Essay: Evaluate the view that media coverage is the most significant factor in the outcome of general elections.

Question 1

Themes

Answer 1

• Media
• Party leadership
• Party unity

Question 2

Intro

Question 3

P1 - media coverage is the most significant factor

Answer 3

• Newspapers - sway voters by focussing on personality of politicians - unapologetically partisan
• Switched ideological allegiance and party allegiance based on changing circumstance - The Sun - started as Labour - then supported Thatcher in late 1970s, switched to Blair in late 1990s, swung back to Conservatives in 2015 - impact of Murdoch
• Social Media - effect on the young - survey on eve of 2015 election - 79% of 18-24 relied on online info sources to inform themselves
• 59% used social media to inform themselves on other people’s views
• Existence of spin doctors - Campbell - 1992 - polls and media predicted Labour would win - boomerang effect
• The Sun 1992 - claimed they determined the result

Question 4

P2 - media coverage isn’t the most significant factor

Answer 4

• Newspapers are expensive and don’t provide the ‘on tap’ 24 hour politics that young people except
• However - old people are much likely to vote without the influence of social media - little evidence it influenced them in 2015
• Many people read newspapers that fit their ideological views
• Limitations of TV debates - Clegg came off well in 2010 debates - but won less seats than 2005
• Newspapers tend to back whoever is leading in the polls in an election - rather than playing a significant role in determining the result

Question 5

P3 - party leadership is most significant factor

Answer 5

• Incompetence of leaders - e.g. Callaghan - Winter of Discontent 1978-79 - no-confidence vote led to election - Thatcher seemed much stronger leader
• Brown - didn’t call election in 2007 - waited until 2010 - also financial crisis 2008-09
• 2019 - Corbyn - low vote shared - many thought he didn’t have good leadership skills

Question 6

P4 - party leadership is not the most significant factor

Answer 6

• 1992 - Major wins - despite ERM - Black Wednesday
• Media more significant - Ed Miliband - sandwich
• Leaders such as Corbyn attacked by press - Red Ed, Corbynmania

Question 7

P5 - party unity is most significant factor

Answer 7

• Lack of unity contributed to 2017 hung parliament - May - 16 resignations from Cabinet - tension over Irish border and single market
• Major 1997 - lost over European divides in Conservative party
• Blair united the Labour Party in 1997

Question 8

P6 - party unity not the most significant factor

Answer 8

• Thatcher 1983 - 2 yrs of divisions in Cabinet + gang in 25 - one-nation conservatives who disagreed with Neo-lib policies + welfare cuts - still won election
• Strength of leadership over division