Factors Effecting Voter Behaviour Flashcards
(13 cards)
Explain how political context effected the 1979 general election
-the weakness of the Labour government, which had lost in a vote of no confidence and had been regularly defeated in the HOC
- Callaghan unable to control trade unions who had been striking following the attempts to impose 5% limit on pay increase, unable to address social breakdown across uk
- recovering from the ‘winter of discontent’ where there were mass strikes
Explain how election campaigns influence the 1979 election
- Margaret Thatcher used publicity specialist Tim Bell and Gordon Reese in her campaign and took advantage of many photo opportunities
- conservatives put pressure on labour over ‘winter of discontent’ + handling of economy
- Jim Callaghan, Labour Party leader was higher than Thatcher in opinion polls
Explain how party policies effect the 1979 election
-Both conservative and Labour Party manifestos were moderate and both parties prioritised lowering inflation
- Thatcher mentioned privatising recently nationalised industries and reducing trade unions powers (did not outline to what extent
Explain how political context influenced the 1997 election
-The conservative were unpopular after the John Major governments failings and only won 30% of votes
- conservatives views as weak on economic policy due to ‘black Wednesday’ in 1992
- Despite economic improvements many voters did not feel the benefit of the recovery through investments in public service
- conservatives involved in sexual and financial scandals
Explain how election campaigns influenced the 1997 election
-Labour used public relations experts to handle the media in the election used focus groups to understand public opinion
Labours campaign involved targeting marginal seats
Explain how party Policies effected the outcome of the 1997 election
- Tony Blair’s ‘New Labour’ had modernised policy in which the party moved away from traditional labour policies of increasing tax, strengthening trade unions and nationalisation
- New Labour was tough on law and order and Blair emphasised his links to business
- Labour emphasised itself as a moderate party that appealed to middle England
- Labour’s constitutional reform policy appealed to Lib Dem voters who supported Labour in seats which their candidates had no chance of winning
Explain how political context influenced the 2010 election
- the 2010 filled the 2008 financial crisis which took place during Gordon Browns leadership, which gave the conservatives means to attack policies
- Brown was unpopular for not calling a general election when he took over from Tony Blair in 2007
- Voters didn’t clearly favour the conservatives over Labour, with polls suggesting 29% voters felt that conservatives would be best handling g the economy over labour at 26%
Explain who election campaigns influenced the 2010 election
- Television debated held with the three main party leaders David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg
- Nick Clegg performed particularly well and saw in increase in opinion polls after the first debate, whilst Gordon Brown had a weak performance
- The conservatives targeted marginal seats and market tested their policies with voters, whilst Labour had a weak campaign
- Gordon Brown was heard calling a women a ‘bigoted women’ who had asked him about immigration
Explain how party policies effected the 2010 election
- Main parties all focused on policies to reduce the budget deficit and making savings
- conservatives stated the need for immediate cuts, whilst Labour and Lib Dem’s wanted a more gradual public spending cuts - the conservatives targeted Labours economic policy in gouvernant, which they said included overspending and failing to regulate the banking system
-This was a successful approach and a view shared by voters
Explain Partisanship
-Voters may choose to support a party because the strongly identify with that party
- There has been partisan dealignment in the UK recently where voters have stopped identifying themselves with a particular party and have instead become floating voters
- This has lead to voters becoming disengaged in politics and lack of confidence in politicians to solve problems
Explain Class based voting
-In the past working class voted for Labour and middle class voted for conservative
- Class dealignment has taken place so less people identifying with a political class, so class has less influence on voting
- explained by the increased size of the middle class, declined in trade union powers, the privatisation of the industries and greater educational opportunities
-1979, 1997 and 2010: social class was an important important factor in the years although has declined in influence in recent years
- in 1979 class was important with the conservatives winning 59% of middle class votes, whilst Labour won the largest share of the unskilled working class vote at 49%
- In 1997 Labour won 50% of skilled working class vote and 59% of unskilled vote. In comparison the conservatives won 27% of the skilled working class vote and 21% of the unskilled vote
Explain Governing competency
-it’s how voters perceive the ability of each party to run the country effectively.
- the success of governments policy, including economic policy and strong leadership, effects how competent they appear the voters, whilst voters are also influenced but the potential governing competence of opposition parties
- in 1997 John Major’s lack of competency was a factor in Labour winning the election
Explain age
