Voting Behaviour

Question 1

During the 50’s and 60’s what fraction of middle class voters voted Conservative?

Answer 1

4/5.

Question 2

During the 50’s and 60’s, what fraction of working class voters voted Labour?

Answer 2

2/3

Question 3

What did Peter Pulzer say about class and voting in Britain?

Answer 3

“Class is the basis of British party politics, everything else is embellishment and detail.”

Question 4

Give evidence of class dealignment.

Answer 4

1959 - 62% of working class voted Labour
2017 - 44%.

1974 - 56% of middle class voted Conservative
2010 - 39%

Question 5

What percentage of voters aligned to a party in 2019?

Answer 5

10%

Question 6

What percentage of lower class voters voted Conservative in 2019?

Answer 6

48%

Question 7

What percentage of upper class voters voted Lib Dems in 2019? How much greater is this than for the lower classes?

Answer 7

14%. 1.75x greater.

Question 8

Which party did women typically vote for in 1970?

Answer 8

Conservative party. The ‘70 GE was said to have been swung by the ‘housewives’.

Question 9

What percentage of men voted conservative in 2019? How many women did?

Answer 9

Men - 46%

Women - 44%

Question 10

What is age described as (electorally)?

Answer 10

‘The biggest electoral cleavage in Britain’.

Question 11

Give supporting evidence for younger people voting Labour.

Answer 11

2019 - 56% of 18-24 year olds voted Labour.

Question 12

Give supporting evidence for older people voting Conservative.

Answer 12

2019 - Conservatives secured 67% of the 70+ vote.

Question 13

How much more conservative do people get each year (percentage)?

Answer 13

Each year, people become 0.35% more Conservative.

Question 14

What percentage of 16-17 and 18-24 year olds turned out in the 2014 Scottish referendum?

Answer 14

16-17 = 75%
18-24 = 54%

Question 15

Why do BAME people typically avoid the conservative party?

Answer 15

Enoch Powell’s ‘rivers of blood’ speech in 1968 led to the Conservatives being dubbed the ‘anti-minority’ party.

Question 16

What percentage of BAMEs voted Labour in 2019?

Answer 16

64%

Question 17

What percentage of BAMEs voted Conservative in 2019?

Answer 17

20%

Question 18

What percentage of BAMEs voted Labour in 2015?

Answer 18

65%

Question 19

What percentage of BAMEs voted Conservative in 2015?

Answer 19

23%

Question 20

Do BAMEs have a higher turnout than white people?

Answer 20

No, e.g. 2019 BAME turnout was 52% compared to 63% for white people.

Question 21

What percentage of higher educated people voted Labour in 2019, compared to what percentage for Conservative?

Answer 21

43% Labour

29% Conservative

Question 22

What percentage of lower educated people voted Labour in 2019, compared to what percentage for Conservative?

Answer 22

25% Labour

58% Conservative

Question 23

Which general election saw the lowest ever turnout, what was the turnout?

Answer 23

2001 = 59.4%

Question 24

What was the cause of 2001’s low turnout?

Answer 24

‘Hapathy’ (happy and apathetic) of Blair’s 1997 landslide.

Question 25

Give three factors that effect turnout.

Answer 25

Turnout factors:
- Second - order elections often lower e.g. Hartlepool by-election 42.7%.

• Local elections - average 30-40% turnout.
• Media coverage - e.g. 2001 saw less media coverage.
• ‘Events dear boy’ - 2019 MEP elections 50.5% due to Brexit - highest since 1979.
• Length of previous premiership e.g. 1992 higher turnout after 13 years of Thatcherism?

Question 26

Give three ways in which the party leader IS the main reason for a party’s electoral success.

Answer 26

IS the main reason:
✔ Strong leaders inspire confidence form floating voters e.g. 2019 - ‘levelling up’ Britain.

✔ Sean Bean/Mr Bean - UKIP voters rated Farage as heroic / non-UKIP voters rated Farage as buffoonish.

✔ Strong performance will influence voters e.g. Thatcher the ‘iron lady’ - Falklands war - landslide 1983 victory.

✔ Blair’s charismatic, young approach to socialism was a welcomed change from 18 years of Conservative lead - leading to Blair’s landslide in 1997.

Question 27

Give three ways in which the party leader is NOT the main reason for a party’s electoral success.

Answer 27

Is NOT the main reason:
❌ People vote for MPs, not PMs - e.g. BJ voted PM with 92,000 votes.

❌ ‘Events dear boy’ - e.g. 2008 financial crash - people turned to Cameron and austerity.

❌ Core supporters of the ideology remain loyal regardless of the PM e.g. 10% identified to a party in 2019.