Political Evidence - Voting Behaviour and the Media

Question 1

Evidence to suggest that class is highly influential over voting behaviour in 1964?

Answer 1

1) Those from class group AB (highest one), 78% of that class voted for the Conservatives.
2) Those from class group DE (lowest one), 64% of that class voted for the Labour Party

Question 2

Evidence to suggest that class is not influential over voting behaviour in 2019?

Answer 2

1) Those from class group DE (lowest group), 39% of that class voted for the Labour Party.
2) Those from class group AB (highest group), 45% of that class voted for the Conservatives. A significant decrease with both class groups

Question 3

Evidence to suggest that gender is highly influential in voting behaviour in 1979?

Answer 3

1) 47% of women voted for the Conservatives compared to 43% of men
2) 35% of women voted for the Labour Party compared to 40% of men

Question 4

Evidence to suggest that gender is not influential in voting behaviour?

Answer 4

Complete flip in the 2019 GE

1) 46% of men voted for the Conservatives compared to 43% of women
2) 31% of men voted for Labour compared to 34% of women

Question 5

Evidence to suggest that age is highly influential in voting behaviour?

Answer 5

1) Every 10 years a person ages, the likelihood of voting Conservative increases by 9%
2) Every 10 years a person ages, the likelihood of voting Labour decreases by 8%
3) Labour/Conservative crossover occurs at age 39

Question 6

Evidence to suggest that age is not influential in voting behaviour?

Answer 6

1) 54% of 24-18 year olds voted in the 2019 general election

AGE IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR

Question 7

Evidence to suggest that ethnicity is highly influential in voting behaviour?

Answer 7

1) 64% of BAME citizens voted for the Labour Party in 2019
2) 18% of BAME citizens voted for the Conservatives in 1997
3) There are more BAME citizens in class group C2 and DE than there are white people in those social classes

Question 8

Evidence to suggest that ethnicity is not influential in voting behaviour?

Answer 8

Turnout is low

Question 9

Evidence to suggest that region is highly influential in voting behaviour (North East of England?

Answer 9

1) In 2017, in the North East of England, 3 out of a possible 29 seats were won by the Conservatives
2) In 2019, 10 out of a possible 29 seats were won by the Conservatives

Question 10

Evidence to suggest that region is highly influential in voting behaviour in the South East of England?

Answer 10

1) In 2001, coming off the back of a 179 seat majority, still Labour only won 22 out of a possible 83 seats
2) In 2019, Labour only won 8, the Conservatives 74.

Question 11

What % of the population are in class group AB in the last national census (2011)?

Answer 11

22%

Question 12

What % of the population are in class group DE in the last national consensus?

Answer 12

26%

Question 13

What was the turnout of class group DE in the 2019 general election?

Answer 13

53%, national average was 68%

Question 14

In 2017/2018, what % of all school leavers went onto study in university?

Answer 14

50%

Question 15

In the 2017 general election, what % of university educated people voted UKIP?

Answer 15

4%

Question 16

In the 2017 general election, what % of university educated people voted for Labour?

Answer 16

47%

Question 17

What % of DE voters voted for the Conservative Party in 1983?

Answer 17

33%

Question 18

In 1997, what % of the vote did Labour take in London?

Answer 18

49%

Question 19

What % of Labours vote share rise to because of class groups AB C1 in 1997?

Answer 19

Rose by 12%

Question 20

What % of over 65s voted for Labour in 1997?

Answer 20

41%

Question 21

What % of the vote did Labour achieve compared to their last election and what % did this lead to in terms of seats in 1997?

Answer 21

Vote share increased by 8.8%, seats increased by 25%

Question 22

What % of over 70s voted for the Conservatives in 2017?

Answer 22

69%

Question 23

What % of low skilled workers voted for the Conservative Party in 2017?

Answer 23

55%

Question 24

Evidence to suggest that Newspaper can influence voting behaviour?

Answer 24

After the 1992 the Sun claimed “Its the Sun Wot Won It”. They campaigned against Neil Kinnock and the Labour Party

Question 25

Evidence to suggest that the Sun newspaper had a major effect on voting behaviour?

Answer 25

The Sun supported Blair’s “New Labour” in 1997. It then switched to the Tories in 2010.

Question 26

How was social media crucial in the 2016 Brexit Referendum?

Answer 26

The company Cambridge Analytica was used to target voters that would usually be disenchanted from the Westminster system

Question 27

How many newspapers were in circulation in 2011?

Answer 27

14 million

Question 28

How many newspapers were in circulation in 2016?

Answer 28

11 million

Question 29

What % of Daily Mail readers support the Conservative Party?

Answer 29

74%

Question 30

What % of The Times readers support the Conservative Party?

Answer 30

58%

Question 31

How many interviews did Thatcher partake in, in 1983?

Answer 31

16 interviews
Documentary “Women in NO. 10)
—improved valence of the party

Question 32

What was the impact of the media in John Major’s tenure?

Answer 32

Party pushed neo-Conservative values. However, revealed that a number of Tory MPs were having homosexual affairs

Question 33

In 2005, what term did the Daily Mirror use to describe Tony Blair?

Answer 33

“Prime Monster”

Question 34

What was the impact of the expenses scandal uncovered by The Telegraph?

Answer 34

Alienated Westminster voters into voting for Lib Dems. Along with Clegg’s impressive performance in TV debates, Lib Dem’s did well

Question 35

What was the impact of the media on UKIP in 2015?

Answer 35

Nigel Farage got a lot of media time (despite being a small party); interviews, question times e.t.c, Brexit and immigration was salient issue leading to UKIP achieving 12.6% of the vote

Question 36

In 2017, what % of people thought that TV was the most important factor in voting? (YouGov)

Answer 36

42% of GB citizens

54% of 18-24year olds

Question 37

In 2017, what % of people thought that social media was the most important factor in voting? (YouGov)

Answer 37

26% of GB

50% of 18-24yr olds

Question 38

How many people watched Susana Reid’s interview with Boris Johnson in May 2022?

Answer 38

1.3 million

Overall show peaked 2.4 million

Question 39

How many people did Snapchat inspire to vote in 2019?

Answer 39

63, 739 = youth quake in politics

Claims to reach 80% of 13-24 yr olds