UK- Elections and referendums Flashcards

Question

How does Geography influence voting behaviour ?

Answer 1

- North /south divide - In 2001, the southern part of England voted 56.3% for the Conservative Party whilst the north of England, Scotland and Wales voted 82.4% in favour of the Labour Party. - This pattern may be linked to the industrial past of the UK when heavy industry and links to trade unions were concentrated in Central Scotland, the North of England and Wales.

Answer 2

- Those under 35 tend to vote Labour and the Conservative vote increases with age. - in this election, around the same proportion of all age groups below 50 voted for Labour (41% to 46%).

Answer 3

- The Labour party has tended to benefit from the ethnic minority vote, especially the Afro-Caribbean vote. - This may be because, in the past, Labour policies have seemed more sympathetic towards ethnic minorities.

Answer 4

- The media is the means whereby voters form opinions on the ability of political leaders and whether the Government is doing a good job or not - Outside election times, most readers will not realise that the Daily Record favours the Labour Party and that the Daily Mail favours the Conservative Party. - 2010 UK General Election, the Sun newspaper ran the headline ‘Labour’s Lost it’, letting readers know it has switched its support from the Labour Party to the Conservative Party. The Sun has the largest circulation figures in the UK and famously supported the Labour Party in 1997. - Internet now plays an important role in influencing voters. Like newspapers, websites are allowed to show bias. Politicians and political parties are keen to use websites, blogs, wikis, podcasts or having listings on social networking websites like facebook and twitter as a way of reaching voters, especially young voters. Young voters are less likely to vote.

Answer 5

progressive decline in the number of voters who feel a strong attachment to on of the major parties.

Answer 6

An independent body set up by the UK Parliament, responsible for regulating election finance, setting standards for election administration, monitoring and enforcing election laws.

Answer 7

- Voters consider the policies presented in the party manifestos and make a decision based on which set of policies suits them best. - This is rational choice theory in action. Voting Behaviour - eg stance on immigration or Net0 goals

Answer 8

- Party campaigns increasingly focus on a clear message about one issue they think will win them the election because voters increasingly cast their vote based on the issue that is most important to them.

Answer 9

voters tend to simplify the election into a referendum on the current government. If the economy does well, the government is rewarded with another term; if the economy does badly, the government is removed and the opposition is given a chance to govern

Answer 10

- The role of the leader has become increasingly important since Harold Wilson’s time in office, and voters often take the view that they are selecting a prime minister rather than voting for a party or an MP. - As a result, leaders must convince voters that they can be trusted to deliver and are capable of running the country, and they must deliver all this through a likable and engaging media presence. - eg Maybot in 2017

Answer 11

- Both gave high priority to bringing inflation down. - Thatcher's policy statement contained very little indication that she intended to move her party to the right. There was a mention of returning recently nationalised industries to private hands and removing some trade union powers, but no suggestion of a radical crusade to scale down the state sector.

Answer 12

THATCHER - She was less experienced than Callaghan so was advised to avoid debates. The campaign therefore cultivated an image of a careful housewife and mother. Economics was explained in terms of simple domestic common sense- not spending what you don't have and avoiding debt. -utilised photo opportunities -'Labour Isn’t Working' CALLAGHAN - The one 'gaffe' of the campaign came from Sir Harold Wilson - the former Labour Prime Minister - who conceded in an interview with the Daily Mail that his wife might vote for the Conservatives, because their leader was a woman.

Answer 13

- The 'New Labour' project abandoned old-fashioned party policies such as nationalisation, tax increases and the strengthening of trade union powers, which might put off non-committed middle-class voters - Another way in which Labour's policies helped it win was Blair's emphasis on constitutional reform, which gave the party common ground with the Liberal Democrats.

Answer 14

- New Labour placed a huge emphasis on developing a professional vote-winning machine. - Crucially, Labour won the endorsement of the greater part of the press, including The Sun and The Times. The message was that New Labour was a moderate party with the interests of 'Middle England' at heart. - The image of Tory incompetence was confirmed by a series of financial and sexual scandals (which the media called 'sleaze') and continuing divisions over Britain's relationship with the European Union. The impression of weak leadership was fatal for the Conservatives.

UK- Elections and referendums Flashcards

(38 cards)