ESSAY PLAN

IS THE UK EXPERIENCING A PARTICIPATION CRISIS

Paragraph 1

  • (P) Group Politics

  • (E) Trade Union membership dropped to an all time low from 13 million in 1979 to 6 million in 2016

  • (A) organizations connect people to politics gone

    less political info about policies/legislation → less likely to vote

  • (C) Rise in charities (environmental) 200 political advocacy organizations

    2013 passionate collaborative study 1 in 10 adults are in environmental groups

  • (E) Although memebership is down doesn’t stop engagement as there are other issues like cost of living

Paragraph 2

  • (P) Voter Turnout (gen election )

    (E) the average has gone from 1945-92 75% highest being 84%

    but 2017 turnout rate was 67%

    Patterns in lower turnout rate in local elections eg 2024 59.8%

  • (A) Voting is low mainly people from working age and renters , pensioners and home owners vote the most 11% higher → future will worsen( new gens and unaffordable housing)

  • (C) Since 2001 slow rise in voter turnout 59-67 % in 2019

    In Scottish Referendum turnout for 16-17 75%

    people do engage outside england

  • (E) But factor in 8 million who are eligible to vote but aren’t registered turnout drops to 50% which is alarming

Paragraph 3

  • (P) Party Membership Declines

  • (E) Labour Membership fell to 37,000 in 2023

    Lib Dems 11,00, Conserv icome fell

    SNP members halved

  • (A) less support → lack of interest

  • (C) Green Party so stable numbers/ proportion of votes

    Labour gave acolade to those who helped landslide / media

  • LibDems saw a surplus of donations 270k ( still engage )

  • (E) Other factors cause memebrship loss as it costs $$