Voting behaviour

Question 1

influence of ethnicity

Answer 1

• 1997 GE
  = labour= 43% white and 70% BAME
  = tories= 32% white and 18% BAME
• 2024
  = Labour MP Diane Abbot made anti-semetic comments
  = led to 17% decrease in polls
• 2024 Rwanda Bill decreased BAME support

Question 2

influence of class

Answer 2

• 1979 GE
  = tories= A,B,C1
  = promised tax cuts
  = labour= C2,D,E
• 2019 GE
  = Wrexham and Grimsby won by tories due to LEAVE support
  = tories won a lot of C1 voters
  = Around 60% of voters in the C2, D, and E supported the Conservatives in the 2019 GE
• 1997 GE
  = tories lost Scot and Wales votes to New Labour
  = labour won 19% of C1 voters and 15% of C2 voters

Question 3

influence of online media

Answer 3

• 2019 GE
  = tories bought 2,500 Facebook ads, labour only bought 250
  = false news of £350 mil a week to NHS
• twitter algorithm is 55% more likely to promote tory view
• Murdoch is eurosceptic= reflected the Sun
• Electoral Reform Society stated that BBC Question Time Leaders’ show where both leaders spoke on tv and answered questions, helped 34% of voters to decide who to vote for
• The 2010 General Election – TV Debates= Nick Clegg got alot of public attention= reflected in GE result
• media’s portrayal of Blair as a charismatic and forward-thinking leader contrasted w Major’s negative image= seen as more modern and in touch with voters
• in 2016, a YouGov survey found that 68% of ppl in UK didn’t trust press to tell the truth, while 60% believed the media was biased

Question 4

influence of age

Answer 4

• 2017 GE
  = 80% of 70+ yrs voted
  = 57% of 18-19 yrs voted
  = labour had 47% more 18-21 yrs voters than tories

Question 5

influence of newspaper

Answer 5

• only 13% of 18-24 yrs read newspaper
• the Sun used to sell 4 mil a day, now only 1.2 mil
• 54% labour voters read online newspapers
• readership of newspapers dropped 70% since 1990s
• 1997 GE= ‘its the Sun wot won it
• 2010 GE
  = only Sunday Mirror and The Mirror supported Labour
• ownership of The Sun (Murdoch)= reflects his eurosceptic views= BIAS
• only Mirror and Guardian supported L but L still won 202 seats in 2019

Question 6

Age is influential

Answer 6

• Generational Divide in Voting Preferences= 2019 YouGov exit poll, 73% of voters 18-24 yrs voted Labour, 61% 65yrs+ supported the Conservative Party
  = reflects ideological divides= younger support Labour’s progressive platform (including policies on education, housing, and climate change) and older voters aligning with the Conservatives’ more traditional, pro-Brexit stance
• Differing Political Priorities by Age Group= 2019 General Election, the Green Party saw a surge in support from younger voters, with 54% of voters under 35 saying they supported the Green Party’s climate policies

Question 7

Age isn’t influential

Answer 7

• only 57% 18-24 yrs TO 2017, 80% 70yrs+ voted= low turnout among younger voters meant that their influence was limited
• Around 50% of voters aged 45-54 voted for Labour in 2017, 45% of voters aged 55-64 supported Labour= broader party appeal based on campaign etc not just age