% Labour
12% Lib Dem
How did voters from the ‘DE’ social class distribute their support among different parties in 2015?
41% of ‘DE’ social class voters supported the Labour Party, 27% supported the Conservative Party, and 19% supported UKIP in the 2015 general election.
What was the percentage of skilled workers who voted either Conservative or Labour in 2015?
32% of skilled workers voted either Conservative or Labour in the 2015 general election, indicating little alignment with either party.
What are some reasons cited to explain the trend of class dealignment in voting behavior?
Some reasons include improved social mobility, the decline of traditional working class industries, the rise of white-collar jobs, and efforts by political parties like New Labour and the Conservatives to broaden their appeal by moving to the political centre.
How did women’s voting patterns change between the 2005 and 2015 General Elections?
Women shifted from predominantly voting Conservative to supporting New Labour in 2005. By 2015, the Conservatives slightly received more female votes than Labour.
Why were women more likely to vote New Labout in 2005
Women were less likely to be employed or members of trade unions, which may have influenced their tendency to vote Conservative. New Labour targeted female voters and ran more female candidates with the use of All Women Shortslists
How did the percentages of male and female voters distribute their support between the Conservative and Labour Parties in 2015?
In 2015, the Conservatives received slightly more (37%) female votes than Labour (33%), while 38% of male voters supported the Conservatives and 30% supported Labour.