Evaluate The View That Valence Factors Are The Most Important Factors Determining Voting Behaviour In UK Elections. (30)

Question 1

Intro:

Answer 1

1. Valence factors refer to voters’ perceptions of party competence, leadership credibility and issue-handling.
2. Traditionally, voting behaviour was strongly linked to social factors, valence factors have played an increasingly important role as partisan dealignment has become more prevalent.

Question 2

Paragraph 1: Valence Factors have been important

Answer 2

1.1979, Callaghan’s failure to handle the ‘Winter of Discontent’ to a perception of Labour’s incompetence.
2. In 1997, John Major’s government lost public trust due to economic failures such as ‘Black Wednesday’ and accusations of ministerial corruption.’
3. More recently, in 2024 with ‘Partygate’, PPE scandals and leadership instability.

Question 3

P1; Valence (Ex and Eval)

Answer 3

1. Voters often prioritise a party’s perceived ability to govern effectively rather than their ideological stance.
2. They punishment the incumbent party for incompetence, rather than voting for based on traditional loyalties.
3. They are not the only factor, with issue-based concerns being equally if not more influential.

Question 4

Paragraph 2: Valence Factors are becoming more important than social factors.

Answer 4

1. In 1979, there was a clear class divide with AB 59% Conservative and DE 49% Labour.
2. However, by 2019 this pattern had shifted with 41% of DE voters supporting the Conservatives.
3. In 2024, 5% of 18-24 year olds voted Conservatives and 65+ voted 43% Conservative. In 2019, 18-24 19% Conservative and 65+ was 64% Conservative.

Question 5

Paragraph 2: Ex and Eval

Answer 5

1. Trends show that social factors play a role in voting behaviour they do not determine elections as rigidly as they once did.
2. The erosion of class-based voting especially, was shown in the 2019 Red Wall collapse.
3. They are increasingly prioritising other factors like competence and reputation.
4. Labour’s improved middle class performance in 1997 and 2024 suggests that economic and political circumstances can override traditional demographic loyalties.
5. Also when older Conservative voters swung towards Labour.

Question 6

Paragraph 3: Single issues and

Answer 6

1. In 2019, the Conservative Party’s clear message to get Brexit Done resonated with voters, especially in Leave supporting areas.
2. Labour’s pledge card campaign (to cut NHS waiting lists, take 250,000 young people off of benefits and put them into work and no rise in income tax), helped secure their landslide.
3. In 1979, swing voters also voted for Thatcher because they believed that she would be more likely to confront the growing power of trade unions.

Question 7

Paragraph 3: Ex and Eval

Answer 7

1. Voters are motivated by specific policy commitments rather than general perceptions of competence.
2. Valence factors often work with issue-based voting.
3. If voters perceive a party as more competent in handling a key issue (Brexit and economic recovery) they are more likely to support it.
4. They are not mutually exclusive but often reinforce each other.