Voting Behaviour and the Media Flashcards

Question

**2017** Voting Stat in **East Ham** which is **77% BAME**

Answer 1

**83.2%** Labour **12.8**% conservative This is most likely because the conservative's opinion on immigration as well as a link with class and lower income families.

Answer 2

Young voters are far more likely to vote Labour ## Footnote ***23% of 65+ - Labour***

Answer 3

Women throughout history were far more likely to vote conservative because they didnt work and were concerned more with household prices. Considering this the fact that women now equally vote CON and LAB and young women are considerably more likely to vote Labour shows a swing 2019 election **65% 18-24 women voted for LAB, compared to 46% of 18-24 men.** This might be because **86% of Tory Austerity** is estimated to have come from women's pockets.

Answer 4

The party leader's **personality or charisma** can have a big affect on the party's succsess. Eg - 1983 ***Thatcher*** seen as strong and formidable whereas ***Foot's*** intelligence didnt appeal to Labour's core voters. ***Blair*** young energetic family man contrast to ***Major***. Eg. ***May*** was disliked, ***Corbyn*** wasnt trusted. Televised debates and interviews are when this begins to become apparent.

Answer 5

An assement of how effective a party has been in government. **Control of Events:** Callaghan could not control the Winter of discontent strikes and was misquoted saying *"Crisis, what crisis?" -* Lost 1979 election **Policy:** Thatcher's gov stuck to their promise of changing the economic model and were rewarded with electoral success. **Party Unity, Strong leadership:** Blair's Labour shows voters rewarding a party who had a clear vision and united party.

Answer 6

Widely accepted that the economy is one of the most salient voting motivators Voters are much more likely to support if a party has handled the economy well and vice versa. Eg **1978** *'**Winter of Discontent'*** played a key role in **Thatcher's** **1979** victory. in **2010** the tories were able to blame **Brown's Labour** for the **2008 *financial crisis.***

Answer 7

They won **_5/75_** of the most ethnically diverse constituencies

Answer 8

Traditionally those with a higher education go on to earn more money and therefore were more likely to vote Tory But we have seen a drastic change now in the 21st century where higher degree = more likely to vote labour **2019** Degree or higher _LAB_ **43**% / _CON_ **29**%

Answer 9

* Labour (Harold Wilson) won the **1974** GE and **Callaghan** succeeded Wilson as **Leader** in **1976**. 1975 - Callaghan had been responsible as **Foreign Secretary** for the **re-negotiation** of membership in the **European Communities.** * In the **1974** GE they only won a **small** **majority** and when Callaghan came in they had **_no majority at all._** * Callaghan was forced to strike a confidence supply agreement with the Lib dems, the ***_"Lib Lab Pact"_***

Answer 10

* **Lib-Lab** pact only lasted til August **1978** and at this point Callaghan could have called a _GE_ as the economy was stable and he was popular but he _didnt_. * The **Winter of Discontent** began when the gov gave tanker drivers a _14_% raise but everyone else was capped at _5_%, leading to **_mass strikes._** * **_Devolution_** referendum was held and Scot voted yes but the lack of majority meant the decision couldnt be implemented. * Labour lost more by-elections, the **_SNP withdrew suppor**_t and a _**vote of no confidence happened._**

Answer 11

Steel (Lib Dem) very charasmatic * Callaghan actually more popular as a person than Thatcher but his competence wasnt trusted and people had little confidence * "Crisis, what crisis?" made him look out of touch **The Conservatives were 10 points ahead in the polls at the beginning of the campaign.**

Answer 12

Thatcher employed **Saatchi and Saatchi** advertising company to run a convincing campaign off *"Labour isnt working"* She participated in **voice coaching** to make her voice seem more appealing Used **photo opportunities** to command her public image, ), holding a calf, drinking tea in a factory (highlighting her **'house wife'** persona and getting women to vote for her - Wilson addmitted his wife was voting for her) Played her adverts when factories had lunch.

Answer 13

Cardiff Very working class city Showed people that she wants to prioritise the working class etc

Answer 14

***"Iron Lady"*** - presents her as strong and capable ***"Our Maiden"*** and ***"Our Maggie"*** - likeable and docile, appeal to the housewife and women voters.

Answer 15

Inflation is the rate at which the prices for goods and services increase. It's one of the key measures of financial well-being because it affects what consumers can buy for their money. Inflation was at its peak in **1975**, at **22.6**%. Inflation was at **10.1%** before the election

Answer 16

*'The Labour way is the better way'* promised an increase in pensions and tax cuts. However, people believed the tories were the ones who were more likely to bring taxes down. *'The Conservative Manifesto'* promised to control inflation (which was really high) and keep unions pay claims in check.(which people doubted labour could do.)

Answer 17

Turnout was **76%** which normally would have helped Labour but it didnt this time. Before the election the tory poll lead narrowed which likely helped them as their voters were encouraged to turn out.

Answer 18

Conservatives won a **43** seat majority With a **swing** to CON of **5.2%, largest** since **1945** **15%** swing in **working** class voters - class dealignment **20%** more **young women** voters supported CON.

Answer 19

* Focused on the **economic incabilitiy** of **Labour** Gov previously. * The **lack** of **control** over **unions** Her own: **Right to buy council housing** **Policies to lower inflation** *- Issues lower classes care about*

Answer 20

Kinnock (L) lost to Major and then resigned. Taken over by John Smith (Very left wing and didnt want to change much.) Blair came in in 1994 and wanted to attract more middle class voters so created **'New Labour'**

Answer 21

**1992** There had been a **recession** that begun in the 1980s The collapse in the pound sterling forced **Britain to withdraw from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism** (ERM).

Answer 22

Landslide victory for Blair The conservatives suffered internal divisions, poor leadership and failed to seem relevant to contemporary society. Voters felt they had not dealt with the 1990s financial crisis well Blair had a strong modern campaign, which appealed to middle class voters.

Answer 23

_Labour_ - 43% and **179 seat** majority _Tories_ - **30.7**% vote _Lib Dems_ **16.8**% vote (emerged) **Lowest share** of the Vote for Con since **1832**. Labour won a **14% swing in the middle class** group since 1992.

Answer 24

Labour achieved *more votes* across *all age groups* than the conservative party. Highest percentage coming from 18-24s. Especially in **18-24 women** with **_53_**% of them supporting Labour and only **_24_**% tories Conservatives lost **16** points in the **35-54** age group, their **largest loss.** (economy concerned)

Answer 25

* **70**% of **all non white** voters voted for _labour_ * **18**% voted for **_conservatives_** * _Labour_ gained **66**% of **Asian** Votes and **82**% of **Black** votes.

Answer 26

**45%** of those in **employment** voted for Labour As did **64%** of **unemployed** people.

Answer 27

Major **narrowly** **won** the **1992** election and immidetely lost the trust of the electorate on the **handling of the economy (**BW 1992) Major character becoming **increasingly disliked** especially compared to Blair Many ministers **resigned with accusations of sleaze** (major also involved) Also allegations that the gov was involved in **illegal arms deals with Iraq**

Answer 28

Blair took over after the sudden death of John Smith He brought new, youthful charisma as the **youngest PM since 1812.** He brought in a Third Way ideal of a ***"stakeholder society"*** ***"Mondeo Man"*** - average man, appealing to everyone

Answer 29

**Amended Clause 4** of Labour Const so they **no longer** had a commitment to **nationalisation**. Promised **not to raise income tax** Took a **hard line on crime** which was usually a conservative area. Focused on **constitutional** **reform** eg devolution and HOL. (won lib dem voters) Abandoning links with trade **Unions** and **supporting** **businesses** instead Education is a big focus

Answer 30

All the posters and campaign videos were **very relaxed and laid back**. Making him seem friendly. **Spice Girls endorsed Blair** **_Alistair Campbell_** "Spin Doctor" ran a disciplined campaign that focused on portraying Blair as **young and energetic** Blair had a **_presidential_** campaign which focused on his personality *_"Things can only get better"_* catchy song video

Answer 31

Labour won the favour of **the sun,** who never usually support Labour but this time switched because Blair was friends with **Rupert Murdoch.** The Sun normally predict who will win the election, **but on this occasion its important to note they only swapped allegiance once Labour already had a commanding lead in the polls.** (not necessarily press) Sun ran the headline "It's the sun what won it" **Biggest increase of Labour voters came from Sun readers.**

Answer 32

The economy was doing fine, the opposition party werent offering radical change. Yet there was a huge swing in voters this may suggest it was a media election and that Blair's personality and use of media benefited him hugely compared to the Conservatives.

Answer 33

Martin Bell (journalist) stood as anti sleaze candidate against Neil Hamilton who resigned amid a "Cash for questions" scandal Referendum Party took a lot of the Brexit voters away from the Conservative party as they were so divided over EU. Major was uncharasmatic and their demon eyes oster misjudged the mood of the nation

Answer 34

**June 2016** - UK voted to **leave in EU** election and Cameron Resigned May took office in July 2016 May then ruled out a snap election from September through to March **May 2017 -** May then calls **snap shock election**. At this point May was 2**0 points ahead in the polls** and some **believed** she could even win a **200 seat majority.**

Answer 35

**Class** and **partisan** **dealignment** **continued** as the electorate voted more imaginatively than ever before The way in which the campaign was fought was highly significant in determining the result The **television** debates were **influential** - indicating that **party** **leadership** is highly **important**. **Social** **media** would have a **huge** **role** to **play** in elections from now on

Answer 36

Andrew Rawnsley (political journalist) ***"Conservatives ran the worst campaign in living memory"*** They assumed the electorate would not trust Corbyn's Labour **Dementia Tax** **Uninspiring** Manifesto May's *"strong and stable leadership"* was not portrayed May didnt show up for TV debate

Answer 37

Proposal to make wealtheir pensioners pay a share of the cost of NHS homecare was labelled Dementia tax and massively stalled the campaign. the following U turn on the policy made her look dithering and inconsistent

Answer 38

May was meant to be a powerful leader but this 'strength' turned sour when she gave a series of l_acklustre, scripted, emotionless_ speeches here is when she lived up to names of "**Maybot**" She failed to turn up to televised leader debates and Caroline Lucas said *"the first rule of leadership is to show up"*

Answer 39

They had to try and make it a **leader centric campaign** and move away from the traditional conservative label. This is because they had to **appeal to UKIP voters** who are traditionally **working class.** However, this failed to win other votes as May was so **uncharasmatic.**

Answer 40

Abolish **tuition** fees Increase spending on the **police** **_Not increasing taxes_** for the **95**% of the population earning less than **£80,000** per year. Very **_anti-austerity_** message which was warmly received. **Catch All Brexit policy** - get a better deal and then put it to the people

Answer 41

Hugely sucsesful in speaking to large groups, especially young people ***"For the many not the few"*** He drew equal with May in the polls after she had such a huge lead Did interview with grime star **JME** in NME which mobilised y**oung voters.** Corbyn - **public, mass events compared to May's invite only events repeated the events of Major**.

Answer 42

Declining role of the press in elections The **Sun and daily mail** and others all **attacked** Corbyn but yet he still managed to increase his vote share by **9.6%** Even tried to associate him and others with IRA ***"Dont chuck Britain in the Cor-bin***"

Answer 43

May thought people would focus on the **valence** issues such as competence of the Labour party But they actually focused on **salient** issues such as **Brexit** **Tories** received **working class** votes that wanted **Brexit** done While **Labour** gained more **AB** pro **EU** voters

Answer 44

Resulted in a **Minority** Gov and Con had to form **Confidence and supply agreement** with the **DUP**. While **Labour** achieved a **9.6%** swing, but **Conservatives** still increased their vote share by **5.5%** (biggest % of pop vote since 1983) **Labour** won in the places that voted **remain** while **Conservatives** won in **leave** areas.

Answer 45

High youth turnout. **24%** increase in **Labour** votes in **18-24** Among those with **GCSEs** or less the tories beat labour by **22**% and in those with **High** **qualifications** **Labour led by 17%**

Answer 46

Lots Farage as a leader so collapsed **Over half of UKIPs 2015 voters switched to the tories** 18% to Labour and 18% remained with UKIP.

Answer 47

In **1997** _Blair_ won **_62_**% of the vote In **2017** _Corbyn_ won about **_60_**% of the vote. Shows how a landslide victory then was a loss now. How FPTP distorts the vote

Answer 48

There are strict laws governing TV/ radio political broadcasting It must be **fair** and **appropriate** must **finish by the time when the polling booths open** Broadcasters must **wait until polls close** to publish the opinion polls **Newspapers are under no such obligation.**

Answer 49

**1992** - most polls suggested that support for Labour was growing at the expense of the Conservatives and this may have encouraged a people to turnout for the Conservatives that wouldn’t have otherwise. **2015** - polls predicted a close race between Labour and the Conservatives which enabled the Conservatives to warn against the possibility of an unstable Labour SNP coalition. **2017** - most opinion polls gave the Conservatives a large majority which may have reduced the urgency for which some Conservatives or led others to believe they could protest and vote Lib dem for remain reasons, not realising how close the election truly was.

Answer 50

Become much more popular Started since 2010, and watched by **10 million viewers** May didnt show in 2017 and it damaged campaign 2019 - Johnson didnt show and was replaced by **Ice scultpure** at Climate change debate Now some think its more influential than papers

Answer 51

Elections are being increasingly influenced by social media. In **2017** Labour activists used **Facebook**, **Twitter**, **hashtags** and whatsapps to spread labours message across the Internet. Corbyn had three times more followers than Theresa May The **vilification** of Corbyn in the press **mattered less** in this election showing a **move towards social media and away from traditional press** Labour spent **money** on polling day promoting **#forthemany.** they made **corbynism** feel like a **community**

Answer 52

Public gain most their info from media - **very few read manifestos** Public are swayed by **persuasive headlines** **Politicians** are conscious of **media image** Winning in **2015** and **2017** was **supported** by majority of **press** Power of media continues to grow Social media allows for **echo chambers**

Answer 53

Public make up their mind from many **combined media sources** People will normally have **an opinion that is reinforced by the press** they read but it was still their **opinion beforehand** **parties** and **media** are **blurred** with social media Media f**ollows and reflects** publics **views** rather than **creates them**

Answer 54

Online blog that was one of the most popular news sources on facebook in the early weeks of the campaign It drew in numbers comparable with the BBC and national papers. The editor is a big supporter of Corbyn

Answer 55

* Boris Johnson, who had become prime minister in July, was unable to get his brexit deal through Parliament as he headed a minority government in a weak position * Originally, he intended that the UK should leave the EU on 31 October 2019 – the date inherited from his predecessor, Theresa May, after the originally planned departure on 29 March was missed. * Tensions had already been heightened in September by the attempt to prorogue Parliament for a month, a move which was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court. * Under the terms of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act he could not call a general election without the support of two-thirds of MPs. * Mistrust of the prime minister was such that he failed three times MPs also passed the ‘Benn Act’, which prevented Johnson from taking the UK out of the EU without a deal. * The prime minister finally secured his election by introducing an ‘Early Parliamentary General Election Bill’, which circumvented the FTPA and required only a simple majority to pass * Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who had hitherto blocked an early poll, now supported it. Arguably he had little choice once the SNP and Liberal Democrats had signalled their acceptance. His judgement was questioned by some members of his own party, who feared that they were being forced to fight an election in unfavourable circumstance. More than 100 Labour MPs absented themselves from the vote or abstained.

Answer 56

* The Conservatives focused on their pledge to ‘get Brexit done’, with Johnson repeating insistently that his deal was ‘oven-ready’there were also promises of increased spending on the NHS, police and infrastructure. Thatcherite tax-cutting priorities were set aside in order to reassure voters that this was a ‘One Nation’ party which believed in public services. * The Labour manifesto was the most radical in a generation. It comprised tax rises for those on higher incomes, extensive renationalisation of privatised services and ambitious plans for investment in public services, designed to end the ‘decade of austerity’.

Answer 57

The three main UK party leaders ran ‘**presidential**’ campaigns focused on themselves. They journeyed across the country in ‘battle buses’ to events where they were greeted by rapturous audiences of party loyalists.

Answer 58

* The Conservatives ran a tightly disciplined campaign. * All candidates were required to pledge loyalty to the prime minister’s Brexit plan. Most of the unreconciled rebels did not stand * Johnson played it safe during the campaign, which came as a surprise given his normally ebullient nature. * Towards the end of the campaign Johnson mishandled an encounter with a journalist who tried to make him look at photos of a four- year-old boy sleeping on a hospital floor.

Answer 59

* Johnson’s decision to hammer home ‘get Brexit done’ contrasted sharply with Labour’s lack of clarity on the issue. Corbyn’s eventual declaration that he would remain neutral in a second referendum did not inspire people on either side of the argument. * In the final stages of the campaign, worried that it had pivoted too far towards the Remain position, Labour switched its focus to Leave-supporting seats in its northern heartlands, but without success. * The Labour leader was widely regarded as a negative factor for his party, with many candidates reportedly forced to listen to harsh criticism of him when canvassing. * Corbyn’s failure to deal with anti-Semitism on the Labour left, for which he was slow to apologise, was a continuous source of embarrassment for the party.

Answer 60

* All parties used social media to send out targeted messages, but the Conservatives proved more effective in doing so than in the 2017 contest, when they had been outpaced by Labour. * They used focus groups and polling to reach voters whose political loyalties could be swayed. The party stepped up its Facebook advertising in marginal seats during the last week of the campaign. A stream of messages warned undecided voters that Corbyn could become prime minister with Liberal Democrat and SNP support, and that Johnson needed just nine more seats to deliver Brexit. * There were also reports of arguably unscrupulous tactics, including the renaming of the Conservatives’ Twitter account as the more neutral- sounding ‘factcheckUK’, with the letters ‘from CCHQ’ in small print.

Answer 61

* CON gain 47 seats, LAB lose 69 * CON majority of 80 * LAB worst result since 1935

Answer 62

* The loss of Labour’s so-called ‘red wall’ in the north. The Conservatives won 33 of the 63 seats in this area. Their gains included constituencies such as Blyth Valley – traditional manufacturing and mining towns, many of which had returned Labour MPs for up to a century * This remarkable turn-around was partly explained by the fact that these seats had voted for Leave in 2016, and there was widespread disillusionment with Labour’s lack of clarity on Brexit * Voters here were disappointed that Parliament had not delivered the result of the referendum, three-and-a-half years on. * Conversely, Labour held on to most of its seats in London, a mainly pro-Remain area. * There were other factors in play; A YouGov poll of Labour voters who deserted the party in 2019 indicated that Corbyn’s leadership was the main reason for 35 per cent of them, compared to 19 per cent who cited Brexit. Most respondents in this second category felt that he had not offered strong leadership on the issue. * On crime and immigration, the London-based Labour leadership was out of touch with much of its northern grassroots. There is evidence in these areas of a longer-term process of disillusionment with Labour.

Answer 63

* According to analysis by YouGov, age was the most important determinant of voting. 56 per cent of those in the 18-to-24 age bracket voted Labour, compared to only 14 per cent of those aged 70 and over. * For every ten years older a voter was, the chance of them voting Conservative increased by nine points, and the chance of them voting Labour decreased by eight points. * Overall the voting patterns of men and women were very similar, except in the 18-to-24 group, where 28 per cent of men but only 15 per cent of women voted Conservative.

Answer 64

* The declining importance of class, already witnessed in 2017, was evident in 2019. * Labour scored 33 per cent in both the ABC1 classes (middle-class ‘white collar’ occupations) and C2DEs (working-class ‘blue collar’ occupations). * The Conservatives were ahead of Labour in all classes but scored more highly among C2DEs (48 per cent) than among ABC1s (43 per cent). * Levels of education were a clearer dividing line than social class. The Conservatives outperformed Labour by 58 to 25 per cent among voters with the lowest level of educational qualification (GCSE or below) but amongst those with a university degree they trailed Labour by 29 to 43 per cent.

Answer 65

* Brexit was a salient issue in the 2019 election - The Conservatives were supported by 74 per cent of Leave voters but only 19 per cent of Remain voters. * This links to a theme which has been increasingly central in modern elections: voters’ perceptions of the various parties’ governing competence.