4. Voting Behaviour and the Media Flashcards
Who became the Prime Minister as a result of the 1979 general election?
Margaret Thatcher
What majority was there in 1979?
43
What turnout was there in the 1979 election?
76%
How did party policies and manifestos influence the 1979 election?
Both Labour and Conservative manifestos were notable for their moderation - high priority to bringing inflation down
What were the election campaigns like in 1979?
Labour campaigned lacked awareness of the finer points of presentation
Conservative won in opinion polls
Thatcher turned down televised debates
What was the wider political context of 1979?
Conservative party Conference IRA plotted a bomb for Margaret Thatcher
Weakness of Labour Government
Callaghan did not call an election in 1978 - triggered by a withdrawal of support
Winter of Discontent
Media showed Callaghan returning from Caribbean when Britain was struggling
Who became Prime Minister as a result of the 1997 general election?
Tony Blair
What majority was there in 1997?
179
What was the turnout in 1979?
71.4%
How did party policies and manifestos influence the election outcome?
1997
Tony Blair drove forward the policy of modernisation - tough on law and order
Labour endorsed by press
Common ground with Liberal Democrats on constitutional reform
How did election campaigns influence the 1997 election?
Labour employed public relation experts to handle the media
Blair gave interviews at home and gave off the view of a normal life
What was the wider political context of the 1997 election?
Economic Policy played an important role - economy recovering from recession and Conservatives lost their views as being effective handlers of the economy
Numerous financial and sex scandals of the Conservatives
Who became Prime Minister in the 2010 general election?
Coalition Government between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats
What was the 2010 election result?
Coalition result?
No majority achieved
Coalition had a majority of 77
Turnout of 2010 election
65.1%
How did party policies and manifestos influence the election outcome?
1997
Little difference between three parties
Spending cuts differed to handle the 2008 financial crash aftermath
How did election campaigns influence the 1997 election?
Conservatives had begun targeting marginal seats
Televised debates held
What was the wider political context of 2010?
2008 financial crash
Choice of election date was bad for Brown
Brown harshly treated by media
What are the trends we can see in voting behaviour?
8
- Leadership
- Class
- Region
- Valence
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Age
- Issue voting
What is class de-alignment?
When an individual no longer identify with the stereotypes of belonging to a certain class and the party associated with that
What are the class trends in voting behaviour?
Working Class People - Labour
Middle Class People - Conservative
Voters in higher classes tend to vote Conservative
How is class voting not relevant to todays society?
Decline of heavy industry’s reduced trade union power
Tony Blair broadened the appeal of the party
People are becoming more affluent and aspiring to middle class ways of life - the differences are no longer visible
What is partisan dealignment?
Process where individuals no longer identify themselves on a long-term basis as being associated with a certain political party
Why has there been a decline in partisan alignment?
Bonds of family and influence of workplace have weakened
More people have become swing voters
Disillusion and apathy
