Voting Behaviour And The Role Of The Media In Politics

Question 1

Does the class system still matter in politics?
Yes

Answer 1

-Geographical trends still reflect core voters from distinct social classes, also reflects economic factors.
-Due to class inequality and a lack of social mobility many voters do still identify with a party based on their perceived class.
-Issues of tax and benefits remain a key distinction.
-Core voters, geographical regions, safe seat.

Question 2

Does the class system still matter in politics?
No

Answer 2

-Started to change in the 21st Century with the service economy. It used to be a main factor now more of a side factor.
-Education may be a major factor.
-Increasing property ownership and improved education make it more difficult to categorise classes.
-Successful parties have to appeal across a wide range of issues.
-Partisan dealignment and floating voters.

Question 3

Gender and voting behaviour

Answer 3

-93% of university educated women likely to vote for a left-wing party.
-Men tend to prioritise factors including nuclear and warfare whilst women tend to prioritise health and education, which shows a clear division between conservatives and labour.
-In 1997, the greatest number of female MPs were elected to the House of Commons.
-Parties have been making concerted efforts to appeal to women.
-Does not explain why the conservatives lost their majority and labour made substantial gains.

Question 4

Age and voting behaviour

Answer 4

-18 – 24-year-old voters are likely to vote for a left-wing party.
-65+ year old voters are most likely to vote conservative.
-Britain’s ageing population means the elderly population is growing as a % of the total population – more older people who are likely to vote.
-Social platforms focus on the young and distorts the reality of polling stations.
-Parties know the significance of age and tailor their policies accordingly. E.G. university fee increased will hit the young who do not vote but protecting pensions will please the elderly who doe vote.
-Parties begin to focus less on youth issues.

Question 5

Ethnicity and voting behaviour

Answer 5

-White voters learn more to the right and ethnic minority voters lean more to the left.
-In the 1960s and 70s, many conservative party members played on ‘white fright’ and fears about the changing nature of British society to win elections. This allows labour to hold a great deal of support among ethnic minority voters.
-Tendency for ethnic minority voters to favour labour possibly because of the concentration into industrial urban centres, they benefitted from labour policies of social equality.

Question 6

Reasons why voter turnout has declined

Answer 6

-A decline in social capital means that people are less inclined to feel they are part of society. There has been a growth in rights culture and media engagement.
-Partisan dealignment means people are less motivated to vote. Party loyalty may have decline, but people still engage through pressure groups and campaign, yet they don jot vote in elections.
-Declining standards in education mean people are less aware of their civic responsibilities. Citizenship lessons mean citizens are better educated than ever before.

Question 7

Are politicians to blame for declining turnout?
Yes

Answer 7

-They have failed to inspire the public.
-Scandals and corruption have turned people away from politics.
-Negative campaigning and adversarial politics have alienated many people.

Question 8

Are politicians to blame for declining turnout?
No

Answer 8

-If the public are not happy with what is on offer, they need to make their voices heard, not stay silent.
-The media are responsible for undermining respect for politics in the UK.
-Low turnout reflects social and generational changes that politicians can do little about.

Question 9

Rational choice theory

Answer 9

-Voters will make a rational judgment based on what is in their own best interests.
-Relies on voters/ the public being fully informed and vote with all the information at hand.

Question 10

Voters may not be fully informed because of…

Answer 10

-Apathy towards politics – “they’re all the same”.
-Bias based on previous political experiences.
-News media, social media, TV news, print media.

Question 11

Economic and valence issues

Answer 11

• A valence issue is on where voters share a common preference (i.e. the desire for the country to be economically prosperous).
  -Voters will vote for the candidate who they believe is best placed to deliver a successful economy.
  -Governing competency: the perceived ability of the government or opposition to manage the affairs of the country well.

Question 12

Factors affecting individual voting

Answer 12

-Policies: voters consider the policies presented in the party manifesto and make a key decision based on which set of policies suits them bets.
-Key issues: party campaigns focus on a clear message about one issue they think will win them the election.
-Performance in office: voters tend to simplify the election into a referendum on the current government.
-Leadership: voters often take the view that they are selecting a Prime Minister rather than a party so leaders must convince voters of their abilities.
-Image: voters will make their choice based on their perception of the party’s image which is connected to issue voting.
-Tactical voting: due to FPTP, if a voter’s preferred candidate is unlikely to win the seat, the voters will vote for their next favoured candidate if they think they have more chance of success. This is often done to prevent the candidate of the least favoured party winning the seat.

Question 13

The role of the party leader

Answer 13

-The rise of spatial leadership in the UK means voters increasingly make their choice based on party leaderships and who would be best placed to be prime minister. Hence fourth the personality and image of the party leader can play a significant role in voting behaviour.
-The role of the party leader is to:
-Inspire the party activists.
-Appear prime ministerial.
-Have a positive media presence.
-Appear strong in leading the party and if elected the nation.
-The media focuses on the character and image of the party leader above all other considerations because it is easier to report on a single person rather than a range of figures or policies.

Question 14

Public perceptions of leaders in elections
1992, 1997, 2010

Answer 14

-1992 – John Major, a calm reassuring figure, who was polite and gentlemanly defeated Neil Kinnock who had been labelled as the ‘Welsh Windbag’.
-1997 – The young, charismatic and media savvy Tony Blair defeated the ‘straw man’ John Major, who was deemed weak and boring.
-2010 – A smartly presented, reassuring and young David Cameron defeated the dour, taciturn and ‘dithering’ Gordon Brown.

Question 15

Are the party leaders the main reason for a party’s electoral fortunes?
Yes

Answer 15

-A strong leader will inspire confidence from floating voters.
-A strong performance will motivate the core voters and activists.
-A leader can maintain party discipline to ensure a unified party during an election campaign.

Question 16

Are party leaders the main reason for a party’s electoral fortunes?
No

Answer 16

-Core supporters will remain loyal despite the leadership.
-People vote for their local MP, not the Prime Minister.
-Other factors, such as major events that have affected public opinions (e.g. the Iraq war or the 2008 financial crash), are far more important.

Question 17

1979 General Election

Answer 17

-Conservative party won an overall majority with 44% and 339 seats.
-Thatcher because the first female Prime Minister.
-Harold Wilson stepped down (Labour) as Prime Minister and leader in 1976 allowing James Callaghan to become prime minister.
-Trade union strikes in 1978 coined the winter of discontent.
-In 1979, rising inflation and strikes caused the UK to grind to a halt. Schools and airports close. Private companies awarded pay rises so public sector unions started demanding the same.
-March 1st, 1979, Labour party lost 2 byelections which forced a ‘no confidence vote’ which led to a general election on May 3rrd 1979.
-1979 headline int eh Sun ‘Crisis? What crisis?’ presented Callaghan as out of touch with the public.
-The conservatives gained 62 seats mostly in the South leading to 18 years of a conservative government.
-Geography: All areas swung towards the conservatives, but the swing was much more pronounced in southern Britain.
-Class: The conservatives dominated the upper-class voters whilst labour won the lower-class votes. Yet conservatives gained swings of 11% and 9% with these groups.
-Gender: Men were evenly split between the two main parties whilst women showed a slight preferred for the conservatives.
-Age: Labour won the 18 – 24 age group whilst the conservative won across all other groups.
-Race: There is a lack of data for black and minority ethnic voting in 1979.

Question 18

1997 General Election

Answer 18

-‘Landslide’ victory by Tony Blair and Labour party as they won 416 seats.
-On the back of a divided conservative party by issues of the economy and Europe.
-New Labour policies were more ‘centrist’ and attracted alienated conservative voters.
-Movement way from the conservative party through heavy election defeats. Particularly in 1994.
-Appealed to younger voters being more youthful. 1998 Good Friday Agreement, 2003 Iraq War.
-In 2007, Tony Blair left office and Gordon Brown because Prime Minister. Yet his downfall came about in 2008 due toe the Global Banking Crisis.
-Geography: Labour gained votes across all regions. The conservatives were wiped out in Scotland and Wales. The Liberal Democrats were evenly spread but established a stronghold in the Southwest.
-Class: Labour gained support across all classes.
-Gender: Labour closed the gap between men and women.
-Age: The conservatives remained dominant among voters aged 65+, but Labour won among all other age groups.
-Race: Labour beat the Conservatives among white voters gaining 43% of the white vote and 70% of BME votes. The conservatives won 32% of the white vote and 18% BME votes.

Question 19

2010 General Election

Answer 19

-Hung parliament – no party had an overall majority. Conservatives had 307 seats. Labour had 258 seats. Liberal Democrats had 57 seats.
-A coalition government formed between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats which lasted until 2015.
-The conservative party had ‘rebranded’ into a more centre right party with ‘one nation conservatism’.
-Held the 2011 AV referendum which was voted no.
-Raising of tuition fess impacted the Liberal Democrat vote.
-2015 election was a majority for the Conservatives with 331 seats.
-In May 2017, they lost an overall majority, forming a coalition with the DUP.
-Geography: Labour gained votes in Scotland but lost them in England and Wales. The Conservatives gained votes in Southern England.
-Class: The Conservatives saw strong swing from lower class voters.
-Gender: Men showed a slight preference to the Conservatives whereas women tended to favour Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
-Age: Labour narrowly won the 18-24 age group whilst the Conservatives won all other age groups.
-Race: The Conservatives mostly won among white voters with 38% of the white vote and 16% of the BME vote. Labour was heavily supported by BME voters with 68% of the BME vote. The Liberal Democrats were the most equal party.

Question 20

2019 General Election

Answer 20

-Landslide win for the Conservative party with 365 seats.
-Single issue election – Brexit, New Conservatives who were ‘backing Boris’.
-Boris Johnson became leader and in July 2019 removed the whip-election called in December.
-The media were heavy towards Boris Johnson.
-Labour party lost the election due to party leader Jeremy Corbyn – 200 seats approximately.
-Pandemic 2020 – 2021 – Scandals including ‘party gate’ – Matt Hancock – 2022 the 44 days of Liz Truss.
-Conservatives broke through the ‘red wall’ in Northwest England.
-The Liberal Democrat leader lost her seat.

Question 21

Print media

Answer 21

-Broadsheet media: deal with weighty political debates and present information in a measured way.
-Tabloid media: populist newspapers which focus on sensation and entertainment.
-Magazines: provide an important check and help to inform high level debates as political and satirical magazines produced detailed reports but also scrutinise the work of politicians.

Question 22

Radio media

Answer 22

-News headlines: every radio station gives regular news broadcasts that are basic informative headlines presenting information without bias.
-Commercial radio: talk radio stations designed to engage in political discussion and debate.
-BBC radio: many platforms for political discussion with a number of programmes with interview and challenge politicians as well as phone-in shows to encourage political debate.

Question 23

TV media

Answer 23

-News broadcasts: all terrestrial channels are obliged to have regular and impartial news broadcasts.
-Party political broadcasts: 5-minute broadcasts that occur at set times with regulations to ensure all parties are given a fair and equal chance to influence public opinion.
-News channels: provide 24-hour news coverage which can drive political events by raising public awareness and making events appear more serious than they are.
-Political programming: involves extended interviews and discussion of political issues allowing the public to engage and sometimes participate.

Question 24

Online media

Answer 24

-Opinion polls: online polls with greater frequency and cheaper to run than traditional polls.
-Blogs: provide sources of information and a forum for discussion over political issues.
-Twitter: provides an informal poll to access the popularity of an issue or the performance of politicians, also provides as a forum for political debate.
-Campaigning: parties will use viral videos and social media to test ideas and messages before committing to traditional media.
-Websites: parties and politicians will have their own websites which provide a means to find out about policies, raise issues and donate to the party.

Question 25

Opinion polls

Answer 25

-An opinion poll is a survey of public opinion from a sample of the population at a given moment. They are often used to determine the expected results of an election.
-When they are done well, they help parties tailor their policies and messaged to target key demographics and ensure they appeal to voter’s concerns.
-When they are done badly, polls can misrepresent public opinion and affect the way in which people vote.
-In the 2015 general election, polls overestimated the Labour vote ad underestimated the Conservative vote due to a reliance on online polling at the expense of traditional polling Labour voting may have been depressed because supporters thought the party was going to be victorious. Conservatives may have been motivated to turnout to vote by fear of a Labour victory.

Question 26

The changing role of the media

Answer 26

-Traditionally, the role of the media has been to:
-Provide a commentary on political events and policies.
-Investigate controversies and bring them to public attention.
-Report accurately on political events.
-The media now plays a different role and there have been many criticisms:
-The press has become overly partisan and mock politics rather than provide an informed debate.
-They have created a national mood of cynicism towards politics and politicians by their focus on scandal and corruption.
-The focus on leaders and personalities has turned politicians into celebrities, instead of focusing on their roles as public servants with a job to do.
-The rise of online media platforms has led to partisan and uniformed debate being presented as fact, causing the parties and the mainstream media to lose control of the agenda.

Question 27

Has the media influenced election results?
1979: ‘crisis? what crisis?’

Answer 27

-A headline in the sun newspaper in relation to the ‘winter of discontent’.
-YES: suggested James Callaghan was out of touch with ordinary voters and swung opinion against the formerly popular prime minister.
-NO: opinion polls showed Callaghan as Labours strongest asset and he was generally ahead of Thatcher throughout the election campaign

Question 28

Has the media influenced election results?
1992: ‘we’re alright’

Answer 28

-A claim made repeatedly by Neil Kinnock at a rally in Sheffield.
-YES: television pictures showing Neil Kinnock as triumphalist a week before the election alienated some voters and caused some Labour voters to be more apathetic.
-NO: happened a week before the election so it is unlikely that tis, on its own, had the impact required to explain the different levels of support between the opinion polls and the election results.

Question 29

Has the media influenced election results?
2017: televised leader’s debate

Answer 29

-YES: Theresa May’s refusal to participate became a means of attacking her and a potential weakness, After Jeremy Corbyn participated in the seven-way debate and performed better than expected, Labour improved in credibility.
-NO: May went on to win more votes than Cameron had in 2010 or 2015. Corbyn still lost and third-party performers who did well saw no improvement in their vote shares.

Question 31

The role of media between elections
War reporting

Answer 31

-Patriotic war reporting of the Falklands War helped create the impression of Thatcher as the ‘Iron Lady’, swinging public opinion towards her.
-Iraq War 2003 fed the impression of Blair of a liar nd a ‘poodle’ of President Bush, fundamentally damaging his reputation.

Question 32

The role of media between elections
Sleaze

Answer 32

-1992 parliament had the media reporting on a number of sex and corruption scandals.
-Fed an impression of the Conservatives as the ‘nasty party’ and one that had abused its time in power.

Question 33

The role of media between elections
Expenses

Answer 33

-2009 MPs expense scandal.
-The Daily Telegraph revealed the wrongful claims of MPs, including a £1645 claim for a duck house in a garden.
-Created a mood of cynicism and distrust in politics.

Question 34

The role of media between elections
Satire

Answer 34

-Rose in the 1960s.
-‘That Was The Week That Was’ ‘Have I Got News For You’ ‘Spitting Image’ openly mocks politicians undermining the prestige with which politicians were regarded.
-Provides scrutiny and checks on politicians.