Political participation in the UK

Question 1

High participation via social media

Answer 1

• Growing importance of blogging, tweeting and general social media campaigning.
• Campaigns on current issues like hospital closures, building projects, miscarriages of justice and demands to inquiries into large companies’ behaviour which easily mounted within a few hours and days (Sarah Everad and George Floyd).
• Information on ‘social evil’ can circulate very quickly, putting pressure on decision-makers and elected representatives.
• Labour placing ads on Twitter increased voting from 18-25 year olds in the 2017 election; Cons placing Facebook ads for Leave-EU ppl.
• 38 Degrees, change.org to help with movements.

Question 2

Low participation via social media

Answer 2

• Generally limited the youth, for certain ages of the population may not know how to use technology.
• Allow people to be influenced politically, possibly allowing fake news to arise.
• Placing ADs on Twitter for Lib Dems failed to increase their voting share - not always effective.

Question 3

High participation via party membership

Answer 3

• Labour Party membership surged in 2015 when, Ed Miliband established that party membership was only £3 to enable a wider section of Labour supporters to vote in the leadership elections. A largely young, new cohort (incr. youth participation) elected Jeremy Corbyn and changed the direction of the party to a more drastic left.
• Following the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum, membership of the SNP surged, with over 100, 000 members in a population of just over 5 million.
• Increase in UKIP membership in the run-up to the 2015 general election - 50, 000 signed up to the party, becoming the fourth largest party in terms of membership.
• After the 2015 election, and in the run up to the 2017 election, membership of the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party rose.

Question 4

Low participation via party membership

Answer 4

• Steady, accelerating decline since the 1940/50s, when party membership rose to over 3 million - mostly Tories.
• In 1980, membership was was 4.12% and fell in 2016 to 1.08% of the electorate.
• Explains possible apathy to politics as people don’t feel represented by MPs and political parties.

Question 5

The issue with party membership and political participation

Answer 5

The high figures doesn’t mean mass memberships were politically very active but gave indication of mass engagement with politics at some level.

Question 6

High participation via electoral turnout

Answer 6

• The UK is in the middle of the ‘league table’ = an average of 66.1/68.7% in 2015/2017 while the USA is 54.9/55% in 2012/16.
• Voters have a say on single issues - important referendums have higher turnouts than in recent general elections (Scottish Independence - 85% and EU - 72.21%). It’s possible like Switzerland, who often has referendums, the voter turnout will drop (varies between 40-60%).
• Despite a low turnout in 2001, there was hapathy - the public trusted and were happy with the Labour Govt at the time. However, rose from 59.4% to 61.3% in 2005 due to Blair’s handling of the Iraq War - willing to vote to show their anger.

Question 7

Low participation via electoral turnout

Answer 7

• General trend of falling turnout - gradual rise since 2001 and volatile voter turnout in referendums but not nearly as high than the 1950s (84%) compared to the fluctuating 2010s (67.3% in 2019). Especially as ppl can only vote every 5 years (Fixed Term Act) and cannot initiate referendums themselves.
• Compared to Germany and Belgium (PR), lower voter turnout in the UK due to FPTP’s disproportionate system, causing political apathy as voters feels unaccounted for their location and which party is popular there (lacks democratic legitimacy, esp with safe seats).
• Determined by if the voters understand what they are voting for (AV referendum 2011 - 42.2%) or if they with offered (Devolution from 1997-8). Regarding devolution referendums, voter turnout increased based on the demand from voters: N.I highest with 80.0%, Wales clearly refused (50%) and Scotland with low nationalism (60.4%).
• 2019’s low turnout bc. it wasn’t the normal summer time?
• Centralisation of party ideologies - less inclined to vote as they share similar policies and don’t really mind who is in power.