Elections and Referendums (UK) Flashcards

Question

Why does electoral reform for general elections seem unlikely?

Answer 1

-The Labour Party called off their support for the idea when they began winning general elections in 1997. -Little public appetite for reform - 68% voted in 'No' in the 2011 AV referendum.

Answer 2

-Genuine Democracy- Governments may have a questionable mandate because of low participation, it decisively provides the government with a mandate on a single political issue. -Settles divisive issues - settles issues which divides both the government and nations. (1999 Good Friday Agreement Referendum gave the UK a clear mandate to implement the Good Friday Agreement. -Entrenches constitutional reforms - devolution elections. -Encourages political participation. 2014 Scottish Independence (85%) turnout. 2016 referendum - 75% turnout. -The electoral commission - ensures referendums are conducted fairly.

Answer 3

-Poor turnout - AV 2011 - 41%. -Failure to settle controversial issues - 2014 Scottish independence referendum didn't settle the matter. -Referendums over simplify complex debates. -Government manipulate timing and the questions in Referendums. -Voter manipulation - 2011 AV referendum used to punish Nick Clegg. -Political decisions should be left to elected representatives. -Referendums are extremely expensive

Answer 4

Focuses on long-term factors such as social groups and social characteristics as the main influence on how individuals vote.

Answer 5

Also focuses on the long-term factors, sees voters as psychologically attached to a particular parry, identifying with them and supporting them in spite of any short-term factors.

Answer 6

Focuses on short term models. The spatial model holds that voters will support the candidate who shares their positions divisive/salient political questions. The valance models assumes that voters places their vote on which party appears the most capable - they consider the party's leader, reputation, branding and the media coverage.

Answer 7

Region Class Gender Age Ethnicity.

Answer 8

Key issues/policies/manifestos Performance in office. Leaders Image Media Coverage.

Answer 9

-Recently we have seen class dealignment. -2017 general election saw a weak correlation in class.

Answer 10

-Post-industrial society: recently the economy has undergone a transition from an industrial to a post-industrial economy. this has disrupted the stable alignment that traditional working class areas had with Labour. -Social Mobility: Psephologists argue that recent decades have seen a process of embourgeoisement - people are becoming more middle class. Centrist party policy: new parties have adopted centrist policies (New Labour ) and the number of floating voters increasing.

Answer 11

The 'Female' vote - both labour and conservatives have attempted to increase the number of female MPs - such as with the all women list. Historically - conservatives were more likely to have female support (housewives) and Labour were more likely to enjoy support from men (more likely to be unionised). - Recently there has been a reverse in the trend. Gender switch caused by the fact that some are more likely to be employed.

Answer 12

-Younger voters more likely to vote labour. (more likely to favour equal distribution of wealth and liberal policies). Older voters: more likely to vote conservative - ride people more sceptical in creating an equal society.

Answer 13

56% 21% voted conservative.

Answer 14

Ethnic minority voters - strongly aligned with labour. 82% of black voters , voted labour in 1997. Labour has history of supporting and advancing the rights of ethnic minorities - conservatives have long been associated with anti-immigration sentiment.

Answer 15

North/South divide - labour support stronger in the north, conservative support stronger in the south. Urban areas more likely to vote labour. Wales - a traditional labour stronghold - currently led by Vaughan Gething. Scotland -- traditional labour stronghold, but has recently been dominated by the SNP since 2015.

Answer 16

- Conservative win under Johnson. - age was the clearest factor with 56% of 18-24 voting lab and 67% of 70+ voting Con - class re-alignment with C2DE now voting Con - education also strong with educated voting Lab

Answer 17

2015: 11 seats changed. 2019: 79 seats changed

Answer 18

Emphasises the importance of regency factors, arguing that voters evaluate the options and make a conscious choice based on a range of factors.

Answer 19

Holds that voters will support the candidate who shares their position on divisive political questions and so consider issues, manifesto and policies.

Answer 20

Assumes that voter base their vote more on which party appear more capable.

Answer 21

Voters who decide how to vote by identifying which parties policies are most aligned with their views.

Answer 22

Conservatives pledged to get Brexit done. Labour promised a second referendum on the UK's membership of the EU. Lib Dems pledged to revoke article 50.

Answer 23

Clegg was an electoral liability because of his support for raising tuition fees while in coalition with the conservatives. Miliband was portrayed as dangerous left-wing and geeky.

Answer 24

May was criticised for her dull and uninspiring campaign -'Maybot' decided not to participate in a leadership debate. Corbyn credited with energising young voters with rallies and down to earth persona, his outsides status may have cost labour votes in the centre ground.

Answer 25

Johnson and eccentric person was credited with winning voters. Corbyns reputation damaged with accusations of being anti-british, anti-semitic and sympathetic to IRA terrorists.

Answer 26

Most newspapers (owned by wealthy individuals e.g Rupert Murdoch) backs the conservatives. Labour only receives consistent support from the Guardian and Mirror. Recently newspaper readership has declined. 1992: 'It was the sun wot won it'. 1997: 'The sun backs Blair'.

Answer 27

2017: Labour's credibility over public finance was called into question when Dianne Abbot gave a muddled interview on LBC radio.

Answer 28

News Broadcasts and political party broadcast - can't be bought. All newsreaders are bound by law to be politically neutral. BBC accused of having a bias: 2019, Johnson avoided the scrutiny faced by every party leader in the Andrew Neil interviews.

Answer 29

Media often declare winners and loosers.

Answer 30

-Parties use of social media unregulated.

Answer 31

Polls encourage the bandwagon effect - undecided voters vote for the party which is predicted to win.

Answer 32

The argument that the media directly determine voting behaviour. 1992: 'Its the sun wot won it'. The influence of Murdoch.

Answer 33

Media influence which issues become salient thought their coverage. The media tends to focus on the economy. There was a strong focus on Brexit.

Answer 34

Media presents leaders and issues in such a way as to influence voters choices - 2019 portrayal of Corbyn as anti-British and dangerously left-wing.

Answer 35

After winning narrowly in 1974 the Labour government led by Callaghan had lost its majority - the vote was triggered by a vote of no confidence. Election took place in the after math of the winter of discontent - a period of widespread strike action by pubic-sector workers. -Callaghan's government was accused of being hijacked by the far left. Thatchers conservatives were influenced by the ideology of the New Right.

Answer 36

Conservatives had been in power for 18 years. Majors conservatives had been rocked by a deep recession, bitter infighting regarding the EU (Maastricht Treaty) and sleaze scandals. Blair recognised the traditional working class was in decline and adopted third way labour centrist politics that were designed to appeal to middle class voters. Clause IV was amended.

Answer 37

Conservatives had been in power since 2010. Since 2016, there had been a deadlock over the issue of Brexit. Johnson had become PM in July 2019 but was unable to build any unity within his own party, let alone have parliament pass a Brexit deal.

Answer 38

The economy was in a poor state, high inflation growing unemployment and falling growth. Thatcher was the first female leader of a major party. Key issue was the power of Trade unions. The winter of discontent had caused serious disruptions.

Answer 39

Economy and suffered a depression recession. Public services appeared to be in decline. Conservatives were deeply divided regarding Britain's membership of the EU. Sleaze scandals such as the David Mellor affair.

Answer 40

The salient issue was Brexit. Brexit was divisive. Other issues of economy, NHS and education.

Answer 41

Labour - Promised to control unions. Follow a moderate economic policy. Rejected more radical socialist policies favoured by the left wing of the party. Conservatives: Proposed a right to buy scheme for council house tenants. Tax cuts. Curtail the power of trade unions. Boost the economy and employment by swapping to free market economics.

Answer 42

Conservatives: Pledged to continue with its economic polices which were leading Britain to an economic recovery following the recession in the early 1990s. Opposed devolution - argued it would lead to the break up of Britain. Labour: Proposed smaller class sizes. Fast track punishment for young offenders. Cut NHS waiting lists. Put 250,000 unemployed under 25 year olds to work. Income tax freeze. Devolution.

Answer 43

Conservatives: Get Brexit done. Vote for the conservatives was a vote for Boris Johnson Brexit deal. Pledged no rises to income tax. 50,000 new nurses. Net zero by 2050. Labour: Renegotiated Brexit deal followed by a second referendum. Pledged massive investment in the public sector. End charitable status of private schools 10p/hr minimum wage. Nationalise key industries. Lib Dems: Revoke article 50. SNP: Promised IndyREf2

Answer 44

-First modern general election - mass media paying a prominent role. Media focuses heavily on the leaders creating a presidential campaign. Sun switched support from Labour to conservatives, sun accused Callaghan with being out of touch with it Crisis.

Answer 45

Following a meeting between Blair and Murdoch, The sun switched its support to the Labour Party - perhaps leading public opinion. 62% of the papers were pro-labour. New Labour had a proactive approach to media 'spin doctors' managed interactions with the media. Campaign was presidential - media attention focused heavily on Major and Blair. Media coverage of 'sleaze' scandals tarnished the conservative reputation.

Answer 46

Print media took sides along typically lines. Both conservatives and labour spent money on YouTube and Facebook. Conservatives 'love actually' party election broadcast were broadcast on TV and YouTube and shared widely on social media. Analysis of online media showed significantly higher volumes go engagement with content from Corbyn rather than Johnson. The conservatives and labour worked together to exclude other parties from a leaders debate on ITV. Johnson declined to participate in other leaders debates', the only major party ro decline an intimation to be interviewed.

Answer 47

-Decisive victory of conservatives with a majority of 43. - C2 voters were won over by the conservatives policies of right to buy. -Conservatives benefited from a mood for change following the winter of discontent. -Marked the beginning go the Thatcher-era and 18 years of conservative rule.

Answer 48

Landslide victory for Labour. Campaign appeared to have little impact on results - seemed to have been determined by the recession of the early 1990s. Labour stayed in power for the next 13 years.

Answer 49

Decisive victory for conservatives - 80 seat majority. Jeremy Corbyn resined in the wake of his defeat - replaced by Keir Starmer - brought labour back to the centre-ground. Lib dems won 11 seats - leader Jo Swinson loosing her seat. SNP dominated in Scotland, won 48/59 seats.

Answer 50

-All areas were swung by conservatives. -Conservatives dominated by ABC1 vote. -Conservatives won in every age group except for 18-24.

Answer 51

Labour made significant gains overall. Conservative were wiped out in Scotland, Wales and London. Labour dominated all age groups except 65+ Labour won the white vote and received support from BME voters.

Answer 52

Conservatives omitted rural England and had significant success in red wall seats. Conservatives dominated across all social classes. Men were slightly more likely to vote conservative than women. At 39 years old people became more likely to vote conservative. Lab performed best amongst young and BAME voters.

Answer 53

Thatchers majority allowed her to begin transforming Britain - privatised public industries and reduced union strikes. Thatchers policies became bolder when she won a landslide in 1983.

Answer 54

Blairs huge majority called him to implement a wide range of policies: -Devolution -Removal of hereditary peers in the Lords. -The passing go the Human Right Act 1998. -The freedom of information act 2000 -introduction of a minimum wage.

Answer 55

-80 seat majority gave Johnson a mandate to proceed with his Brexit deal - Uk left Eu on 31st January 2020. Political landscape was changed in 2020 because of covid-19.