Voting Behaviour & Media - 2019 General Election

Question 1

Why was the election called?

Answer 1

• inability of Boris Johnston to get his exit deal through parliament
• biggest issue was he was heading towards minority government (lacks parliament majority)
• Labour, Lib Dem’s, Scottish nationalist MP’s didnt trust Johnston to handle
• PM secured his election by introducing ‘early parliamentary general election bill’

Question 2

Party policies & manifestos

Answer 2

• conservatives focuses of pledge to ‘get Brexit done’ & promises to increase spending on the NHS, police & infrastructure
• Labour was the most radical - tax rises for higher incomes, renationalisation of privatised services & investment for public services
• Lib Dem’s - clear-cut offer to cancel Brexit

Question 3

Campaigns

Answer 3

• conservatives - disciplined campaign, candidates required to pledge loyalty to PM’s Brexit plan, ‘ get Brexit done’
• labour - under-funding of NHS which contrasted with conservatives because of labours lack of clarity on Brexit
• Lib Dem’s - never really took off

Question 4

Media & the election

Answer 4

• Corbin supported blamed media for part of their loss
• media mainly supported conservatives
• however conservative leader refused to take part in BBC interview (Andrew Neil) after other leaders and this didn’t seem to effect the success of conservtive campaign
• conservatives more effectively in using media to send targeted messages

Question 5

Election results

Answer 5

• conservatives - 365 seats (+47)
• labour - 203 seats (-59)
• conservatives - 43.6% of votes
• labour - 32.2% of votes

Question 6

Parcitpation in 2019

Answer 6

• turnout - 67.3%, a drop of 1.5% from 2017
• bad weather - people stay at home?
• however still higher than 2001, 2005, 2010, 2015
• lowest in ‘red wall’ seats suggesting it was mainly traditional Labour voters who didnt vote