Factors affecting voting behaviour examples

How does age influence voting

• Younger voters will vote labour - are more egalitarian and less opposed to change with an open stance to issues like gay marriage. Labour also has more policies reducing tuition fees and increasing public spending in sectors like education.

• This significance of this in attracting young votes is illustrated with the “youthquake” of 2017 where vote share increased from 43% in previous election to 64% when Corbyn implemented policies reducing tuition fees

How many more men aged 55+ voted conservative than labour in 2015 general election

15%

How did age influence females in 2015 general election

• In females there a larger 20% gap between conservative and labour vote in 18-24 and those over 55

2019 general election how many more 70+ people voted conservative than labour

53%

2019 general election - How many more people voted labour 18-24 than conservative

35%

1997 election Blair’s difference between conservative in 64+ category

• Blair won all age categories

• Smallest margin was 64+

• 3%

Partisan dealignment in 1983

• Thatcher campaigned to provide council homes for those who never had the prospect of owning their own house

• Caused embourgeoisement and bridged the gap between middle class and working class citizens

• Appealed to working class - stole labour votes

Partisan dealignment in1997

• Blair adopted a much more centrist ideology with his “new labour campaign”

• Bringing change to the 18 year conservative rule moving away from labour’s usual ideology as a “tax and spend party” - promising not to increase taxes but to fund public spending through economic growth - attracting conservative voters

• Also promised modernisation of UK constitution, devolution of smaller countries, increase in judiciary transparency, and implementation of human rights

Manifesto importance

• 1997 Blair’s new labour manifesto promised change focusing on salient issues on the mind of the population with there having being an 18 year conservative rule. Change in modernisation, and centrist ideology - not increasing taxes

• Also focused on valence issues like being “tough on crime” and cutting NHS waiting lists helped to attract swing and floating voters. 8.8% increased vote share + massive landslide

• Policy significance - further illustrated by the 2017 youthquake when Corbyn implemented policies to decrease tuition fees. Resulting in a much larger turnout of young voters from 43% in previous 2015 election to 64%

• 2019 general election - Boris manifesto focused on the salient issue of voters being brexit with 800,00 appearances on social media. “Get brexit done slogan” played on electorate frustration over 3 year political gridlock on brexit. Many wanted fastest means of completion. Resulted in crumbling of the red wall in north/midlands+ substantial majority in the House of Commons, with a majority of 80 seats.

Partisan dealignment in 2013

• Under David Cameron, the party adopted more socially liberal positions, including support for same-sex marriage passing same - sex couples act 2013

• Reason: Modernizing the party to appeal to younger, urban voters and to shed the "nasty party" image.

Gap between A,B,C1 between labour and conservative -1974

A,B.C1 - 37% gap in labour and conservative

Gap between A,B,C1 between labour and conservative -2010

only 12%

class dealignment

Gap between D,E between labour and conservative -1974

35% gap

Gap between D,E between labour and conservative -2010

9% gap

Trend in class dealignment further shown by

• More recently in the 2019 general election the conservative performed better among working class than middle class with 5% more

1997 general election Ethnicity 

• labour received 82% of black votes and 66% of Asian votes

• conservative got 12% black votes and 22% Asian vote

2010 general election ethnicity

• 68% of all ethnic minorities voted labour

• 16% voted conservative

Media

• The sun in 1983 “vote for maggie”, “Do you seriously want this old man to run Britain