Social Factors: Ethnicity

Question 1

Ethnicity when voting

Answer 1

• POC voting is based more on social class and income.
• Technically - should be no link between ethnicity and voting behaviour = parties declare themselves colourblind and state discrimination is wrong.
• However, POC tend to be strongly biased against Tories, favouring Labour’s more liberal policies on immigration and equality. Additionally, there is a concentration of ethnic minorities in urban, industrial areas like London, Birmingham and Manchester.
• YET A DIFFERENCE - BME community is complex:
  + Hindus/Sihks votes Conservative - an increase because they are more established and tend to be middle-class.
  + Black/Muslims = votes Labour.

Question 2

Ethnicity in the election of 1997

Answer 2

• Conservatives = 18%
• Labour = 70%
• Liberal Democrats = 9%

Question 3

Ethnicity in election of 2010

Answer 3

• Conservatives = 16%
• Labour = 60% - fell due to Iraq War (issue voting).
• Liberal Democrats = 20%.

Question 4

Ethnicity in election of 2015

Answer 4

• Conservatives = 21%
• Labour = 65%
• Liberal Democrats = 4 = fell due to coalition Govt (party competence).

Question 5

Ethnicity in election of 2019

Answer 5

• Conservatives = 20%
• Labour = 64%
• Liberal Democrats = 12% - Pro-Europe stance (issue voting).