voting behaviour

Question 1

rank the order of social classes

Answer 1

AB, C1, C2, DE

Question 2

what is a floating voter?

Answer 2

a voter who tends to vote unpredictably in different elections

Question 3

what is a floating voter?

Answer 3

a voter who tends to vote unpredictably in different elections

Question 4

why do younger people vote labour?

Answer 4

• younger people believe in social justice, the environment and equality, rather than more self centred issues
• in 2017, Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘the many not the few’ suggests that Labour is on the side of the younger generation.
• in the 2019 manifesto, Jeremy Corbyn pledged to abolish tuition fees

Question 5

what age group votes for labour? give stats to support this

Answer 5

typically, 66% of 18-24 year olds vote Labour (2017 general election), however, the turnout was only 58%, meaning a huge majority of the younger generation aren’t being truly represented

Question 6

what age group votes for conservatives? give stats to support this

Answer 6

the elderly are more likely to vote, for example, 59% of 65+ voted, which is extremely high

however, parties do better when they reach beyond their core age support group. e.g- Tony Blair achieved 5% more of the 65+ age group

Question 7

why do older people vote conservative?

Answer 7

• Conservative have policies of low taxation strong law and order, and eurosceptic ideas
• priorities change, and elderly are more likely to own their own home (55% of Conservative voters own their own home and 43%own with a mortgage).

Question 8

who do those with a lower education (GCSE or below) vote for? give stats to support this

Answer 8

the lower education level typically vote Conservative. (55% in the 2017 general election)

Question 9

why do those with a lower education vote for conservatives?

Answer 9

this is because they fear that Labour let immigrants into the country, and they are capable of taking their jobs (easier jobs with no degree needed), therefore they vote Conservative as they have more eurosceptic views.

Question 10

who do those with higher education (degree or above) vote for? give stats to support this

Answer 10

typically vote Labour (49% in the 2017 general election)

Question 11

why do those with higher education vote labour?

Answer 11

their jobs aren’t threatened by immigrants (as you need a degree) and Labour pledged to abolish tuition fees which interest uni students.

Question 12

how do different classes affect voting behaviour? 2019 election. stats

Answer 12

AB: 45% cons 30% labour

C1: 45% cons 32% labour

C2: 47% cons 32% labour

DE: 41% cons 39% labour

Question 13

what is class dealignment?

Answer 13

when decisions on voting no longer depends on class, but other factors

Question 14

what was Enoch Powells ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech 1968? what did it lead to?

Answer 14

he states that labour let immigrants into the country

led to class dealignment as the working class voted conservative to keep their jobs safe from immigrants

Question 15

how does gender affect voting behaviour?

Answer 15

gender doesn’t have a huge impact on voting behaviour

• as shown in the 1979 election, where 47% of women voted conservative, close to the 43% of men
• this trend stayed in place as in the 2017 election, 44% of men voted cons and 43% of women did

Question 16

how does region affect voting behaviour?

Answer 16

• From 2015-2019, Conservative have taken over many regions within the UK
• however, Conservative had also made gains in working class areas, and had achieved partisan dealignment
• during the winter of discontent, Margaret Thatcher had managed to travel to Cardiff (a Labour supporting area) and she had managed to swing the Labour supporters from being too middle class by launching the Conservative campaign in Cardiff.

Question 17

how does ethnicity affect voting behaviour?

Answer 17

BAME voters typically vote labour (64% labour compared to 20% conservative in 2019)

Question 18

why do BAME voters vote labour?

Answer 18

• immigrants from BAME backgrounds came into the UK working in industrial roles, which tied them with the labour party, and encourage them to adopt more policies to protect it supporters

Question 19

what is valence? complete

Answer 19

when voters make their decision based on the party who is most likely to run the country effectively

Question 20

what is issue voting?

Answer 20

voters that decide who to vote for based on a single issue that means a lot to them, like a pensioner voting for the party that promises for the highest rate of pensions

Question 21

what is rational choice?

Answer 21

suggests people vote based on what they consider to be in their own best interests

Question 22

what are some factors that affect individual voting?

Answer 22

• manifestos
• party leaders
• how parties have performed in office
• tactical voting
• image and reputation of the party

Question 23

give 3 commitments on labours 2019 party manifesto

Answer 23

• abolish tuition fees
• increase minimum wage to £10 an hour
• 4.3% per year increase in the health budget

Question 24

give 3 manifesto commitments on conservatives 2019 party manifesto

Answer 24

• pensions increase by at least 2.5$ each year
• number of nurses increased by 50,000
• £6.3 billion spent on 2.2 million disadvantaged homes

Question 25

give 3 commitments on lib dems 2019 party manifesto

Answer 25

• promise to stop Brexit
• increase income tax by one penny to fund the NHS
• recruit 20,000 more teachers

Question 26

what is a mandate?

Answer 26

the idea that the winning party has to implement its manifesto promises

Question 27

why is a mandate doctrine good? (3)

Answer 27

• electors are completely aware of which policies they are consenting to
• mandate strengthens government, the winning party gains legitimacy for its policies
• electors can judge the performance of the government delivering its promises

Question 28

what are 3 implications of the doctrine of a mandate?

Answer 28

• depends upon a single party winning the election, in the case of a coalition, the mandate is unclear
• voters may not agree with ALL policies on the manifesto, but the mandate assumes it does
• circumstances may change once they win the election, meaning they may have to abandon or develop new policies
  ^e.g Lib Dems abandoning their manifesto commitment to abolish tuition to form the coalition