The impact of education on voting behaviour

Question 1

Why had the impact of education previously been too difficult to quantify?

Answer 1

Because very few people sat A levels or went to university

Question 2

Traditionally, how have those with higher education and better qualifications tended to vote?

Answer 2

Conservative

Question 3

What happened for the first time in the year between 2017-18?

Answer 3

50% of school leavers went on to some form of higher education

Question 4

What is the impact of education on voting behaviour generally speaking?

Answer 4

It has a liberalising effect, making people more likely to vote for Labour or the Lib Dems

Question 5

Describe how those who held a degree voted in 2017

Answer 5

• 47% voted for Labour or the Lib Dems
• 36% voted for the conservatives
• 4% voted for UKIP

Question 6

Describe how those with no formal qualifications voted in 2017

Answer 6

• 23% voted for Labour or the Lib Dems
• 53% voted conservative
• 17% voted UKIP

Question 7

Describe the left/right shift for those who have GCSEs

Answer 7

62% voted for those on the right and 31% voted for those on the left

Question 8

Describe the left/right shift for those who have A-levels

Answer 8

39% voted for those on the left and 49% voted for those on the right

Question 9

How can education be used to explain social dealignement?

Answer 9

• The conservatives have gained support in working class, traditionally Labour supporting areas that have lower levels of education
• AB and C1 areas that may traditionally have voted conservative now vote for Labour due to higher levels of education

Question 10

Why would it be wrong to see education as a crucial divider in British politics?

Answer 10

Because the conservatives still received more votes than Labour at all levels of education