Voting Behaviour And The Media- Party Manifestos And Election Campaigns Flashcards
Manifesto
A set of commitments produced by each party at the start of an election campaign.
Mandate
The authority, granted by the people at elections, of the winning party at a general election.
The newly elected government has the authority to carry out its election proposals contained in the party manifesto.
What does the general election campaign refer to ?
The general election campaign refers to the period of time between the dissolution of Parliament (when the election is officially called) and the election day itself.
How long do election campaigns typically last?
Election campaigns typically last between 4 and 6 weeks.
What do parties do during election campaign period ?
During this period, political parties each release a party manifesto. If elected, the winning party claims a mandate to introduce the policies that it contains.
General view about election campaigns…
It is the conventional wisdom that both the general election campaign and the release of a party manifesto rarely affect the outcome of the election, but as statistics illustrates, both the campaign and the manifesto can be significant in specific circumstances.
Election years to know
1979
1997
2017
2019
1979
The campaign and manifesto were important
Margaret Thatcher ran a disciplined campaign and utilised the clever slogan ‘Labour isn’t working’ to depict rising unemployment.
1979
The campaign and manifesto were less important the other, long-term factors
Valence issues played a more prominent role. The Labour government was blamed for the winter of discontent.
1997
The campaign and manifesto were important
Labour ran a cautious election campaign to maintain its poll lead. The party manifesto reflected Tony Blair’s popularity by having his image on its front cover.
1997
The campaign and manifesto were less important than other, long-term factors
Tony Blair had positioned Labour to appeal more to middle-class voters, a process that took place long before the general election campaign.
2017
The campaign and manifesto were important
The Conservative Party was forced into a U-turn on its manifesto commitment to reform health and social care, after its policy was dubbed the ‘dementia tax’. Opinion polls narrowed thereafter.
2017
The campaign and manifesto were less important than other, long-term factors
The salient issue of Brexit affected voting patterns far more than the 6-week election campaign or party manifesto launches.
2019
The campaign and manifesto were important
Labour’s copious manifesto pledges led to questions of affordability.
2019
The campaign and manifesto were less important than other, important factors
The Conservative Party enjoyed a sizeable poll lead in the run-up to the campaign and questions of Corbyn’s leadership had plagued the Labour Party for several years.
